Spectrum - digital migration's cloud-based foundation
by Peter Griffiths, MD, Arrow Altech Distribution High growth in connected and smart devices has resulted in spectrum becoming a scarce resource. Spectrum may be conceptualised as a multi-lane highway in the sky along which audio, video and internet data can be sent back and forth... ( more) |
Q&A: How to choose an IT help desk
with Gowri Shankar Prem Kuma, ITR Technology An IT help desk ensures a seamless end-user experience by centralising and automating service management processes. The right IT help desk improves productivity, guarantees end-user satisfaction, cuts costs, and aligns IT... ( more) |
 A software-defined future
by Francois Swanepoel, Stone Three Venture Technology
Just as mainstream business have started to understand and see the benefits of cloud computing and even the internet of things, a new IT phrase has begun doing the rounds - "software-defined everything". Devices and platforms are... ( more)
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Compiled by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT
There are many facets to the concept of the connected car. It started with reducing the wiring inside the car by deploying internal networks such as CanBus and FlexRay, to today's integration of internal and external networks to manage maintenance; automating optimum... ( more) |
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by Phil Curran, CommVault Infrastructure Solutions
A few years ago, companies thought the cloud might help save on costs. No doubt everyone recalls the plethora of articles with titles such as: "How to save time and money in the cloud" or "Cloud computing can generate massive savings." Analyst studies from leading think... ( more) |
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How OPC UA servers facilitate efficient SCADA device data management
by Charles ZK Chen, Moxa
A modern SCADA system communicates directly with an OPC server which itself communicates with PLCs, RTUs, and/or remote I/O units to pass sensor readings and control signals back and forth between the OPC server and devices. Whereas the more traditional OPC DA... ( more)
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The digital factory and its role in the beer brewing industry
by Pierre Potgieter, EE Publishers
With major changes sweeping the global beer brewing industry, the Oktoberfest provided a good opportunity to see what Industry 4.0 and the Digital Factory offer beer brewing, the food and beverage industry, and to the process industry in general. Beer and the brewing industry... (more)
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Operator-focussed design means higher efficiency in operations
by Tian Botes, EEU Taltronics
A fresh emphasis on control room ergonomics and an increased awareness of workplace health issues have contributed to inspire a dramatic shift in console design. Today's control workstations are smaller, more functional, and more aesthetically pleasing than earlier... (more) |
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Effective energy management
Information from Honeywell
It is said that the key to success isn't necessarily what you have. It's what you do with what you have. Those with responsibility for the efficient and effective management of a building find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The relentless financial pressure on... (more)
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Effect of thermal stress on electromechanical components
by V Lakshminarayanan, SCSVMV University, Kanchipuram, and Prof. N Sriraam, MS Ramaiah, Institute of Technology, Bangalor, India
Many types of electromechanical components are used in electronic systems for performing various functions. The typically used electromechanical components in electronic systems are: switches, relays, connectors, cooling fans, motors, circuit breakers... (more)
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Measuring power supply switching loss with an oscilloscope
Information from Tektronix
With the demand for improving power efficiency and extending the operating time of battery-powered devices, the ability to analyse power loss and optimise power supply efficiency is more critical than ever before. One of the key factors in efficiency is the loss in... ( more)
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Smaller cables, bigger possibilities
by Matthew Guinan, Corning Optical Communications
As global demand for fixed and mobile broadband continues to explode, the race to bring optical fibre connectivity to the subscriber is reaching a critical point. Broadband has driven fibre-optic cabling further than ever into the network causing unprecedented levels of congestion... (more)
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High risk implementation planning for data centres
by Peter Greaves, Aurecon
Data centres are strategic business assets and they facilitate a company's performance and the services they are able to provide their customers. The criticality of data centres continues to rise, leading more industry-wide discussions regarding what "mission critical" means and... ( more) |
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Understanding LED technology
Information from Vossloh-Schwabe
The advantages of LED technology are numerous, yet patchy knowledge of the underlying technology often leads to indecisiveness and even incorrect decisions. An LED is a semiconductor component that only lets current pass in one direction. If forward current is applied... (more)
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Eco-mode: Benefits and risks of energy-saving modes of UPS operation
by Neil Rasmussen, Schneider Electric
This paper focusses on a particular technique for improving the operating efficiency of a double-conversion UPS by operating it in eco-mode. The author also discusses situations where eco-mode is recommended or is contra-indicated. Eco-mode is a method of operating the UPS... ( more) |
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Data centre storage evolution
Information from Siemon
Data is growing at explosive rates in today's businesses. Big data is increasing storage demands in a way that could only be imagined just a few short years ago. A typical data record has tripled if not quadrupled in size in just the last five years, however this data now has... ( more) |
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The contention around contention
by Paul Colmer, Greencom ICT
A look into broadband, the internet of things and the rise of the "DSL heads." To define contention literally, it means "To compete in order to win something" - this being highly applicable to the data havoc we experience on a digital subscriber line (DSL). It is "DSL thinking... ( more) |
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Make sure your battery backup doesn't leave you in the lurch
by Marco Da Silva, The Jasco Group
Power problems are a reality in South Africa for the foreseeable future, and many organisations have already implemented solutions to minimise downtime and ensure business can continue as close to normal as possible. Common equipment to enable this includes uninterrupted power supplies (UPSes) with battery backup that benefits in a... ( more) |
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Student helps to reduce mass of CubeSat's space frame
by Hans van de Groenendaaal, ZS6AKV, SARL
Over the past few years CubeSats have been a popular vehicle for taking payloads into space. The concept has not bypassed radio amateurs who were amongst the first to explore a more cost effective way of getting a payload into space. CubeSats are launched in batches which... (more)
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Compiled by Aimée Clarke, EE Publishers
- Advanced data centre infrastructure in West Africa
- Pan-African agreement for fibre connectivity
- MoU for ICT development in Kenya
- Nigeria: mobile lines deactivated for safety and security
- Trademark battle begins in Africa
- Kasenga, DRC gets digital village
- Egyptian telecom to get 4G licence
- Cameroon's operators lose billions in 2015... (more)
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Views, Comment and Opinion
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