Latest Generation: Simple Doesn’t Mean Less

The latest addition to the all-in-one video bar lineup is Yealink’s MeetingBar A40, launched in September 2024. While video bars are known for their convenience, they can sometimes fall short of the stability, security, and management features needed for robust corporate use. Yealink addresses this with the A40, offering:

• Improved stability through its one-cable solution that handles sharing, BYOD and PD charging all from one desk cable.
• Enhanced security with Android 13 and Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) support, protecting against cyber threats and data breaches in Teams environments.
• Simplified IT management through remote monitoring, reducing downtime and ensuring smooth operations.

All-in-One Solutions: Beyond Video Bars

While video bars are effective for small rooms, Yealink offers a broader range of all-in-one solutions, including devices that integrate touch displays with built-in cameras, microphones, speakers, and digital whiteboards. These solutions offer plug-and-play simplicity but also transform workspaces into collaborative hubs. So how do you choose between a video bar and an integrated board?

Modern Style: MeetingBoard Solution

The MeetingBoard is ideal for newly constructed or renovated offices, where no legacy devices need to be reused. With a similar budget to a video bar, it offers more features like digital whiteboarding for enhanced hybrid collaboration. It’s also perfect for open spaces, executive offices, or even lobbies, as its movable floor stand allows for flexibility without requiring wall mounting. The dual-system compatibility (Android and Windows) ensures it fits into any office workflow.

Traditional Style: MeetingBar Series

For meeting rooms with existing TV setups, Yealink’s MeetingBar series offers a sustainable and budget-friendly solution. It easily attaches to any screen and is perfect for small spaces like huddle rooms or phone booths, where quick setup and affordability are key.

Conclusion

Whether you’re upgrading an existing room or setting up a new collaborative space, Yealink’s all-in-one solutions provide the right mix of simplicity, flexibility, and performance. With options like the MeetingBar A40 and MeetingBoard, Yealink covers a wide range of needs to ensure seamless hybrid collaboration.

Learn more about Yealink’s all-in-one solutions in this guide.

The post Simple Videoconferencing Solutions: Video Bars & More appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The study, conducted among 1,800 AI decision makers surveyed across six countries and 4,200 employees from 14 countries, highlights that despite strong enthusiasm for AI, there is a clear disconnect between trust in the technology and its actual use in the workplace. While 85% of decision-makers express high interest in AI, the vast majority (82%) acknowledge they need to better understand how AI can improve workplace efficiency.

Read Next: Four Questions to Guide High-Impact Enterprise AI Integrations

AI Workplace Challenges

Additionally, although 54% of employees believe AI can improve their work and 54% feel confident in their ability to collaborate successfully with AI, there’s still a significant gap in actual adoption in regular use at work. Jabra’s data found this appears due to several perceived challenges and demographic considerations:

• 90% of employees wouldn’t trust AI for tasks that require creativity and innovation. This reluctance isn’t just about trust, it’s also about the satisfaction that comes from being personally involved in these more meaningful tasks.
• There’s a clear generational divide in AI adoption, with 47% of Millennials and 37% of Gen Z indicating they feel positive about AI versus only 15% of Boomers. Adoption wise, 28% of Millennials and Gen Z use AI day to day at work, versus just 15% of Boomers.
• AI decision-makers are relatively young – 58% are between the ages of 18 and 39 – and 71% are not from the IT department.

Paul Sephton, head of brand communications at Jabra, says, “We see many organizations eager to jump on the AI wave, but some are still dancing in the dark when it comes to effective implementation and meaningful use. As tools rapidly shift toward voice-driven input rather than text alone, it’s crucial for organizations to recognize how this evolution will change our interactions with AI and enhance productivity.”

He continues, “To avoid what we call ‘AI-washing’— simply jumping on the AI bandwagon — organizations must carefully evaluate the productivity gains that AI can offer and actively involve their employees in this journey. At Jabra, we believe in harnessing the power of AI not just to enhance productivity, but to foster a more connected and capable workforce, driving innovation and collaboration at every level.”

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 23, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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DisplayNote Screen Sharing Software Updates October 2024

Enhanced Session Control with “Control Your Session”

The “Control Your Session” feature allows users to manage screen sharing from their personal devices, ensuring control over session flow. Integrated with Moderator Mode, it restricts screen sharing to invited participants, giving presenters the freedom to manage sessions securely and efficiently from anywhere in the room.

Related: DisplayNote and Promethean Partner to Enhance Meeting Rooms

Infrared Remote Compatibility for Broader Hardware Support

DisplayNote has expanded compatibility with infrared remote controls, making it easier for users to interact with the screen on both interactive and non-touch displays. For screen manufacturers, this means their hardware solutions can cater to a wider range of users, providing flexibility and ease of use across different environments.

Commenting on the latest updates, Luke McSorley, head of product, says, “Our ‘Control Your Session’ feature gives users unmatched flexibility, allowing them to manage screen sharing seamlessly from their personal devices. Combined with Moderator Mode, it ensures that only authorized participants can share content, giving presenters full control over their sessions. Additionally, by expanding compatibility with infrared remotes, we’re enabling easier interaction with both touch and non-touch displays, providing greater versatility for screen manufacturers and end-users alike.”

Additional Features:

• Device Discovery for a Seamless Connection Experience: Connecting to devices is now more straightforward than ever. Whether using AirPlay, Miracast, or Google Cast, the Room Name will be the consistent identifier, reducing confusions and enabling quick, hassle-free connections.
• Audio Sharing with Window Content: Expanding on the “share a window” option, users can now share audio along with their content, providing a richer, more immersive experience.
• Access to DisplayNote Academy: users have access to tutorials, guides, and support via the newly integrated DisplayNote Academy link on the join page.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 23, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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When recent school funding initiatives made it possible for the municipality to invest in education upgrades, Chuck Marzec, the district’s director of technology, turned to Larry Meister, president of IT solutions provider Mercury Networks. Meister, who has worked with the district for over a decade, collaborated with Marzec to determine which products and solutions would maximize learning benefits for the most students. Considering the timing, pricing, and available funding, they concluded that the LG CreateBoards could transform the experiences of every student and deliver forward-thinking classrooms that prepare students for a tech-filled world and job market.

The district last updated its projection-based classroom systems in 2012, before the explosion of new touch-sensitive smart boards that are sweeping across the education landscape. Attractive pricing helped convince the district that smart boards would be the most impactful, sustainable and widely deployable solution, offering greater capabilities than existing systems while standardizing every classroom to simplify daily management and long-term maintenance.

“LG’s easy-to-use CreateBoard interactive digital boards come at an incredible value, making them the best fit for Jamestown Public Schools. The district initially considered outfitting about half of its classrooms with a competitor product at double the price. With the CreateBoard, they’re essentially doubling their investment, creating streamlined experiences for staff and students in every room and school,” Meister explained. “The district’s previous projection systems were single-room solutions lacking significant communication options and new advances in interactivity or cloud-based learning tools. Now, with the LG CreateBoards, they have a unified 500+ display network that can be monitored, managed, and used to distribute content from a single location for morning announcements or emergencies. Additionally, the ability to set automatic on/off schedules ensures no energy is wasted, eliminating one task for today’s busy teachers.”

The district is excited about what the technology can unleash in terms of classroom participation and faculty lesson plans, including simple access to popular web-based tools such as Google Classroom. The 40-point multi-touch digital displays allow a variety of interactive lesson plans and activities that can invite multiple students to use the board at once, in addition to convenient streaming and mobile device connections for educators and students alike. For instance, teachers can quickly log in to their accounts for Google and other services by scanning an on-screen QR code with their smartphone, and then leave the room knowing that the display automatically logs out of all accounts when the wireless connection is severed.

“It’s hard to overstate the value of standardized solutions for our students, faculty and district as a whole,” Marzec says. “Running a school or district involves a lot of moving parts, and when we have teachers who may use multiple classrooms or even multiple buildings throughout a day or a week, giving them the same tools everywhere ensures there’s no time lost sorting out technical issues or troubleshooting compatibility with their prepared lessons. The same is true for today’s students who have never known a world without touchscreens. With a streamlined experience year after year, they can become fairly advanced users of the LG CreateBoard technology throughout their education, helping develop explicit technical skills alongside the school’s curriculum.”

With LG CreateBoards, teachers can easily augment lessons with presentations or videos, screen share lessons or content from their own devices and enable students to screen share projects from their devices. With the new centralized control capabilities, Jamestown Public Schools can also easily deliver video morning announcements to every room without any action required from teachers. Lessons can be saved and stored online for later viewing and study, including live annotations over text or video that enable teachers to provide context, information or discussion to delve further than standard textbook descriptions or pre-prepared content.

LG CreateBoards Enhance Teaching

According to Jason Hubbard, senior account manager for education at LG Business Solutions, implementing CreateBoards can also fundamentally change how teachers approach the classroom by freeing them to leave their desk when using digital resources.

“The two-way connection between laptops and the LG CreateBoard means that they can control and manipulate their computer or content from the CreateBoard, unlike a projection system or other non-smart solution where they have to be at the desk to exert control,” says Hubbard. “This offers educators greater freedom of movement and caters to a variety of teaching styles, which can aid engagement and attentiveness, directly affecting student and school outcomes.”

When consulting Mercury Networks, the district considered different manufacturers and options, landing on the LG CreateBoard solution based on capabilities, manufacturer support and cost. The upgrade project began with 10 initial installations at the high school, then an expansion to five schools, and then the final decision to outfit every classroom all at once ahead of the 2024-2025 school year. Each room’s audio solution is also being upgraded to provide better sound quality and ensure long-term consistency for all users.

“We are excited to see our teachers and students leverage these technologies for greater collaboration and enhanced discussions in a way that encourages participation and connects with students’ daily experiences and digital lifestyles,” Marzec adds. “Additionally, buying into LG’s ecosystem has offered us new opportunities to consider deploying connected digital signage displays in hallways, cafeterias, entrances and other public spaces to provide school messaging or community content such as student achievement reels or replays of events including sports, performances, guest speeches and extracurricular activities.”

Marzec also noted how LG’s attention to detail and willingness to provide assistance went above and beyond his expectations. In the past, technology providers had been much more hands-off, while LG acted more like a partner in terms of working to answer questions, resolve issues and ensure the district was fully satisfied with the outcome. The last installations concluded in early July 2024, with every classroom at every school ready to launch for the fall semester.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 21, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post LG CreateBoards Enhance Teaching in Jamestown Schools appeared first on My TechDecisions.

In addition, all five models of Biamp TesiraFORTÉ X and Devio SCX audio processors — the TesiraFORTÉ X 400, 800, or 1600 and the Devio SCX 400 and 800 — are now certified for Microsoft Teams using either Parlé Beamtracking ceiling or tabletop microphones. As a result, they offer multiple channels of AEC for further flexibility and customization in medium and large conference spaces.

Features of New Microsoft Teams Certified Solutions

“The Microsoft Teams certification of our complete line of conferencing bundles and audio processors notably expands our portfolio of Microsoft Teams certified solutions,” says Joe Andrulis, executive vice president of corporate development at Biamp. “Our TesiraFORTÉ X and Devio SCX audio processors are at the core of these solutions, providing excellent performance and innovative technology, including AI noise reduction and Biamp Launch, so that integrators and end users can be assured that their conferencing solutions will be easy to install, easy to use and result in extraordinary audio quality that is validated to work seamlessly within the rigorous standards of the Microsoft Teams platform.”

Medium and large room conferencing bundles from Biamp contain either a TesiraFORTÉ X 400 or a Devio SCX 400 processor, as well as Parlé Beamtracking microphones. These  track conversations from around the room — enabling remote participants to feel just as present as those in person — and are available in tabletop or ceiling models. They also include Desono C-IC6 ceiling loudspeakers, Biamp’s PoE-powered amplifiers, along with all necessary mounting accessories and category cabling to complete the installation in medium or large meeting spaces.

Advantages of the Biamp Solution

The newly certified Microsoft Teams bundles offer customers the advantages of a complete Biamp solution, including integrated Acoustic Echo Cancellation and cutting-edge AI noise reduction to suppress distracting sounds, as well as Biamp Launch automated system deployment and configuration. Biamp Launch identifies and configures every device in the system, performs a tuning cycle, measures acoustic characteristics of the room, applies recommended signal processing, echo cancellation, speaker tuning, noise reduction, and Zoom Rooms settings, then generates a dashboard highlighting performance settings before-and-after optimization.

Installers also benefit from Biamp innovation that extends far beyond superior audio, including minimal cable requirements with zero termination, zero network setup, automated EQ, and more. The Biamp bundles’ design feature plug-and-play installation, resulting in significant time savings for integrators. They also provide a consistent, high-quality audio experience for users across all conferencing spaces within a building, says the company.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 22, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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Here are the top five strategies to streamline desktop support troubleshooting time when preparing to advance your DEX initiatives.

The Importance of True Real-Time Data

Before starting, consider that your team can’t fix what they can’t see. The issue may not just be within your company’s process but in the data itself. Most DEX vendors collect data in minutes, leading to missed events between intervals or when averaged over time. If you are receiving data in minutes, IT will miss vital information, resulting in a lag in response time. This can contribute to a surplus of tickets and confusion about the true source of the problem. Finding a data collection system that offers true real-time visibility is the key to truly enabling IT teams to identify and address issues before they impact productivity and security. Once your team has this actionable data, they can analyze the top five ways to reduce your desktop support troubleshooting time.

Step 1. Implementing Proactive Notifications

Proactive notifications, such as those alerting to potential issues like application downtime or connectivity issues, can be a game-changer. Empower your IT teams with these tools, so the issues get addressed before they escalate, therefore ensuring a seamless digital experience for employees and reducing the need for reactive troubleshooting.

Step 2: Prioritize the Problems with Problem Scoring

Prioritizing issues that impact DEX can be daunting but are extremely important. Ease the process by presenting a consolidated score of performance metrics. These metrics are calculated by highlighting the most significant impact areas, guiding IT teams to direct their attention effectively. Consider implementing a scoring dashboard across various domains, including VDI and DaaS, physical desktops, desktop applications, vulnerabilities, patch management, unified communications, and SaaS and web applications. Dashboards are invaluable tools that provide a comprehensive overview of system health and drill down to a specific problem.

Step 3: Incorporate GenAI

Collecting lots of troubleshooting data and representing it with a score is a powerful method for interpreting data differently. While data can be exported as a CVS, or custom reports can be created, sometimes, you need to get quick answers on the fly. Incorporating a secure, natural language, using a GenAI feature will enable your teams to receive information immediately, represented in unique and informative ways, significantly reducing response times and improving service quality.

Step 4: Add Script Actions

Scripts can be a powerful way to retrieve detailed troubleshooting data from a remote device. However, getting any script to run on a remote device can be problematic as most companies lock down their machines so that employees cannot edit or run scripts. It may also be difficult for IT to run a remote script on behalf of an employee without the full picture. One option to securely incorporate script actions is adding a DEX service to your IT budget. Look for a DEX solution that provides a versatile range of methods for running a script on a remote device and supports various script languages that can run on any platform. Ensure the solution can also provide and store the results in a secure database that your IT team can easily access and understand for future analysis that can inform proactive actions.

Step 5: Enable Remote Control

When problems arise, so much can be lost in translation. Often, IT needs to remotely troubleshoot a user’s desktop, but traditional remoting tools can disrupt employees’ workflow and impact productivity. This is often due to the employees’ base knowledge of the issue at hand. Consider implementing a remote control feature so your IT team can quickly find and troubleshoot the issue at hand, seeing what the user is experiencing without hampering productivity. To make remote troubleshooting more efficient and help users get back up and running as quickly as possible, consider a multifaceted approach to accessing a user’s computer remotely.

The Key: Why Automation Completes the Process

Automation is vital to your DEX process. According to IDC, “by 2027, 90% of organizations will augment operational roles with automation technology, elevating employee engagement and unlocking a predicted 30% increase in worker efficiency.” Since many computer problems are recurring, implementing automation will empower IT teams by streamlining the discovery process and supporting rapid issue remediation. Incorporating automation to your proactive notifications (alerting) within script actions will also ease issue detection and within seconds, allow a corrected script to be executed. Together, these tips can not only empower your team but pull them out of the IT support ticket weeds. As a result, you can move beyond simply supporting your company initiatives, to also decreasing employee burnout and creating a more productive team.

Maintaining optimal performance and swiftly resolving technical issues is critical for the future of any business. Surveys tell us that organizations that have optimized their DEX see a 25% reduction in employee turnover and DEX tools have shown to lead to a 20% increase in employee engagement. While it is clear that DEX solutions will boost your business, it is not always “one size fits all” when finding the right solution. As long as you incorporate a solution that proactively manages endpoints, applications, and user experiences while providing real-time data collection, proactive notifications, and comprehensive scoring dashboards, you and your IT team will find a streamlined troubleshooting process to be an achievable reality.

Jeff Johnson is the product marketing manager at ControlUp.

The post Five Ways to Reduce Desktop Support Troubleshooting Time appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Per a statement, Absen worked closely with Q-SYS, who has fully vetted and endorsed the following plugin integration with a Q-SYS Certified badge (developed with Q-SYS and supported by Absen and Q-SYS). The integration thus includes:

• Absenicon display control plugin supports X and S Series products
• The Absenicon display plugin enables all control functions included with the Absenicon wireless remote control within the Q-SYS Platform
• The Absenicon plugin supports control pin connectors for intelligent automations and control schemes

“We are very excited to finally have an often-requested Q-SYS plugin available for our icons products,” states Trent Slyter, national sales director, Absen Inc. “This plugin is now available for any Q-SYS processor that uses Q-SYS Designer Software to control various devices in a room. This makes it faster and easier than ever to control our Icons within the Q-SYS environment.  It has taken a lot of time and effort to bring this to fruition and we are very happy to have it in place.”

“We are proud of our collaboration with Absen to create a plugin integration that will enable elevated experiences across our shared customers,” adds Geno Zaharie, principal, Alliances & Ecosystem, Q-SYS.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 17, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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The ALF-UC1 (Gen2) features dual screen HDMI outputs. Output 1 is configured for 4K UHD video while output 2 is intended for 1080P displays.

ALF-UC1 (Gen2) Features

The system is both HDMI 1.4 and 2.0 compliant — ensuring connectivity with a wide range of video sources. Switching between presenters is quick and easy as the screen can be split for connecting multiple presenters. The system’s Multiview capability supports 4 + 1 or 1 + 4 making it easy to show up to 4 presenters on one display and a fifth presenter on the second display.

The ALF-UC1 (Gen2) supports multiple sharing and connection methods. These include 4K HDMI and USB-C dongles. The UC-1 system facilitates either direct connection or by using an external dongle. The on-screen moderator controls enable users to manage who can and cannot connect at any given time, with support for Android, Airplay for IOS, Miracast (Windows), and MAC OS over the local network.

The UC-1 Generation 2 now features a secondary HDMI output that can connect to an additional display device, a recorder, a confidence-monitor, or remote display in another location.

Read Next: DisplayNote Updates Screen Sharing Software

Wireless Screen-Share Feature

The ALF-UC1 (Gen 2) also has a wireless software application that provides a way to connect wirelessly to the unit from any Windows or Mac OS platform. The local ‘Screen-Share’ feature from the ALF-wireless media application enables the connected user to view the shared content on their own computer, further allowing them to share this content into a VC Call as a ‘share screen’ – enabling far side participants to see the content shared to the ALF-UC1 (Gen2), without the presenter(s) being in the VC Call.

The ALF-wireless media application provides an intuitive interface and makes for quick and easy use of the features built into the application. These features include sharing the screen, the ability to share the full screen or not, freeze screen, local share, and a host of additional settings such as audio selection on the USB connections and quality of the latency.

The Alfatron ALF-UC1 (Gen2) also supports USB peripheral device sharing over a Wi-Fi connection. Device control and configuration can be managed via the Web GUI. Third party control is available via IP/LAN (Telnet) and RS-232 (Serial) protocols. Further, front panel control is provided for USB host switching between local USB-C wired or wireless connections, or it can be set to auto switch. Additional attributes of the ALF-UC1 (Gen2) include support for both the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz Wi-Fi bands, plus a LAN port with 1 Gbps speed.

Marketing Director at Alfatron Electronics, Tiaan’s Hoogstad, comments on the new ALF-UC1 (Gen2) Wireless Conferencing System, “For technology managers and others who are regularly involved with preparing and conducting meetings, the new Alfatron ALF-UC1 (Gen2) merits a close look. This is a compact, versatile tool that enables one to bring the computer, camera, laptop computer, and other components typically used in meeting rooms into a unit that centralizes control of the equipment. Most importantly, its intuitive operation enables presenters to focus on the message as opposed to worrying about how to make the system work.”

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 3, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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With Xyte’s Mobile RMM, users can remotely monitor connected devices on the go through an intuitive live map interface, allowing them to see the location of devices in relation to their own location, making it easier than ever to manage large-scale deployments. Teams can send remote commands, check real-time device states and view recent changes such as temperature adjustments, Wi-Fi status and other key parameters. In addition to monitoring, users can interact with devices in real time, issuing commands and observing how device statuses change after the commands are received.

“This is an incredibly powerful feature. It may seem simple, but the ability to monitor an entire network of connected technology – whether AV systems, sensors or industrial equipment – straight from your phone is a game-changer,” says Omer Brookstein, CEO and co-founder of Xyte. He continues, “Our mobile RMM not only simplifies remote monitoring but gives teams the flexibility to stay on top of their installations, whether they’re managing a handful of devices or thousands. With AV systems becoming more and more mission critical, the ability to monitor and manage them from a mobile device from anywhere and at any time is more imperative than ever before.”

According to Xyte, it was the first to introduce QR code device claiming on mobile devices, which allows both end-users or dealers and system integrators to quickly scan and claim devices as part of their managed environment. Building on these previous platform capabilities, Xyte’s Mobile RMM extends beyond mobile QR code device claiming, allowing users to identify, actively manage and troubleshoot devices remotely. While larger displays may still provide the best experience for monitoring high-volume installations, mobile RMM ensures quick, efficient action while on the move.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on Sept. 23 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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The event illustrated two things:

1. how deep the roots of digitization have become globally;
2. the fragility of the global technology ecosystem, exacerbated by an overreliance on a select number of cloud providers.

This is a wake-up call for us all. Although not a cyber attack, imagine if a nation state was able to find and exploit such vulnerabilities through a coordinated and sustained attack?

It’s given us a glimpse into what cyber armageddon could look like; how should we respond?

The Interconnectivity Trade-Off

Dubbed “the largest IT outage in history,” the global technology outage was caused when an update to one of CrowdStrike’s pieces of software, Falcon Sensor, malfunctioned, paralyzing computers running Windows and resulting in widespread tech failures around the world.

While not the cause, the severity of the impact was only made possible as a result of the increasingly interconnected systems and software that have become so entrenched in our digital infrastructure. The effects were also inflamed by the global reliance on a select number of cloud providers – with Windows devices the worst impacted, many initially thought it was solely a Microsoft issue.

This dependency has brought with it many benefits – global connectivity, efficiency and innovation. But it’s a simple fact that it leaves us all more vulnerable. If a major cloud provider goes down or is impacted, the world grinds to a halt.

For many of us in the business of IT and security, questions are starting to be asked about the trade-off: can we find a way to remain connected, but become more resilient and lessen the impact of events like these?

The initial discussion has been around reassessing cloud strategies, such as avoiding the automatic updating of patches. Some may also be thinking about a multi-cloud approach, where more than one cloud provider is used to ensure continuity if one goes down – “Microsoft is down? That’s ok, we can just switch to Google.” However, despite being a relatively simple undertaking, it would be an expensive luxury that’s out of reach for most.

Build Something from the Ground Up

Rather than trying to patch up ever more complex and interdependent legacy architecture, company boards should use this opportunity to explore shifting their legacy digital architecture to something built from the ground up and future proof.

That is, firms should be viewing this as an opportunity to run an entirely new, low-cost, digital infrastructure in parallel, which is independent of their primary cloud provider and legacy applications. The idea is that in the case of a major systems outage, organizations would have the ability to seamlessly switch over to this secondary infrastructure without manual intervention, allowing them to perform critical functions throughout the crisis. This infrastructure would be backed up with essential data, with advanced security protocols to protect against cyber threats. As a minimum, this provides an out-of-band communications channel for the board and senior management to tell staff and clients what to do and ensures they are not swamped by fraudulent scams after the Crowdstrike outage.

Imagine an airline affected by a major software outage. Having an independent backup system would allow them to continue day-to-day operations such as booking passengers, handling ticket changes and scheduling flights. Instead of relying on extensive manual interventions to recover the primary system, backup protocols would prevent disruption while the main systems are brought back online.

Any solution developed in this way needs to be quick-to-implement and must be able to initiate a contingency command and control process, handle basic tasks and keep the company running in the event of a major attack or outage. Our mission critical clients are beginning to build these fail-over systems that can handle basic tasks and keep the company running in the event of a major attack or outage. In some instances, these shadow systems operate entirely through a mobile messaging platform.

Continuity and Resilience are Possible

As businesses now begin to revisit how they can ensure a return to business as usual as quickly as possible when disaster strikes, they should not be clouded by all the technical terms and confusing offerings, and just focus on three simple and fundamental principles when assessing their current and future risks: completeness, accuracy and validity.

Shifting legacy digital architecture towards something that is built from the ground up ticks all these boxes.  Moreover, it addresses the inter-connectivity, inter-dependency and relatedness and reputational risks that we all face in the digital world today. This may just be the difference between surviving the next global meltdown or being left in its wake.

Andersen Cheng is the founder and chairman of Post-Quantum.

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