6 01732 759725 NEWS use 10 different monitoring and observability tools to manage applications, infrastructure and user experience. The average multicloud environment now spans 12 different platforms and services. (Source: Dynatrace State of Observability 2024) ... BIGCHANGE TO HONOUR WOMEN IN FIELD SERVICE Job management software provider BigChange has announced a new awards programme to recognise the achievements of women in field service. Launched on International Women’s Day, The BigChange Outstanding Women in Field Service Award is open to any woman working as a technician, engineer or operative within a field service industry. BigChange is also running the BigChange Big on Inclusion Award for existing customers that have taken steps to bring diverse talent into their workforce. The prize of £2,000 is intended to fund a new or existing plan to help achieve this, such as an apprenticeship, coaching or training programme. www.bigchange.com ... BEWARE E-BIKES CHARGING Following a spate of fires linked to the charging of Lithium Ion batteries in e-scooters and e-bikes, the British Safety Council has published an introductory guide for employers on managing the risks of storing and charging such devices in the workplace. Phil Pinnington, Head of Audit and Consultancy at British Safety Council, said: “The increasing use of e-bikes and scooters has prompted a wave of new questions, considerations and challenges – not least for employers, as e-bikes and scooters have entered the workplace and are routinely charged at (or under) our desks. British Safety Council’s Introductory Guide to Li-on batteries in the workplace offers a series of tips to help employers identify and assess the risks posed and put control measures in place.” The guide can be downloaded from https://tinyurl.com/yz98s56s www.britsafe.org ... VODAFONE BUILDING NETWORK OF IT SUPPORT HUBS Vodafone Business is building a network of Vodafone Business IT Hubs across the UK to provide IT and communications support and managed services to small businesses that don’t have IT expertise in-house. Each of the 300-plus franchises, including 70 in Greater London, will be run by an experienced IT professional who will have their own local territory to run. Trading under the Vodafone brand, the limited companies will sell a portfolio of Vodafone products and services alongside selected products from partner vendors, enabled by an industryleading platform, with IT software, services and resources. www.vodafone.co.uk ... INTEGRATED ERP TO TRANSFORM CONCERN WORLDWIDE OPERATIONS Boutique digital transformation consultancy Embridge Consulting and enterprise cloud applications provider Unit4 are working together on an integrated ERP solution for Concern Worldwide. The international humanitarian organisation committed to reducing suffering in the world’s poorest countries has 4,500 staff and volunteers in 26 countries. It has grown substantially in recent years and wanted to upgrade its finance and aid distribution management systems and move to the cloud. Steve Haines, Chief Commercial Officer of Embridge Consulting, said: “Concern Worldwide needed a technology solution to help drive further operational efficiencies, improve reporting and drive insight for timely, informed decision-making. Our proven track record of delivering similar large-scale, complex projects, working collaboratively with Unit4, means we can provide the right combination of technology, best practice guidance, training and ongoing support to this programme. In doing so, we can help Concern Worldwide operate more effectively, distributing aid where it’s most needed and managing donor funds appropriately.” The Unit4 ERP implemented by Embridge Consulting and Unit4 provides an intuitive, cost-effective platform to streamline finance, procurement and warehousing. Longer term, the intention is to work with Concern to continuously improve its operations. continued... WIFI ON MARS In preparation for future Mars missions, the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) has been testing equipment, procedures and experiments in the province of Ararat, Armenia under conditions that are as close to the red planet as possible. This includes Wi-Fi technology from LANCOM Systems, which is used for communications in the field and with ground control and to transmit data (on heart rates and body temperature, CO2 and oxygen content) from sensors in the six astronauts’ spacesuits via Wi-Fi antennae on the back of their suits. WiFi, also used to control robotic vehicles, is provided by routers and outdoor access points mounted on tripods in a high-availability network of wireless point-to-point links. https://oewf.org/en/amadee-24/ Photo: ÖWF/Florian Voggeneder
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