The ITAM Roundup: 2/12/24

roundup Feb 12, 2024
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News

Sam Altman seeking trillions for AI chip fabrication from UAE, others

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reportedly seeking a massive investment of $5 to $7 trillion for AI chip manufacturing, aiming to address the scarcity of GPUs crucial for large language models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Altman's proposal involves a partnership between OpenAI, investors, chip makers, and power providers to build chip foundries, with OpenAI committing to significant purchases from these factories. This ambitious plan, which surpasses the entire semiconductor industry's current sales, has garnered interest from global investors, including the United Arab Emirates, but raises geopolitical concerns regarding foreign influence in critical tech industries.

Report: Sam Altman seeking trillions for AI chip fabrication from UAE, others
WSJ: Audacious $5-$7 trillion investment would aim to expand global AI chip supply.

Microsoft in talks over cloud licensing complaint in the EU

Microsoft is engaged in discussions with the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) to address a complaint about its cloud software licensing practices in the European Union. The trade body, consisting of 26 small cloud providers and Amazon Web Services, filed a complaint with the EU's antitrust authority, expressing concerns that Microsoft's licensing terms favor its Azure service and could limit competition in cloud services.

Microsoft in talks over cloud licensing complaint in the EU
In an effort to avoid another anti-trust probe, Microsoft is in talks with a trade body in the European Union, which has lodged a complaint against the way it licenses its software for use by rival cloud providers.

Salesforceā€™s Einstein 1 platform to get new prompt-engineering features

Salesforce is enhancing its Einstein 1 platform with two new prompt engineering features to accelerate the development of generative AI applications in the enterprise. These features, a testing center and prompt engineering suggestions, aim to streamline the manual process of tweaking prompts and refining prompt engineering activities for developers.

Salesforceā€™s Einstein 1 platform to get new prompt-engineering features
The two new features, still in the research phase, are expected to help developers do prompt engineering faster, thereby speeding up the development of generative AI applications.

Teams & Entra ID New Features, Plus Copilot Adoption in the Real World: The Practical 365 Podcast S4 E13

Practical365 has another podcast out to discuss Teams and Entra ID new features, and also a perspective on 'real world' MS Copilot adoption from a Microsoft MVP Adam Honeycutt.

Teams & Entra ID New Features, Plus Copilot Adoption in the Real World: The Practical 365 Podcast S4 E13
On the show this week, Steve and Paul talk through a plethora of new updates arriving in Microsoft Teams, Entra IDā€™s leap towards zero trust, plus MVP Andy Huneycutt joins the Podcast to discuss Copilot for Microsoft 365 adoption.

Microsoft makes Azure OpenAI service available in government cloud platform

Microsoft has made its Azure OpenAI Service available on Azure Government, allowing federal agencies to utilize AI tools in a regulated environment while pursuing FedRAMP authorization for higher-impact data. Candice Ling, Microsoft's senior vice president for federal government business, highlighted the service's data safety measures and potential for productivity and innovation. The move comes as federal agencies increasingly adopt AI technologies, with Microsoft aiming to provide GPT-4 capabilities in a more regulated setting and emphasizing data security measures to protect sensitive information.

Microsoft makes Azure OpenAI service available in government cloud platform
The service is live on Azure Government Tuesday while the agency pursues FedRAMP authorization for high-impact data.

IT budget shock: Global IT services firms continue to struggle

The global IT services industry faces significant challenges due to economic uncertainties and slower growth, with major players like Cognizant, Tata Consultancy Services, and Infosys reporting below-expectation results. Layoffs are increasing amid economic pressures, prompting cautious hiring strategies focusing on upskilling and talent transformation. While there's a shift towards AI and other technologies, revenue from generative AI might not see immediate substantial growth, with forecasts indicating uncertainty in FY2025 but potential opportunities for consulting-led IT services providers.

IT budget shock: Global IT services firms continue to struggle
The growth trajectory for the sector hinges on several pivotal factors that need more clarity, including the recovery of discretionary spending and the influx of revenue from new large-scale contracts.

Red Hat Extends Enterprise Java to the Cloud with JBoss EAP 8

Red Hat unveils JBoss EAP 8, the first to support Jakarta EE 10, enabling easier enterprise Java application management across various environments. With Jakarta EE 10, legacy Java apps can be modernized without extensive framework changes, and improved provisioning tools streamline deployment management. The release also includes lightweight OpenShift container images and updates to the JBoss EAP Operator for enhanced container management.

Red Hat Extends Enterprise Java to the Cloud with JBoss EAP 8
Enterprise Java is getting easier to manage and deploy thanks in part to the latest open source Jakarta EE platform specification now supported by Red Hat.

Exclusive: Cisco to cut thousands of jobs as it seeks to focus on high growth areas

Cisco plans a major restructuring, including layoffs, to focus on high-growth areas, sources say. The San Jose-based company, with nearly 85,000 employees, is yet to finalize the number of job cuts. This follows a previous restructuring in November 2022, amidst broader tech industry layoffs.

https://www.reuters.com/business/cisco-cut-thousands-jobs-it-seeks-focus-high-growth-areas-sources-2024-02-09/

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Tips

The do-it-yourself approach to MDM

Open-source tools offer a viable option for mobile device management (MDM), especially with the rise of subscription-only models from commercial providers like VMware. While open-source MDM solutions can cut costs and prevent vendor lock-in, they require careful consideration of factors like platform integration and ongoing support needs. Organizations must weigh the benefits against the added workload and potential challenges, with midsize operations and colleges showing particular interest in the DIY approach to MDM.

The do-it-yourself approach to MDM
For mobile management, open-source tools can serve as a real option to commercial and managed service provider alternatives.

Top 9 AssetSonar Alternatives & Competitors

The article discusses the limitations of AssetSonar, a cloud-based IT asset management tool, and presents nine alternatives for better IT asset management. Each alternative offers unique features such as centralized visibility of software licenses, automated device registration and user enrollment, and comprehensive asset tracking. Pros and cons, along with customer ratings, are provided for each alternative to guide organizations in selecting the most suitable IT asset management solution.

Top 9 AssetSonar Alternatives & Competitors [Updated 2024]
Discover the top 9 AssetSonar alternatives in 2024 that align with your teamā€™s unique needs and elevate your IT asset management strateg

How to assess your Java licensing, a short guide.

Staying compliant with Oracle Java licensing is crucial in the realm of software asset management, especially given recent changes in Oracle's terms. Utilizing tools like Licenseware's Oracle Java Discovery Manager (OJDM) and the open-source OJDM Collector can help identify Java installations, assess their license requirements, and categorize usage for efficient management. Exploring alternative JDKs like AdoptOpenJDK and Amazon Corretto offers organizations options to mitigate licensing complexities and costs, ensuring compliance and optimized software investments.

How to assess your Java licensing, a short guide.
The License Management App Ecosystem - Empowering ITAM professionals with the toolbox they need to deliver services beyond expectations.
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Bugs & Exploits

Microsoft Azure HDInsight Bugs Expose Big Data to Breaches

Three high-risk vulnerabilities in Microsoft Azure's HDInsight service expose big data to breaches, including denial-of-service and privilege escalation bugs, compromising sensitive data. These bugs affect Apache Ambari and Apache Oozie, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access and execute malicious actions, emphasizing the importance of diligent patching and migration to the latest platform version for users. These vulnerabilities were addressed by Microsoft, but organizations utilizing HDInsight must take proactive measures to safeguard their data.

Microsoft Azure HDInsight Bugs Expose Big Data to Breaches
Security holes in a big data tool can open the door to big data compromises.

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