Author: Certes

Infrastructure discovery is the process of identifying and cataloguing all the components and resources in your IT environment. As organisations leverage advanced digital systems and networks to streamline their operations, understanding and managing the underlying infrastructure is essential. In this article, we delve into the concept of Infrastructure Discovery, exploring its definition, significance, and the tools that empower businesses to navigate the complex digital landscape.

Defining Infrastructure Discovery

Infrastructure Discovery refers to the process of identifying and mapping the components that form an organisation’s digital infrastructure. This includes a broad range of elements such as, hardware devices, software applications and network configurations. Essentially, Infrastructure Discovery provides organisations with a comprehensive view of their technological ecosystem.

Significance of Infrastructure Discovery

1. Enhanced Security: In the era of cyber threats and data breaches, knowing the ins and outs of an organisation’s infrastructure is fundamental to strengthening security. Infrastructure Discovery helps identify vulnerabilities and potential entry points for malicious attackers, allowing organisations to implement targeted security measures.
2. Optimised Performance: Understanding the configuration and relationships between different infrastructure components enables organisations to optimise their systems for better performance. This includes identifying bottlenecks, streamlining processes, and ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently.
3. Effective Management: Infrastructure Discovery lays the foundation for effective infrastructure management. By providing a clear overview of the entire digital landscape, businesses can make informed decisions regarding upgrades, expansions, or modifications to their IT infrastructure.
4. Compliance and Governance: Many industries are subject to regulatory compliance standards. Infrastructure Discovery assists companies in ensuring that their digital infrastructure aligns with these standards, mitigating risks associated with non-compliance and promoting good governance.

Tools for Infrastructure Discovery

1. Network Scanners: Scan networks to discover active devices, open ports, and potential vulnerabilities. This provides a foundational understanding of the network infrastructure.
2. Asset Management Systems: These systems help organisations keep track of their hardware and software assets. They provide a centralised repository for managing and monitoring the entire inventory.
3. Configuration Management Tools: These tools automate repetitive tasks, ensuring consistency and reducing the likelihood of configuration errors.
4. Discovery and Mapping Platforms: These solutions specialise in mapping and visualising the relationships between different components within an IT environment. They provide a holistic view of the infrastructure’s interdependencies.

Selecting the right combination of these tools depends on the complexity of your infrastructure and your specific requirements. A comprehensive infrastructure discovery strategy is essential for maintaining a well-managed and secure IT environment.

Conclusion

By understanding and mapping the various components that comprise their IT infrastructure, businesses can enhance security, optimise performance, and make informed decisions to drive their operations into the future. As technology continues to advance, the role of Infrastructure Discovery becomes increasingly vital in ensuring a resilient and efficient digital infrastructure. 

In a recent interview, Jon Grainger (COI) and Leon O’Neill (Data Centre Alliance) discussed the impact of digital infrastructure on the environment and the challenges we face in making it more sustainable. Watch the full interview here. 

 

As 2024 quickly approaches, the IT job market is undergoing a shift fueled by advancements in data analytics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). Of course, changes in the market will create new challenges and new opportunities for both job seekers andemployers.

If you’re an IT professional looking for a way to secure your future in the industry, it may be time to brush up on your AI, security and datafocussed skills, as they will likely be essential within the next few years.

On the other hand, if you are an employer seeking to secure your new top-tier talent, you will need to learn to understand these specialisms and their importance yourself, in order to truly understand how to attract these trained individuals.

More focus on employee well-being

Well-being in the workplace will become a keyfactor in ensuring your employee’s productivity and retention, as well as building morale.

Businesses will need to consider investing in offering support in the forms of mental health programs, flexible work hours and stress management schemes.

Creating and investing in building a culture that embodies a sense of purpose and belonging will be especially important when trying to attract younger employees.

Skills-Based Hiring

Traditional qualifications remain valuable. However, they may not always provide you with specific skills and abilities that are necessary for today’s ever-changing Tech industry. This is why skillbased hiring is likely to be the preferred next year.

Employers will have the opportunity to ensure that the candidates they are bringing on board have the capabilities to succeed in the role. Skill assessments and competency-based interviews will become a critical part of the recruitment process.

Upskiling and Reskilling

In 2024, it will be more important than ever for companies to invest in upskilling and reskilling their current employees. Skills that were previously in high demand will lose value, while new skills will become essential. So in order to compete in the modern market, developing your workforce will be the route to take.

By providing the resources your team need to grow and adapt their skill set, employees will be less likely to search for another organisation. They will recognise the value you see in them and that you are committed to aiding in their professional development.

An alternative solution to upskilling your team is to bring on board contractors or external experts. This will enable employees to improve their abilities and understanding in particular areas of IT through knowledge transfer programs.

AI-driven hiring

In the coming year, it’s expected that more organisations will embrace AI-driven tools. This will be to streamline their talent acquisition strategies and make them more efficient.
These tools will not only help analyse the candidate data to predict their job fit, but they will also be useful for reducing bias in hiring. This will help improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

 

In-Demand Tech Roles in 2024

• Cloud Architect
• Data Analyst
• DevOps
• Artificial Intelligence Consultant

In-Demand skills in 2024

• JavaScript, Python and Rust
• Sustainability-focused Design
• Ethical Hacking
• Machine Learning

Find out about the changes in the IT job market, as well as contractor rates/salaries in our Salary Survey.

Download your copy here: DOWNLOAD

Certes IT Salary Survey 2023

This report highlights the changes in the IT job market, as well as contractor rates and salaries. The data presented is derived from thorough market research and the individuals that Certes has successfully positioned within prominent UK companies. Within this report we will be covering:

• Today’s Market
• Salary Data
• IT Hiring Trends in 2023
• What to expect from 2024
• About Certes

Download your copy here: DOWNLOAD

In the current IT job market, technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient for success. As the industry becomes increasingly interconnected and reliant on teamwork, the demand for soft skills in IT has never been higher. Among these, communication and collaboration stand out as front runners that can greatly impact the effectiveness of IT professionals and teams.

The Evolution of IT

Back in the day, IT workers could happily hide behind their screens, doing their own thing. However, the modern IT environment has shifted towards a more collaborative and integrated approach. Cross-functional teams, agile methodologies, and the integration of diverse skill sets are now the norm. This evolution demands that IT professionals not only excel in technical proficiency, but also possess strong soft skills to navigate the complexities of a team-oriented work environment.

The Role of Communication in IT

Effective communication is the anchor for success in IT projects. IT professionals must convey complex technical information in a way that is understandable to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Whether it’s explaining a system architecture to a project manager or troubleshooting an issue with a non-technical end-user, the ability to communicate clearly and concisely is crucial.

Moreover, communication skills are vital in fostering collaboration within IT teams. Efficient sharing of ideas, updates, and feedback is required for maintaining alignment and ensuring that everyone is working towards common goals. And it’s not just about emails anymore – virtual meetings, video calls, and chats are the new norm, especially with remote work.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Collaboration isn’t just a trendy word; it is a fundamental aspect of contemporary IT work. Today’s IT projects are like a potluck dinner – each member of the team brings something different to the table. Whether it’s developers working alongside system administrators, or data scientists collaborating with business analysts, the ability to work together harmoniously is key to achieving project objectives.

Being able to understand different perspective and find common ground – that’s the magic formula for IT success.

Client-Facing Soft Skills

It’s not just about impressing your colleagues; soft skills matter when dealing with clients too. The ability to listen actively, empathise with user needs, and communicate technical solutions in a user-friendly manner can significantly enhance client satisfaction and project success.

So, how do you enhance these soft skills? Well, organisations are catching on and investing in training programs. This may include workshops, team-building activities, and leadership development programs. Additionally, mentorship programs can provide junior IT professionals with opportunities to learn from more experienced colleagues. This allows them to gain insights into both technical and soft skill aspects of the job.

Employers and employees alike must recognise the significance of soft skills and invest in their development to thrive in the IT industry. By acquiring and growing these skills, individuals can unlock their full potential. This can only benefit organisations by contributing to it’s growth and success.

IT professionals often find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to choosing between traditional employment and IT contracting. Ultimately, this decision always comes down to personal choice and the suitability of the individual’s circumstances.

With that being said, we wanted to share a few things for you to contemplate regarding contracting vs permanent employment in IT. We hope this will help you to make an informed decision about your career path.

Pros of IT Contracting:

Flexibility and Autonomy:

IT contractors have a degree of independence. They can control their schedule, choosing when and where they work. This is one of the most appealing aspects of contracting as it allows for a better work-life balance. Often contractors will have gaps between projects, to leave time for holidays, training and personal hobbies or commitments. Many contracting roles require remote working, so you’ll be able to save on those travel expenses and cut out the lengthy commutes.

 

Higher Earning Potential:

Though it’s not guaranteed, contracting can also enable you to earn a higher income. As a contractor, you may often find yourself helping a business to cover a resource gap or complete an urgent project. Since you’re offering a valuable service and helping companies on a short-term basis, you may find that clients are willing to pay a higher daily/hourly rate compared to a full-time hire.

When contracting work, you have the opportunity to negotiate your own rates and terms for each project. Your rate would depend on several variables including experience, contract duration, whether it sits inside or outside IR35, the specific industry/market conditions etc.

Skill Development:

Working on various projects exposes IT contractors to different technologies and industries, contributing to a more diverse skill set. Therefore, contracting encourages a continuous learning mindset so individuals adapt quickly to the new environments and technologies. Contractors may be joining a project from the beginning or part way through a project, so they will need to be prepared to hit the ground running.

Build a Network:

By taking on various projects, it enables a contractor to build a large and strong network of industry connections. These connections will be a very useful tool for future contract as you may need their assistance to improve the operation of a project. Additionally, you may find your next career opportunity through a recommendation from one of your contacts.

Cons of IT Contracting:

Uncertain Income and Job Security:

One of the main flaws of contracting is that it can be unpredictable. If the project you are working on suddenly gets shut down or your skill is no longer deemed high in demand, you might find yourself without a job. To reduce this risk, it is important to always keep up to date with the top industry skills, so you remain a valuable asset. Also, contractors may face challenges finding their next contract once a project ends, causing uncertainty about when the next pay cheque may come in.

Benefits and Perks:

Unfortunately, contracting often means sacrificing traditional employee benefits such as health insurance, pension schemes and paid holiday days. Also, initiatives like training and development opportunities are likely not going to be paid for by the company. This leaves contractors with fewer chances to enhance their skills in comparison to a full-time employee. Contractors will need to seek out their own training programmes if they want to stay relevant in the job market.

Administrative Responsibilities:

The benefit of being able to control their schedules, also comes with the responsibility of handling their own admin. This could include contracts, invoices, expenses and other administrative tasks. All of which can be time-consuming.

Isolation:

Contracting can be a very lonely and isolating working environment, especially when the role requires you to work fully remotely. This is because they may not have the opportunity to fully integrate into the workplace culture of the client.

Before diving into IT contracting, carefully weigh these pros and cons to determine if they align with your career goals. Whether you choose the path of a contractor or a full-time employee, understanding the landscape is crucial for a successful and satisfying career in the IT industry.

If you’re considering a role as a contractor, speak to recruiters who specialise in the area you work in. This is the easiest way to truly understand what the state of the market is in real-time. Please feel free to reach out to any of us here at Certes should you wish to hear about any of our current contract opportunities, or if you’re looking for some insight and advice into the current state of the hiring market.

Agile is a well-known concept within the world of technology. However, being customer-centric throughout the process is sometimes overlooked. This article explores what customer-centric means and how it can benefit the Agile process.

 

What Does Customer-Centric Mean?

Most organisations will consider putting the customer first at the beginning of projects, but it is often forgotten further down the line. Customer-centricity is a business approach prioritising the customer’s needs and satisfaction at every stage of a product or service lifecycle. It goes beyond initial considerations, extending throughout the entire customer journey. This approach emphasises understanding customer preferences, delivering personalised experiences, and adapting strategies based on feedback. A truly customer-centric project/program continuously evolves, ensuring that products, services, and processes align with customer expectations. Ultimately, being customer-centric means anticipating and addressing customer needs proactively.

 

Combining Customer-Centricity with the Agile Way of Working

Agile methodology is a flexible, iterative approach to software development that focuses on delivering value to customers in small increments. It promotes collaboration, continuous feedback, and continuous improvement, ensuring that the end product meets customer needs and expectations. Agile’s core values and principles emphasise individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change. This makes it an ideal methodology for customer-centricity, as it puts the customer at the centre of the design and development process.

 

Customer Needs vs. Organisational Needs

Understanding what your customer needs is one thing; delivering it is another. There will always be limitations on delivering exactly what the customer needs, as organisational needs are equally important.

To balance customer needs and organisational needs, it’s key to pivot on what the customer wants and try to find a solution to your customer’s real problem. This ensures you deliver a solution that is fit for purpose and meets your customer needs. However, if an organisation’s needs seem to differ from customer needs, focus on what really matters to your customer and deprioritise other things so you achieve the right balance with limitations or other organisational constraints. Ultimately, it’s also about delivering ROI.

 

Webinar & Guides

If you would like to find out more information on Customer-Centric Agile, we have created some material that you will find useful:

Webinar: Customer-Centric Agile Webinar

Downloadable guide: Customer-Centric Agile Guide

 

In today’s digital age, the IT industry is constantly evolving and expanding. With technology playing a pivotal role in nearly every aspect of our lives, the demand for skilled IT professionals has reached unprecedented heights. 

To make yourself more attractive to employers, or get that promotion you’ve been gunning for, think about picking up some hot IT skills to add to your resume. You might want to learn more about business analytics, artificial intelligence, how systems and networks work, or even cyber security. The following skills might be just what you need to take your IT career to the next level.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity has become one of the most critical IT skills in recent years. Organisations are in desperate need of experts who can protect their digital assets and sensitive information, this is due to cyber threats continuing to evolve and increase in sophistication. Skills such as ethical hacking, network security, risk assessment, and threat mitigation are desirable abilities.

Programming

The ability to programme will be an essential skill for anyone wanting to develop software, web applications and even websites. Additionally, it can be useful for IT workers looking to automate their tasks. If you are looking for a career in IT and know which area you want to go into, you should research which programming language is best suited to your role. This is because different positions and even different companies will have different language requirements. With that being said, some of the most commonly requested languages asked of IT professionals are as follows; Python, C++, JavaScript, Ruby and Swift.

Cloud Computing

The shift towards cloud computing is reshaping the IT industry. Cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud have become necessary to modern business operations. IT professionals proficient in cloud technologies, especially cloud architecture, deployment, and management, are in high demand.

Data Science and Analytics

Skills in data analysis, machine learning, and AI are in demand. This is because data and those who can extract actionable insights from data are invaluable. 

DevOps

DevOps is the combination of development and operations, focusing on automating and streamlining the software development and deployment process. IT professionals who can work seamlessly between development and operations, and have expert understanding of tools like Docker, Kubernetes, and Jenkins, are highly sought after.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are changing industries across the board, from healthcare to finance. IT professionals with expertise in AI and ML algorithms and model development are highly sought after.

Project Management

IT projects are complex and often involve cross-functional teams. Therefore IT professionals with strong project management skills are needed for delivering projects on time and within budget. This includes but is not limited to having knowledge of methodologies like Agile.

Soft Skills

While technical skills are the priority, you can’t forget your soft skills like communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and collaboration which are highly valued in the IT industry, or any industry. These skills also enable IT professionals to work effectively in team environments and communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders in a way they will understand.

A career in IT offers a world of opportunities. To ensure you don’t fall behind in the industry, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the most in-demand skills. Whether you’re focused on cybersecurity, cloud computing, or any other area within IT, continuous learning are keys to success. As technology continues to shape the future, IT professionals with these in-demand skills will remain invaluable to their organisations and the global IT community.

 

Are you interested in a career in IT?  Certes IT Recruitment specialises in putting the right talent in the right organisation. Therefore, we are fully equipt to help you find the perfect job for you. So get in touch today!

 

Security Discovery is a process used to identify and address potential security risks within a business’s IT environment. This is the first phase within any digital transformation project, to help gain insights into key pain point areas. Therefore, you are able to invest in the right areas of improvement.

IT Assets

You can provide a comprehensive view of the IT environment and identify potential security vulnerabilities within IT assets as a result of using Security Discovery, including:

• Hardware
• Software
• Applications
• Data

IT Infrastructure

It can also give you insights into the security controls and infrastructure, identifying areas for improvement. This includes:

• Outdated software
• Unpatched systems
• Firewalls
• Data Centres

Cyber-Attacks

Businesses can improve their security and reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches by looking at:

• Resilience planning,
• Zero trust architecture
• Disaster recovery planning

Regulatory Requirements

Security Discovery also helps businesses comply with industry regulations and best practices. Businesses are able to ensure that they are in compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards because potential security risks will be identified and addressed. This can include enforcing security policies, restricting access to sensitive data, and also implementing multi-factor authentication.

Benefits of Security Discovery

One of the key benefits of Security Discovery is its ability to provide a holistic view of the IT environment. By analysing and cataloguing IT assets, businesses can gain a comprehensive understanding of their IT environment and identify potential security risks across all aspects of their infrastructure. This also includes identifying security risks within cloud environments, which are becoming increasingly important as more businesses move their IT infrastructure to the cloud.

In summary, Security Discovery is an essential tool for businesses looking to improve their security posture and protect against cyber threats. As a result of gaining visibility into their IT environment and identifying potential security risks, businesses can take proactive steps to reduce their risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches. Contact a Security Discovery provider today so you can learn more about how this powerful technology can benefit your business.

Certes IT Service Solutions and the Eco-Enabler Alliance CIC are excited to announce their partnership. They aim to promote sustainable IT solutions and services that support eco-friendly practices in businesses. The goal is to make sure that enterprises use the most suitable sustainable IT solutions and services for their products and overall operations.

 

This partnership will enable the Eco-Enabler Alliance CIC to create cross-functional teams focused on designing sustainable enterprises. These teams will offer various architecture practices as services, including Centres of Excellence, to help businesses align with eco-friendly principles and integrate sustainable practices.

 

The collaboration will involve working with both local and central government organisations and agencies. Through innovative approaches and community engagement, the partnership seeks to reduce the time and costs associated with government services. Additionally, they aim to quickly identify and respond to the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on local communities by leveraging expertise in process and environmental science.

 

Matt Miller, Managing Director of the Eco-Enabler Alliance CIC, commended Certes for their unique Architecture as a Service offering and their experience in working with the UK government. He believes this will help communities get the support they need from local and central governments to address environmental concerns.

 

Rob Lindsey, Managing Director of Certes IT Services and Solutions, stated that the partnership will enhance their services by addressing sustainability in businesses. This is crucial as businesses increasingly face requests for information about their sustainability efforts in requests for information or proposals.