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Sage Confirms Online Business Model
Following user research conducted by Sage in the UK, and working extensively with the members of their accountants club, Sage have recently released Version 11 of their market leading Line 50 product. One of the key features of the product is the enabling of accountants and their clients to work more closely together by exchanging data in a more controlled way.
Adrian Grace (Managing Director, SME Division, Sage UK Limited) comments: “Line 50 Version 11 offers exceptional functionality for small business and allows accountants to give their clients an unparalleled level of support - saving them both time and money.”
This confirms the unique role that Online50 provides by allowing the accountant and their client to work simultaneously on the same data. By using the Online50 service an accountant has real-time access to their clients’ accounts and the exchange of data is now obsolete. Moreover, the Accountants Link feature currently requires both the accountant and the client to pay for upgrades to Version 11, whereas an Online50 solution allows the accountant to support clients on a wide range of Line 50 versions.
With all of the features of Version 11 available online with no upgrade charge, and the ability to support a range of versions of Line 50 together with other software, the reasons not to adopt Online Accounting with Online50 are diminishing.
BT Extends Broadband Reach
Good news for those of you who have been unable to order an ADSL connection due to the poor quality of your line, or the distance of your premises from the telephone exchange. (Any users requiring a robust business class connection at a competitive price can contact the Online50 sales desk for information on our business broadband products).
BT Wholesale has announced that from 6th September 2004 the planning limits for 512kbit/s ADSL products will be removed and that the current limits for 1Mbit/s ADSL products will be extended to 60dB (6km). This means that, provided your exchange is enabled, you should be able to get broadband. You can check if your exchange is ADSL enabled using our Broadband Availability Checker
This announcement has been made following successful Long Reach ADSL trials in Milton Keynes and Fort William and Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands. BT is confident that 512kbit/s products can now be provided to the majority of people and the current planning limit of 60dB (6km) will be removed. This means that all line qualification results for 512kbit/s products will be green regardless of the length of the line between the End User and the exchange.
BT believes the removal of the limits on 512kbit/s products will bring more than 1million additional homes and businesses across the UK within reach for 512kbit/s broadband. Of course if your exchange has not yet been ADSL enabled you will still have to wait for the conversion of the exchange.
In the trials approximately 75 per cent of 512kbit/s self install orders worked on customer installation. Engineer visits to the remaining one in four customers succeeded in connecting all but 5 per cent of customers with lines over 60dB. These engineering visits will be managed under the business as usual fault processes for long lines (previously called the False Greens process) and work by the engineer might include:
- Ensuring PSTN line is fault free
- Local loop pair swap for a shorter or better cable pair (if available)
- Isolation of the customer's phone extension wiring
- Check micro-filter at PC and main socket installed correctly (and ask customer to confirm has installed micro-filter at other sockets with telephone equipment)
- Checking customer's own equipment is not causing faults
- Fitting a new front plate at the master socket
The current False Greens process is being implemented as the standard business as usual repair process for long lines along with the changes to reach limits. This process will apply when, having followed the self install process, the end user customer is unable to get the broadband line working. The ISP will report a fault to BT and an appointment is made for a BT engineer to visit the end user customer's premises and will endeavour to get the broadband service working. If the installation requires the fitting of a Service Specific Front Plate the engineer could, if necessary (and providing it does not have a detrimental effect on Service) also provide up to 30 metres of CAT5 data extension cable within the premises.
As this process forms part of the standard repair process for long lines from the 7th September there will be no additional charge. It is anticipated that an engineer's visit will be needed to complete approximately 1 in 4 installations on lines over 60dB.
The 1Mbit/s standard product limits will be extended from the current 43dB to 60dB.
It is not expected that there will be any changes to the prices or existing ordering and provisioning processes for these products. The system changes necessary to introduce these changes will be completed by the 6th September 2004. Orders placed before this time will be subject to the current planning limits of 60dB for 512kbit/s and 43dB for 1Mbit/s products.
Security Flaw in Oracle Database
Oracle is working on patches for a series of flaws that have been found in its database software by UK security firm Next Generation Security Software. The security holes could allow malicious hackers to steal personal details. The flaws in current and previous versions of the company's database software could allow intruders to gain control of databases without needing a password or user authentication. Once a hacker has control of the database they can access all of the data held in the database.
Next Generation’s managing director, David Litchfield, told the Wall Street Journal: 'If they can get access they can own it and the data on it.' David Litchfield confirmed that his firm has found as many as 34 flaws.
Oracle says it is working on patches to fix the flaws but has not released any time scales for availability of the fixes.
The Oracle database system is used by many enterprise companies for their in-house databases, and is also used for many web based systems. Of key concern will be the ability of those companies running systems using the database to keep the data they hold safe. Commenting on security of data Rob Lambden, Managing Director and architect of the Online50 service said: “Online50 does not use any Oracle database components. Our security is split between a Linux front end and a Microsoft back end and uses our own (secret) code to ensure that no level of the system is circumvented. In addition users of our accounting system all have their own separate databases rather than using a single shared database, further enhancing security.” However, he does warn users to be diligent: “Any system is only as strong as its weakest link, and users should take care to ensure that they choose strong passwords and that these passwords are kept safe.”
IoD: Technlogy is Key for SMEs
(From the Institute of Directors)
In a recent survey of SMEs conducted by Dell in conjunction with the Institute of Directors 84% of the IoD members questioned consider technology to be a key factor in driving their business forward. 73% of those responding gave increased productivity as their main reason for investing.
Commenting on the findings, Bill Rodrigues, VP and GM of Dell UK, said: “Small businesses are far more IT savvy than ever before and really understand the benefits and competitive advantage technology can bring to their business.”
Additionally, when questioned about the ideal technology solution they would like to implement in their organisation, most purchasers looked to support mobile staff using technology such as VPNs and 3G.
Professor Jim Norton, Senior Policy Advisor to the IoD explains, “SMEs could teach many large businesses a thing or two about really sweating their ICT investments. Once they can see bottom line business advantage, they are very fleet of foot in grasping the opportunities offered by ICT - such as mobile working”.
In addition to the evidence for forward looking purchasing decisions, SMEs still have numerous IT concerns. Almost two thirds cited data security as a significant worry, and over half of respondents are concerned about their disaster recovery plans - both issues that can be addressed using the Online50 platform.
In the light of this survey it seems clear that hosted solutions, such as Online50, are well placed to serve the forward thinking SME Enterprise with:
- Access from anywhere
- Reduced cost of implementation
- Improved support from their Accountant
- High performance, scalable infrastructure
- Secure, managed service with aggressive SLA
