Experts In Polo Shirts

Is Public Cloud Losing Its Edge?

Send us a textDescription:People are abandoning public cloud in their droves, or at least that's what Michael Dell might like you to think when he recently posted a stat which stated, "83% of enterprises plan to move workloads back to private cloud from public cloud."In this episode, our techies are debating the Logic of Repatriating Workloads. What is it, and what do the stats point to is the public cloud a sinking ship, or are we moving to a more nuanced cloud era, where companies have become more aware of the pros and cons of both on-premises and public cloud and have begun their truly hybrid cloud approach to their systems. Find out the opinions of the experts in polo shirts: Chris Piggot, CEO, Ryan Tracey, Head of Technical Operations; and Matt Dyson, Consultant at Synextra. Click the link below for the Barclays CIO Survey.https://8198920.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8198920/Barclays_Cio_Survey_2024-1.pdf#cloudrepatriation #publiccloud #privatecloud Chapters:0:00 Intro0:47 What is cloud repatriation1:15 The cloud repatriation statistic2:50 Will SMEs repatriate?4:36 The cost of cloud migration without optimisation6:05 On-premises vs cloud7:23 AI, what does it mean for the privacy of workloads in the cloud9:47 Budgeting for future technical advances10:52 Repatriation, the loss of functionality and a waste of time?11:38 The infrastructure technical skill set in the future15:38 Latency, cloud vs on-premises18:47 Vendor lock-in22:46 Cost management, doing public cloud correctly29:37 A modern application stack31:05 Reliability and the IT roadmap 34:28 Summary35:30 Out

VMware is Out: What Alternatives Are There?

Send us a textAs we say a sad goodbye to VMware, we discuss the realistic hypervisor alternatives for businesses and their pros and cons. Hyper-V, XenServer, and VMware, wait what I thought it was alternatives to Broadcoms latest cash cow!? For better or worse, sticking with the top performer might be your best choice. Unless you want to Migrate to one of the big players in Cloud, Azure and AWS, Microsoft's offering is the more obvious option with infrastructure professionals likely being more familiar with the user interface.All that and more in this episode of Experts in Polo Shirts with Synextra Consultant Matt Dyson, and Host Michael Clegg.#VMware #hypervisor #hyper-v #XenServer #publiccloud 0:00 Intro0:18 Realistic Alternatives to VMware0:42 VMware2:36 HyperV4:19 Xenserver6:19 Hypervisor Migration Considerations12:02 Non Hypervisor Alternatives to VMware12:18 Public Cloud Azure & AWS14:16 Scalability Advantages17:44 Security Advantages19:24 Motivation to Migrate

VMware is Dead - Broadcom Acquisition

Send us a textSince Broadcom acquired VMware we have seen a radical reorganisation of the company; eliminating products, packaging together what little is left and ratcheting up the prices giving consumers little choice but to plan their exit from the ecosystem.CEO Chris Piggott and HTO Ryan Tracey discuss what has happened, how it affected us and what we recommend to move forward.0:00 Intro0:14 What has happened to VMware?3:02 Why did Broadcom move so fast?4:19 What does this change mean for VMware customers?6:08 What is Broadcom's track record?7:15 How has this change impacted Synextra?8:24 Are there any real benefits to clients now that Broadcom has taken over?10:47 What's next?12:22 Considering the future, is there anything to stop more price increases?13:03 What does Synextra recommend?14:48 What is the future for techies?

E11: The Modernisation of the End User

Send us a textAaron Naisbitt has joined Synextra, and he’s brought with him some fresh insights about the modern end user. Exploring the headwinds that IT teams have to fight in a modern-day workplace he suggests that the improving technology people have at home, making everything accessible at the touch of a button, has given employees higher expectations of tech in the workplace. Alongside this, workplace technology has become more complex, involving layers of security thus slowing systems down.Chapters:0:00 Teaser0:23 The Modernisation of the End User4:40 The Changing Landscape5:13 The Effect on Recruitment and Retention---Visit our website: https://www.synextra.co.uk---Social media//• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Synextra • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synextra• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/synextra-ltd- • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNhzi_d1GyV1WKtvO4sbdA • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/synextra

E10: How safe is your business? - Cyber Security deep dive with DCI Chris Maddocks

Send us a textJoin our special guest DCI Chris Maddocks, the head of Economic and Cyber teams in the North West and our very own Chris Piggott, Synextra CEO.Our Cyber Security webinar is where we’ll be sharing the most common mistakes that we see in businesses and organisations when it comes to Cyber Security and Phishing. We will explore how these mishaps can be avoided and examine the real impacts and repercussions on real organisations that members of the police force such as DCI Chris Maddocks have experienced and investigated firsthand.From easy-to-implement VPN systems to staff training we discuss the best practices for businesses and individuals to stay safe against cyber criminals and phishing attacks.Useful links:Northwest regional crime unit https://www.nwrocu.police.ukNorthwest Cyber resilience centre https://www.nwcrc.co.ukReport Phishing https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-emailreport@phishing.gov.ukReport to Action Fraud 24-hour City of London police https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa2/fraud/action-fraud/Have I been pwnd https://haveibeenpwned.com#cybersecuritytraining #phishing #webinar #cybercrime #cyberattack #socialmedia 00:00 Introduction02:00 Protecting Businesses-2FA03:01 Risks Of Ransomware05:28 Social Media Compromises07:30 The Cyber Security Skills Gap13:19 Phishing Attack Vectors-Email15:30 Crypto Currency And Crime16:38 Exchange Web Proxy Exploits18:03 Phishing Awareness20:59 Turning The Tide On Ransomware 26:36 What Can People Do To Protect Themselves33:30 Password Advice41:15 Advice For Small Businesses And Charities 44:13 Distributed Denial-Of-Service DDoS45:48 Police Cyber Investigation Process47:42 Security Of Public Wifi52:29 Other Attack Vectors53:14 Disgruntled Employees57:21 DDoS Analogy58:28  Laws Around Cyber Crime1:03:59 Conclusions---Contact//Tel: 0161 883 1383Email: enquiries@synextra.co.ukVisit the website: https://www.synextra.co.uk---Social media//• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Synextra• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synextra• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/synextra-ltd-• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNhzi_d1GyV1WKtvO4sbdA• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/synextra

E9: The Cyber Security Risks of TikTok

Send us a textThe Experts in Polo Shirts are discussing the issues around TikTok, the hugely popular short video app every person and their cat is rushing in to use and yet it is being banned on government and company phones; but why? We discuss the security and misinformation issues that surround the platform. It is the fastest-growing social media platform, but today we'll be asking "is time up for TikTok?"---0:00 Introduction0:28 Do we use TikTok?1:58 TikTok Security Risks3:34 Online disinformation and Silicon Valley bank5:48 Censorships and suspensions 7:30 Cyber Security and data collection10:55 The “Troll Factory”12:20 Steven Bartlett’s fake footballer Pitch deck13:20 TikTok as a search engine14:27 Does google control online information?16:39 TikTok, ad products and info collection19:30 TikTok short-form content and how it affects other social media apps20:35 TikTok online shop and commissions---Want to watch the video version of the podcast, follow the link belowhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJkcn9XyF2Y---Useful links:https://www.dailywire.com/news/navarro-on-tiktok-all-the-data-goes-right-to-servers-in-chinahttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/02/google-abandoned-its-dont-be-evil-mantra-former-exec-says.htmlhttps://512.soccer/the-day-arsenal-signed-rex-secco/https://metro.co.uk/2015/09/07/the-truth-behind-rex-seccos-34million-transfer-move-to-arsenal-5380023/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/16/the-tiktok-wars-why-the-us-and-china-are-feuding-over-the-app#:~:text=A%20law%20implemented%20by%20China,other%20social%20media%20companies%2C%20collects.---Contact//Tel: 0161 883 1383 Email: enquiries@synextra.co.ukVisit the website: https://www.synextra.co.uk---Social media//• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Synextra • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synextra• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/synextra-ltd- • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNhzi_d1GyV1WKtvO4sbdA • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/synextra

E8: The Death of the Sysadmin

Send us a textLadies and gents, we are back again with another contentious episode! Or maybe not contentious enough...Today we're playing a twisted game of Cluedo with IT, and it looks like Colonel Mustard has done the wicked deed with a Candlestick in the Billiard Room! In this instance Colonel Mustard is Microsofts Azure platform, the Candlestick is Public Cloud, and the unfortunate soul is our beloved SysAdmin IT Professional. Forget about the Billiard Room, it doesn’t fit into this metaphor really well so we're hoping you don't read this far!Seriously tho, we're talking about the Death of the SysAdmin and the role that Azure and the public cloud plays in its demise!*Spoilers we don't actually think the role of the Sysadmin is done, we do think it will begin to look pretty different in the near future, watch now to find out the opinions of or CEO Chris Piggott and Infrastructure Engineer Michael Wilde.Four our UK audience and people unfamiliar with the term, SysAdmin is short for System administrator, the are our IT professionals who ensure an organisation's computer systems are functioning and meet the organisation's needs. In other words, SysAdmin support, troubleshoot, and maintain computer servers and networks.---Contact//Tel: 0161 883 1383 Email: enquiries@synextra.co.ukVisit the website: https://www.synextra.co.uk---Social media//• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Synextra • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synextra• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/synextra-ltd- • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNhzi_d1GyV1WKtvO4sbdA • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/synextra

E7: Where have we been!?

Send us a textIt has been a long time since our last podcast, but we are back!💪Today we're talking about where have we been,  the cost of living crisis and how crazy is at the moment for the public sector, our temporary (for 3 months already 😝) studio and its "fancy" chandelier, the new technology and the old fashioned but still a beast AS/400, customer projects and Cohesity the baffling backup solution (seemingly magical) that has our experts wondering how it work and much much more... That's enough with the spoilers!Get some popcorn, a soft drink, sit back and enjoy!#podcast #technology  #business 00:00 Intro00:34 Office renovation recap02:57 New PCs, laptops on lease and browser tabs05:49 Inflation and the cost of living07:26 Customer projects09:36 Cohisity backup solution - how does it work?14:30 Old technology - AS/40015:58 What's coming up16:32 Fin---Contact//• Tel: 0161 883 1383 • Email: enquiries@synextra.co.uk• Synextra: https://www.synextra.co.uk---Social media//• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Synextra • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synextra• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/syne... • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNh... 

E5: Tech Talk With Andy Sefton, Head of IT & Security @ Centrepoint Charity - Experts in Polo Shirts

Send us a textMeet Andy Sefton, Head of IT and Data Security @ Centrepoint, the tech-powered UK charity with standout ambitions to “end youth homelessness by 2037”… ·       Centrepoint charity: centrepoint.org.uk·       Contact details & FAQs: Centrepoint contact ·       Synextra: synextra.co.uk·       Call, email, visit: Synextra contact --- 🥳Happy new year, techie addicts 🥳 – we’re back!  That’s right, just when you thought 2021 had brought all the technology tutorials and cloud-based capers you could handle, it’s time to buckle up for even more IT top tips and practical insights in 2022.  EPISODE 5 | This week, we caught up with Andy Sefton, part-time international man of mystery and full-time technology guru.  When Andy isn’t striving toward his yoga black belt in India or ordering another slice of Sugarloaf in Rio, he can be found helping to hasten the positive impact of charity on society in his role as Head of IT & Data Security at Centrepoint.  What’s in store: ✔ Meet Andy (the man, the myth, the mainframe magician). ✔ Centrepoint Charity work – discover more about Centrepoint, one of the UK’s top charity organisations working to support young homeless people.   ✔ Insights from an industry legend whose first job was replacing “OM” (Office Machinery – that’s “typewriters” to the rest of us) with IT equipment in 1986. As always, if you enjoyed the video, please like, subscribe, and click the bell.   Got a question? Ask us anything. From the life and times of Andy Sefton to Centrepoint’s exemplary charity work (and anything about MSP channel partners along the way), let’s start the conversation and kick 2022 off with new friendships.  🎁2022 GIVEAWAY🎁 To be in with a chance of winning one of 2022’s Hoodie – keyboard – mouse, simply leave a comment! … every 100th subscriber will trigger a hamper giveaway. We’ll choose a lucky winner from the comments section at random – could it be you? Subscribe & comment today. 

E6: What Is Hyperconverged Infrastructure & VMware Infrastructure Software

Send us a textA hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) is a software defined IT solution, redeploying elements such as storage & network to the cloud. Join the debate.---Today, we’re unpacking a two-word topic with the vast potential to transform, streamline, and simplify enterprise level IT operations. Listen in as Chris, Dean, and Mike explore the past, present, and future of hyperconverged infrastructure…What are the benefits of hyperconverged infrastructure?Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) offers multiple benefits over a traditional hardware-defined three-tier architecture. The virtualised layer abstracts and groups resources, expediting the allocation of data requests to apps running in virtual machines. A hyperconverged resource management approach results in:• Efficient IT ProcessesWith HCI, a single outsourced team can monitor, maintain, and manage a company’s virtualised IT solution, eliminating the associated ongoing expenses linked to permanent on-site siloed expertise.• Flexible ScalabilityHCI significantly reduces a company’s on-premises IT requirement. Replace the CAPEX of a traditional three-tier structure with a flexible hyperconverged infrastructure that avoids both vendor lock-in & overprovisioning.• Lowered Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)Vendors can pass on the reduced TCO of a hyperconverged infrastructure in many ways. For example, users stand to make savings across equipment, software, staffing, power & cooling costs, and IT housing costs.• Single-Pane-of-GlassBy virtualising all mission critical elements of a company’s IT solution (e.g., storage, compute, networking), a hyperconverged infrastructure delivers single-pane-of-glass control features, allowing users to control multiple VMs from one centralised interface. • New Deployments & Time to Market HCI facilitates expedited app development & rollout times – all of which can be carried out by less experienced staff accessing online features with reduced physical on-site architecture. For more information on how Synextra can help you to deploy and manage hyperconverged infrastructures for your clients, contact us today.  ---Contact//• Tel: 0161 883 1383 • Email: enquiries@synextra.co.uk• Synextra: https://www.synextra.co.uk---Social media//• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Synextra • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synextra• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/synextra-ltd- • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNhzi_d1GyV1WKtvO4sbdA ---As mentioned in the episode:vSAN ReadyNode™ Sizerhttps://vsansizer.vmware.com/