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- 1. 1 TALKING SMAC You’ve probably heard of SMAC before – Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud. Business success frequently depends on SMAC’s four components. That’s why it’s so useful to think of them together – they’re always relevant and complementary, and will grow more critical in the future. For example, a recent LinkedIn study found that 81 percent of North American SMBs use social media to drive business growth, while nine percent plan to use it in the future1 . As for mobile, Cisco predicts that 50 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020. Analytics, for its part, is changing the way businesses manage information and use it to generate fruitful insights, though research suggests that today only 23 percent of organisations are making full use of Big Data strategies2 . By contrast, 82 percent of businesses have a hybrid cloud strategy - up from 74 percent in 20143 . MOVING BEYOND SMAC The benefits of approaching SMAC as an interlinked web of technologies are clear. By pursuing opportunities to use them, you can move steadily towards your business goals. However, SMAC has one big limitation. Modern organisations must increasingly contend with two major forces that don’t fit within SMAC’s narrowly defined categories: the Internet of Things and cybersecurity – ‘SMACIC’ is something new. By neglecting to include them in assessments of IT effectiveness, businesses compromise their security and risk being overtaken by the competition. THE IC FACTOR CONNECTING TO THE INTERNET OF THINGS The Internet of Things is a network of physical objects containing embedded technologies – such as sensors and transmitters – that allow them to communicate with remote networks. For example, many new cars have the built-in ability to record and transmit information about their location, travel patterns and efficiency. This allows drivers to receive alerts when a service might be necessary or to reduce fuel consumption. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS? There are opportunities for almost every business to take advantage of the Internet of Things. Remote sensors are already used in devices ranging from heart monitoring implants to biochip implants in farm animals, postal items and aviation equipment. Take a luxurious mansion owned by a couple who depart for work each day leaving the front door wide open. A thief could enter at any time, and the couple has failed to secure their investment. In a different version of this scenario, many businesses make a similar mistake investing in SMAC technologies without adequately protecting them. This is SMAC without cybersecurity. Then there is the luxurious mansion without technology and connectivity embedded in the devices in house – the value that could be harnessed interoperating these devices and the data they create isn’t realised. To an organisation, this is like deploying SMAC technologies but ignoring the Internet of Things. Assad Jees Next Gen Solution Manager, CSC LOCKING THE CONNECTED FRONT DOOR SMACIC POINT OF VIEW
- 2. 2 Fortunately, consumers appear to welcome the idea of products that can independently provide valuable real-time feedback. Last year a Telefonica study found that 70 percent of car users are driving, or would happily drive, a connected car4 . More generally, this openness to the Internet of Things has the potential to generate enormous value for businesses and their customers alike. A recent IT Services Study conducted by CSC and IDG, confirmed IT spend has increased by 20% over the previous year and 49% of CIOs surveyed indicated they would be investing in the Internet of Things, in addition to current SMAC investments5 . Another report revealed that just between 2014 and 2017, an estimated 19.42 billion new connected devices will enter the global market6 . SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES Taking advantage of the Internet of Things means searching for opportunities to automate routine processes or collect previously unavailable data. Implemented strategically, it can provide your business with greater transparency and control. You might, for example, use remote sensors to gather data on how efficiently packages are being dispatched from a warehouse, and use it to model more cost- effective supply chain processes. Even before the emergence of the Internet of Things, it was essential for companies to protect themselves against aggressive online incursions. However, more connections between devices mean more opportunities for malicious third parties to infiltrate your network. And that’s why you’ll need to take care of security too. LOCKING THE DOOR WITH CYBERSECURITY ONLINE CRIME WITH OFFLINE CONSEQUENCES The news abounds with stories of large organisations falling prey to hackers, viruses and other malicious activity. In 2013, for example, hackers infiltrated a global retailers’ network, accessed the personal information of more than 70 million consumers and used it to commit widespread credit card fraud. Controlling the leak and managing its consequences cost more than $200 million, and the retailer recently settled a class action suit in which affected customers will be reimbursed with company funds. More recently, hackers attacked the US government’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and tampered with more than 100,000 tax records. Of course, any network breach can have unpleasant results, ranging from intellectual property theft to unmanageable website downtime. McAfee reports that cybercrime costs more than US$445 billion annually, and affected more than 800 million people worldwide in 2013 alone7 . PROTECTING YOUR DATA Modern businesses that rely on the Internet to conduct commerce or communicate with customers must have strong defences against cybercrime. So whether you run a multibillion dollar company or a niche enterprise, network security is vitally important. This is a complicated challenge that requires a resilient and adaptable response. As a result, many organisations now find that the best approach to cybersecurity is a managed security service that covers their entire network from data centres to mobile devices. An expertly designed end-to-end solution can protect your business and customers in a world where online threats are multiplying with alarming rapidity. SMACIC: LOCKING THE CONNECTED FRONT DOOR
- 3. 3 SMACIC: LOCKING THE CONNECTED FRONT DOOR KEEPING THINGS IN CHECK WITH SMACIC Together, the six elements of SMACIC – Social, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud, the Internet of Things and Cybersecurity should be considered as functioning in symbiosis - as to fully harness these technologies and to bring business value, they each should have an interdependent relationship Of course, many organisations will find that they’re early adopters of some SMACIC technologies and lagging behind with others. Thankfully, you can evaluate your IT system using SMACIC components for your diagnostic criteria. In reviewing cybersecurity protocols, for example, you might ask questions like: • Are we encrypting archived data to prevent it from being misappropriated? • Should we consider using a virtual private cloud to control who accesses sensitive information? • What do we know about our organisation’s security posture? • When was the last time we conducted a security audit? By ensuring that your business is using SMACIC effectively, you’ll be placing it at the forefront of a global shift in how companies control internal processes, gather data and create strong customer relationships. 1. http://marketing.linkedin.com/blog/social-media-a-hotbed-for-smb-growth-and-fertile-ground-for- financial-services-prospects/ 2. www.ibmbigdatahub.com/gallery/quick-facts-and-stats-big-data 3. www.rightscale.com/blog/cloud-industry-insights/cloud-computing-trends-2015-state-cloud-survey 4. www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10973374/Drivers-warm-to-connected-cars.html 5. 2014 CSC & IDG IT CIO Services Study. 6. press.ihs.com/press-release/design-supply-chain/more-connected-ever-6-billion-new-internet- enabled-devices-be-prod 7. www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet-security/10886640/Cyber-crime-costs-global-economy- 445-bn-annually.html
- 4. About CSC The mission of CSC is to be a global leader in providing technology-enabled business solutions and services. With the broadest range of capabilities, CSC offers clients the solutions they need to manage complexity, focus on core businesses, collaborate with partners and clients and improve operations. CSC makes a special point of understanding its clients and provides experts with real-world experience to work with them. CSC leads with an informed point of view while still offering client choice. For more than 50 years, clients in industries and governments worldwide have trusted CSC with their business process and information systems outsourcing, systems integration and consulting needs. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CSC.” © 2015 Computer Sciences Corporation. All rights reserved. Worldwide CSC Headquarters The Americas 3170 Fairview Park Drive Falls Church, Virginia 22042 United States +1.703.876.1000 Europe, Middle East, Africa Royal Pavilion Wellesley Road Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1PZ United Kingdom +44(0)1252.534000 Australia Level 6/Tower B 26 Talavera Road Macquarie Park, NSW 2113 Sydney, Australia +61(0)2.9034.3000 New Zealand Level 26, Plimmer Towers 2-6 Gilmer Terrace Wellington 6011 New Zealand +64 (0) 4 901 4333 Asia 20 Anson Road #11-01 Twenty Anson Singapore 079912 Republic of Singapore +65.6221.9095