Season’s Greetings from the Ascent Technology Team
Table of Contents
VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS
CLIENT CASE STUDIES
DB Administration, Security and Compliance for First Distribution
First Distribution’s Database Administration, Security and Compliance needs lead it to trusted advisor, Ascent Technology. For any large organisation, Database Administration (DBA) is a vital part of maintaining their Data Platform Operations effectively. As it has...
Ascent Technology helps Bidfood SA migrate to Microsoft Azure
When Bidfood SA chose to modernise and migrate its data platform to Microsoft Azure, it turned to Ascent Technology for help. In a world that is digitally transforming, it is more vital than ever to an organisation’s success to utilise the latest platforms to drive...
Ascent Technology helps migrate Phumelela Gaming to Azure
A Windows Server and SQL Server consolidation, optimisation and migration to Microsoft Azure enables the company to reduce costs, modernise its data platform and boost its innovation capabilities. As an operator running two distinct betting businesses, Phumelela...
CAMPAIGNS
Database System Health Check Service from Ascent Technology
A Database System Health Check assesses if your Database is running optimally, and can help diagnose challenges before performance issues, and/or down time affect your users. That’s where Ascent's Database Health Check Service comes in. Our Database Health Check...
Database Security and Compliance with DB Shield
The growing number of threats to databases and unauthorised access to the data within, is clearly creating on-going headaches for CIOs. Solving these headaches may not be easy, but by asking the right questions, CIOs can begin to overcome their Database Security and...
Database Administration and Support Service from Ascent Technology
Economic volatility is driving a greater number of organisations to consider cost cutting measures and to implement consolidation procedures. This situation is further compounded by the growing skills shortage that makes it more difficult for businesses to acquire and...
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Microsoft Data and Analytics Partner of the Year Finalist
Ascent Technology continues its strong showing in the Microsoft Partner of the Year awards, as a finalist in the Data and Analytics Partner of the Year award. Finalist Data and Analytics Partner of the Year "It is always gratifying to be recognised by Microsoft as one...
NEWSFLASHES
Ascent Technology’s clients benefit from Data Platform Modernisation
Facing platform ‘end of life’ issues together with increasing pressures to digitise processes, increase profitability and innovate on product and service, organisations are finding Data Platform Modernisation projects can deliver significant value by enabling IT cost...
Ascent Technology’s clients benefit from Database Administration Outsourcing
Ascent Technology's proven database services model enables clients to Co/Outsource the daily maintenance, management and support of their database environments on a 24/7 basis. The active monitoring, preventative maintenance and management ensures optimal performance....
FROM THE DESK OF THE MD
From the Desk of the MD – January 2019
The start of another year inevitably brings with it the promise of change, and in wishing all our clients a happy New Year, we would like to suggest that 2019 is going to be a year of considerable and exciting change. After all, not only do we have what are sure to be...
From the Desk of the MD – July 2012
23 Jul 2012
Welcome to our second, somewhat belated newsletter for the year. The good news is that the reason this newsletter is overdue is because Ascent has been so busy in the past few months, servicing not only all our existing clients, but also the new ones we have recently brought on board, that we have barely had time to breathe. This is, of course, a very exciting time for us, and we hope that we can share some of this excitement with you as we inform you of some interesting new developments in the Database Management space.
Something new
As you are probably aware, the Ascent-sponsored ITWeb Database Management Survey 2012 is already well underway. This survey considers such questions as:
- which database technologies are most used;
- whether organisations know what is happening to their data;
- whether they have database disaster recovery strategies in place;
- and to what degree they are outsourcing their Database Management requirements.
As the official sponsor, we look forward to publishing the results of this first annual survey, and of making the unique insights into this space it will provide available to you. Of course, if you haven’t yet participated in the survey, the question is what are you waiting for? After all, you also stand a chance to win the new iPad (3G WiFi), so click here to participate – and do it now, as there are only a few days remaining before the survey closes.
Data Management Newsletter
We are sure you are all avid readers of the Ascent-sponsored Data Management Portal on ITWeb. As such, we are excited to announce the upcoming launch of another Ascent and ITWeb collaboration, the monthly Data Management Newsletter. This will enable you to read up on all the latest news, products, services and happenings in this distinctive market space. Keep your eyes open for this unique development – it’s coming soon.
New internship programme
Ascent understands our clients’ desire for continuity in skills and expertise; to this end, we are focusing on developing the next generation of highly skilled individuals, while at the same time making a contribution to youth employment. We have just launched our eighth annual internship programme, which will once again adopt a Microsoft focus and we expect it to replicate our previous successes in this regard. Ascent is very proud to note that a number of our former interns are working within our client base, thereby contributing to the economy while at the same time adding even more value to our clients.
Additional strategic products
In the last newsletter, we informed you of our ongoing strategy to find the right products that will offer you strategic value in the Database Management space, and promised you we would be seeking additional ones to do just that. We have now brought on board Imperva, which – alongside our McAfee and IBM InfoSphere Guardium offerings – ensures that we can now deliver all three of the leading products in the Database Security and Compliance space. This cements our reputation as the top heterogeneous player in the Database Management arena.
More of the same – but with a twist
We have begun noticing a new trend amongst large organisations, whereby these enterprises are no longer including Database Management as part of their overall outsourcing deals with the large full IT infrastructure outsourcers. Instead, they are turning to specialists like us to perform this niche task.
These clients are realising that they need a specialist provider for what is essentially a specialist undertaking. Thus they are beginning to segment their outsourcing requirements in order to take advantage of Ascent’s skills, expertise and service level agreements in this arena. We are, of course, comfortable working with clients of this nature, since our business model, by its very nature, works equally well for small, medium and large clients. This means it is a perfect fit for these large corporations, just as it is for every one of our small, medium and large clients.
The last word
To all our new clients, both large and small, we want to welcome you to the Ascent Community and we look forward to enjoying a long and fruitful relationship with you. Equally, we are eager to continue growing our relationships with our existing clients, as we all move ahead into what we at Ascent expect to be a very bright future.
By: Johan Lamberts