Information technology service management (ITSM) is more than another buzzword. It’s a concept that helps organisations design and deliver IT services to customers and, when well executed, it can have a huge impact on productivity as well as customer and employee experience.

But too often companies don’t do it right, leading to headaches and lost productivity.

To unpack the topic, Muggie van Staden, MD at open-source enterprise software specialist Obsidian Systems, joins TechCentral’s TCS+ to discuss the latest trends in ITSM and what they mean for South African organisations.

Van Staden unpacks:

• The concept of ITSM and what it involves;

• How successful companies utilise ITSM to better manage customer experience, free up IT resources, align IT with business goals, enhance security and risk mitigation, foster scalable growth, and accelerate digital transformation;

• The emerging trends in ITSM that are shaping how organisations manage their IT services and IT infrastructure;

• The role of artificial intelligence and automation in ITSM;

• The shift to Agile and DevOps integration; and

• Where Obsidian fits into the ITSM picture.

Don’t miss a fascinating conversation with a leader in the ITSM space in South Africa. TechCentral

Datafree Technologies, the company behind popular zero-rated messaging tool MoyaApp, has an ambitious plan to build a R1-billion/year business by tapping to the APN market provided by the mobile operators.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Datafree chief commercial officer Kruben Pillay tells Duncan McLeod about the company’s plan to build a software-as-a-service-based APN – or “access point name” – to sell to businesses. An APN is a gateway that allows a mobile device to connect to the network and the internet.

Datafree describes itself as a specialist in “mobile data optimisation” that “identified the opportunity to empower inclusive mobile connection by removing the data cost barrier to engage mobile audiences”.

To do this, it uses reverse-billing technology for data, not dissimilar to the way toll-free numbers work for phone calls.

Although many people use or are at least aware of MoyaApp, much less is known about Datafree. In this episode of TCS, Pillay tells McLeod more about the business. He also unpacks:

• His history in the telecommunications industry, including his time at Vodacom and Telkom;

• How MoyaApp is doing;

• Datafree’s R1-billion/year APN opportunity; and

• How APNs work, why companies use them (and why they sometimes run into issues) and Datafree’s APN services for business.

Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral

Veeam is helping organisations in South Africa and the rest of the African continent safeguard their most valuable asset: their data.

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, four senior executives from Veeam unpack the latest trends in data resilience and protection, and explore how African organisations can better protect themselves against a data disaster.

To unpack this in detail, TCS+ is joined in this two-parter episode by Veeam’s:

• Mena Migally, regional vice president, Europe, the Middle East and Africa;

• Brendan Widlake, regional director and country manager, Africa;

• Ian Engelbrecht, head of technical sales, Africa; and

• Lisa Strydom, senior manager for channel and alliances, Africa.

Topics covered in the discussion include:

• The unique challenges that businesses in Africa face when it comes to securing and managing their data;

• The role of data resilience in helping African businesses maintain continuous availability of their data in the face of growing cyberthreats.

• Securing on-premises and cloud-based environments and the challenges involved in doing so;

• How Veeam works with local partners to ensure African businesses optimise their data protection strategies and build resilience;

• How Veeam helps companies deal with ransomware attacks, both before and after they happen; and

• The emerging trends and innovations in data resilience and protection.

For more information on Veeam’s portfolio of data resilience solutions, including backup, recovery, cloud data management and disaster recovery, visit Veeam’s data resilience portfolio. TechCentral

Eswatini is on a mission to roll out high-speed fibre broadband infrastructure for its citizens.

According to Themba Khumalo, MD of The Eswatini Posts & Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC), the landlocked territory will draw lessons from leaders in national fibre roll-out in other markets as it deploys infrastructure to the population.

In this episode of TCS+, filmed on-site in Cape Town during Africa Tech Week, Khumalo delves into:

• The role of EPTC Eswatini;

• Features unique to Eswatini that make the challenge of a national fibre roll-out a little easier than it might be in other territories;

• EPTC’s national fibre strategy;

• How the population will benefit from the speed upgrades that a fibre roll-out will enable;

• The proposed timelines for the competition of the national fibre roll-out; and

• The role government will play in accelerating infrastructure roll-out.

Don’t miss the conversation. TechCentral

In the final episode of a three-part interview series with TechCentral’s TCS+, Digicloud Africa executives unpack what Google Cloud’s solutions mean for end-user organisations in Africa.

Digicloud Africa is Google Cloud’s enablement partner on the continent, and the company’s CEO, Gregory MacLennan, and head of technical operations Louis van Schalkwyk return to the show to chat about what Google Cloud software can do for businesses that deploy it.

In episode 1 of this series, we had a look at Digicloud, what it does, and its relationship with Google. In episode 2, we looked at the company’s reseller partner model, what it involves and how it works with its reseller partners. (LINKS TO SHOWS TO BE INSERTED WHEN AVAILABLE.)

In the final episode, MacLennan and Van Schalkwyk unpack:

• The Google Cloud advantage relative to other cloud and enterprise software solutions;

• How companies can use Google Cloud to innovate and grow their businesses;

• The importance of using open IT infrastructure like Google’s – and what this means for collaboration and information security;

• What Google Cloud offers in specific sectors, including education;

• Examples of African enterprises and government agencies doing interesting things with Google Cloud technology;

• How Digicloud Africa works with resellers to offer Google Cloud solutions to companies, educational institutions and government – and how Digicloud supports those resellers in client engagements and deployments; and

• Becoming a Google Cloud reseller through Digicloud and what’s involved.

Don’t miss insightful interview, and the others in this series! TechCentral

Pinnacle, one of South Africa’s leading technology distributors, is going all-in on AI.

The company, which represents some of the leading brands in the artificial intelligence space, is working closely with its vendors and channel partners to help local companies embrace the potential of the technology and expand employee productivity.

Jacques Visage, GM for AI and Services at Pinnacle, is the man leading this charge, and he’s TechCentral’s guest in this episode of TCS+.

He unpacks why Pinnacle sees AI as a strategic imperative and how it is positioning itself as an AI leader in the distribution space.

In the discussion, Visagie chats about:

• Pinnacle’s go-to-market strategy around AI and how it is working with its channel partners to provide AI solutions to businesses;

• The company’s key partners and technology providers;

• How conversations around AI in corporate South Africa have changed since the launch two years ago of OpenAI’s ChatGPT;

• What South African companies are doing with AI – and what they want to do with it in future; and

• The top-of-mind issues around AI in the C-suite and the biggest use cases we’re seeing so far in corporate South Africa.

Don’t miss this important and insightful conversation! TechCentral

José Soares, director of IT at The Capital Hotels, Apartments and Resorts, fell in love with computers when his dad brought home a Sinclair ZX81.

Through a series of upgrades – from the Commodore 64 to early Apple machines and eventually his first PC – Soares developed a passion for gaming and technology.

Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro

That passion led him to co-found a mobile gaming company and eventually to pursue a career in IT management.

Our guest in the latest episode of Meet the CIO, Soares tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the journey that led him to The Capital Hotels group.

Soares also discusses:

• The assets owned by the group and why it’s focus is a little different to other companies in the hospitality industry;

• What the group’s IT stack looks like, and the big projects Soares is leading;

• How the internet and modern technology have transformed the hospitality industry;

• His strategic priorities as head of IT;

• The role of artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry, and how The Capital Hotel is approaching AI;

• The qualities that make for a good CIO; and

• The importance of developing the next generation of IT talent.

Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral

The digitisation of money is helping drive financial inclusion and improve access to complex financial services in South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

In this episode of TCS+, Hannes Wessels, GM for South Africa at Binance, explains the role cryptocurrencies are playing in the digitisation of cash as well as the potential that blockchain technology offers in enhancing the security of digital transactions.

In this episode, Wessels delves into:

• The trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of digital banking in South Africa;

• How Binance is capitalising on the growth of mobile banking and other advancements in financial technology;

• Examples of how blockchain technology can enhance transaction security;

• How decentralised finance can make financial services accessible to everyone in Africa; and

• How Binance is contributing to the digital cash revolution.

Don’t miss this exciting episode of TCS+. TechCentral

In the second part of a three-part interview series with TechCentral’s TCS+, Digicloud Africa executives unpack how African ICT companies can become reseller partners for Google Cloud in Africa.

Digicloud is Google Cloud’s chosen enablement partner for Africa and works closely with the US technology giant to deliver its services across the continent – through a network of resellers.

In this episode of TCS+, Digicloud Africa CEO Gregory MacLennan and head of technical operations Louis van Schalkwyk unpack what’s involved in becoming a reseller partner to Digicloud Africa and Google Cloud.

The two men chat about:

• Digicloud Africa’s role as the African enablement partner for Google Cloud;

• Google Cloud’s go-to-market strategy in Africa and how it works through Digicloud Africa to support a network of resellers across the continent;

• How the relationship between Google Cloud, Digicloud and its resellers partners operate in the context of serving end-user customers;

• How IT companies can sign up to become Google Cloud resellers through Digicloud – the requirements and what’s involved;

• How Digicloud supports specialisation by its reseller partners; and

• The challenge of managing a network of resellers across a continent as vast as Africa.

Don’t miss the interview, or the others in this insightful series with Digicloud Africa. TechCentral

Digicloud Africa has a big role to play in the African ICT ecosystem as Google Cloud’s enablement partner on the continent.

Two of Digicloud’s top executives recently sat down for an interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ to unpack the business, its relationship with Google, and how it serves its reseller partners and their clients in adopting Google Cloud services.

Gregory MacLennan, Digicloud’s CEO, and Louis van Schalkwyk, the company’s head of technical operations, tell TechCentral about the business and why Google Cloud services are seeing strong demand across Africa.

In this first of a succinct three-part series with Digicloud, MacLennan and Van Schalkwyk discuss:

• The history of Digicloud and how it became Google Cloud’s enablement partner for Africa;

• How the partnership with Google Cloud works, and why Google chooses to work through reseller partners in smaller markets like those in Africa;

• The solutions on offer from Google via Digicloud; and

• How companies can become Google Cloud resellers through Digicloud Africa – and why the company is encouraging more entities to sign up and go through the process of accreditation (and what’s involved).

Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral