business operations Archives

BetaBeacon

August 2, 2025

Google loses appeal in antitrust battle with Fortnite maker

A federal appeals court has upheld a jury verdict condemning Google’s Android app store as an illegal monopoly, paving the way for a federal judge to enforce a potentially disruptive shakeup aimed at providing consumers with more choices.

Winsage

July 23, 2025

Introducing Surface Laptop 5G: Seamless connectivity, built for business

Microsoft has expanded its Surface Copilot+ PC portfolio with the introduction of the Surface Laptop 5G, a 13.8-inch device powered by Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors, set to ship on August 26. The new 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro are available for immediate purchase. The Surface Laptop 5G features a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of over 40 trillion operations per second, enhancing on-device intelligence and productivity. It includes an integrated 5G modem for continuous connectivity to Microsoft 365 Copilot and other cloud tools. The device has a dynamic antenna system with six antennas that adapt to surroundings, ensuring reliable connectivity and the ability to function as a mobile hotspot. It supports both NanoSIM and eSIM options and weighs under 3 pounds for portability. The device underwent rigorous real-world testing for performance and connectivity. IT departments can remotely manage the devices, and the Surface Management Portal offers centralized visibility into device health. The Surface Laptop 5G is part of a growing portfolio of Copilot+ PCs designed for modern business needs.

Winsage

July 16, 2025

Windows Secure Boot Certificate Expired in June, Microsoft Issues Warning

Microsoft has announced that Secure Boot certificates for Windows devices will begin to expire in June 2026, which may affect device functionality and security. An out-of-band update (KB5064489) was released on July 13, 2025, to address immediate security concerns and prepare systems for the certificate transition. This update includes essential quality improvements and fixes issues related to the startup of certain Azure Virtual Machines when Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) is enabled. The update is cumulative and incorporates previous security fixes. Users are advised to install the update promptly and review guidance for updating their certificates before the expiration deadline.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Chrome OS slated to merge with Android

Recent developments in the technology sector include the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), increased demand for remote work solutions, and a focus on sustainability initiatives. Companies are integrating AI tools to enhance efficiency, investing in technologies for remote collaboration, and adopting greener practices. Investors are particularly interested in startups specializing in AI, cybersecurity, and sustainable technologies, as these sectors are expected to experience significant growth. AI startups are innovating across various industries, cybersecurity firms are addressing rising threats, and sustainable tech companies are responding to consumer demand for eco-friendly options.

Tech Optimizer

July 11, 2025

Cloud PostgreSQL uptime falls well short of expectations

A survey conducted by The Foundry revealed that 82 percent of PostgreSQL users have concerns about cloud region failures, with 21 percent having experienced such failures in the past year. Among 212 IT decision-makers, 91 percent require no more than four minutes of downtime per month, aiming for an uptime target of approximately 99.99 percent. Additionally, 24 percent seek less than 30 seconds of downtime. AWS dominates the PostgreSQL service market, with 55 percent using AWS RDS and 45 percent using AWS Aurora Global Database. Azure Cosmos DB and Google Cloud SQL are used by 29 percent and 24 percent of respondents, respectively. Unexpected downtime has disrupted business operations for 56 percent of respondents, with 40 percent reporting damage to brand trust. Strategies for ensuring PostgreSQL availability vary, with 58 percent using single-region strategies and 47 percent adopting multi-region approaches. Notably, 23 percent still rely on manual processes, and 5 percent have no high availability strategy. Furthermore, 51 percent of respondents use PostgreSQL in a hybrid database environment, while 35 percent use it as the primary database for customer-facing applications. PostgreSQL has been recognized as the most significant climber in database rankings, currently standing fourth overall.

Tech Optimizer

July 10, 2025

New Survey Reveals Strong Demand for High Availability as Businesses Increasingly Use PostgreSQL in Mission-Critical Applications and to Alleviate Cloud Outage Concerns

pgEdge, Inc. conducted a survey revealing that 91% of organizations using PostgreSQL require a maximum of 4 minutes of downtime per month, with 24% aiming for less than 30 seconds. While 21% experienced an outage in the past year, 82% are concerned about potential cloud region failures. Additionally, 79% of respondents are considering or piloting a distributed PostgreSQL solution within the next year. Over half (51%) use PostgreSQL in a hybrid database environment, and 35% use it as their primary database for customer-facing applications. Strategies for high availability include 58% relying on read replicas and automated failover, while 47% have implemented multi-master replication across multiple cloud regions. Businesses exceeding downtime thresholds face delays (56%), damage to brand trust (40%), and increased support requests (49%). Organizations using high availability PostgreSQL solutions report benefits such as increased uptime (53%) and cost savings (36%). The survey included 212 IT decision-makers, with 75% from enterprises with over 500 employees, and the top industries represented were financial services, software and computing, and manufacturing.

Tech Optimizer

July 10, 2025

New Survey Shows Strong Demand for High Availability as Businesses Increasingly Use PostgreSQL in Mission-Critical Applications and to Alleviate Cloud Outage Concerns

In a survey by pgEdge, Inc., 91% of PostgreSQL users expect no more than four minutes of downtime per month, equating to 99.99% uptime, with 24% aiming for less than 30 seconds. Despite these expectations, 21% experienced outages in the past year, and 82% are concerned about cloud region failures. Additionally, 79% of participants are evaluating or piloting distributed PostgreSQL solutions. Over half (51%) use PostgreSQL in hybrid environments, while 35% use it as the primary database for customer-facing applications. To achieve high availability, 58% rely on read replicas and automated failover, and 47% use multi-master replication across multiple cloud regions. Among those who exceeded downtime thresholds, 56% faced delays in operations, 40% reported damage to brand trust, and 49% experienced spikes in support requests. Organizations implementing high availability solutions reported increased uptime (53%) and cost savings (36%). The survey included 212 IT decision-makers from enterprises with 500 or more employees, with 75% in IT, Networking, or Security roles. The leading industries represented were financial services, software and computing, and manufacturing, comprising 69% of responses.

Winsage

July 9, 2025

July Patch Tuesday: 14 critical Microsoft vulnerabilities, one SAP hole rated at 10 in severity

Microsoft has released a patch for CVE-2025-47978, a denial-of-service vulnerability in the Netlogon protocol, which affects Windows domain controllers. Named NOTLogon, this vulnerability allows low-privilege domain-joined machines to crash the domain controller with a crafted authentication request, leading to a complete reboot. It has a CVSS score of 6.5. Security researcher Dor Segal warned that such vulnerabilities can severely disrupt Active Directory operations. Additionally, Tenable's Satnam Narang urged CSOs to address CVE-2025-5777, known as CitrixBleed 2, which allows attackers to steal session tokens from Citrix NetScaler systems, potentially granting unauthorized network access even after patches are applied. Organizations are advised to review logs for suspicious activity and invalidate session tokens to prevent further exploitation.

Tech Optimizer

July 1, 2025

Percona Launches First-Ever Open Source Transparent Data Encryption for PostgreSQL

Percona has launched its Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) extension for Percona for PostgreSQL, enabling organizations to secure sensitive data at rest and comply with regulations without incurring licensing fees or vendor lock-in. The TDE extension provides automatic and transparent encryption of data, supports compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, and PCI DSS v4.0, and offers features such as open-source availability, stronger data protection, granular user-controlled encryption, seamless integration, centralized key management, minimal performance impact, and trusted support services. The pg_tde extension is now part of the Percona Distribution for PostgreSQL, enhancing security for customers needing encryption compliance.

Tech Optimizer

June 24, 2025

Why Every File Demands Sanitization

Zero Trust addresses the issue of misplaced trust in cybersecurity, particularly the assumption that files from known senders are safe. This assumption can lead to security breaches, as malware can be hidden in documents from internal employees, vendors, or customers. Familiar interactions often bypass essential security checks, creating vulnerabilities. Security tools may fail to detect modern threats, which can evade traditional defenses. Compromised accounts and infected devices can introduce risks regardless of the sender's identity. To mitigate these risks, Votiro's solution cleanses every file using Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) technology, removing harmful elements while maintaining functionality. Votiro's approach ensures that file security does not disrupt business operations, providing a seamless and efficient solution for organizations.