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.