< Previoussystem to determine whether or not it should invest in education technology is to diagnose its: 1. Specific needs to improve student learning (eg raising the average level of achievement, remediating gaps among low performers, or challenging high performers to develop higher-order skills). 2. Infrastructure to adopt technology-enabled solutions (eg availability of space and power and network infrastructure, stock of computers, and internet connectivity at school and at learners’ homes). 3. Capacity to integrate technology in the instructional process (eg learners’ and educators’ level of familiarity and comfort with hardware and software, their beliefs about the usefulness of technology for learning purposes and their current uses of such technology). Managing educational technology devices Protecting and preserving the huge investments made in educational technology will require more than just a default system updater. Specifically, monitoring, securing and maintaining smart devices throughout the school district will need robust device management software. A dynamic management solution should be able to keep each device in peak operating condition, including performing updates and maintenance checks to firmware, operating systems and installed apps. It should handle security for the entire network of devices—access, geolocation and even authorised applications should all be under its control. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY 20KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE Ideally, the ultimate device management software should have the following features: Powerful management layer Deploying a fleet of school devices, whether to individual students or to schools for classroom use will require a powerful management layer that’s capable of maintaining the connection of each device to the school network and its files. At the same time, the management layer can provide tools and services to the school IT support team in order to diagnose and monitor any problematic units. Cloud-based remote access Connecting to hundreds or thousands of school devices wirelessly and simultaneously can only be possible through remote access via cloud systems. This allows school district management, the district IT administrator and teachers to log in to services anywhere within the district. Cross-platform support for all types of devices Recognising that some districts may not have enough funding to provide all students with school devices, they may resort to allowing BYOD (bring your own device) access to the educational platform. Disadvantaged students can’t afford to be choosy with their equipment, so the device management software should be the one to adjust. Ideally, it should accommodate any BYOD operating system and provide equal- level access to student devices. Robust security measures Monitoring school-issued devices means more than just allowing them to connect to the school network. In particular, school touchscreen devices should remain dedicated units that can only run educational technology applications and lock everything else from students. In addition, device management security should have the ability to geolocate and track individual devices and check if they are being used appropriately. Administrators can lock or freeze units. In case of suspected breaches, admins can also wipe all data from any connected device. Multiple access level assignments The ideal educational technology device management software should recognise that different school officials may need access EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY Schools have had to reassess how they operate, seeking new teaching and learning strategies in the face of a rapidly changing professional landscape. 21 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE to different types of information contained in school-issued devices. IT administrators would require complete access to the system settings and applications in order to manage them. Meanwhile, school executives would need access to usage data and user profiles. Providing different access levels based on requirements helps avoid too many incursions into sensitive areas. Analytics and reporting function Gathering information such as user data on frequency and duration of device use, time of use, preferred applications and others, may help develop insights. These can help when considering add- on features for the next generation of devices. In addition, integrating powerful analytics features can help consolidate results into actionable data that can help address current issues with the devices. Educational technology investments deserve an equally-capable device management software Covid-19 has radically reshaped the way people work, learn and interact. Schools and institutions of higher learning have had to reassess how they currently operate, seeking new teaching and learning strategies in the face of a rapidly changing professional landscape. An organisation’s workforce technology or stakeholder access to the technology is among the greatest challenges managers are facing. With the substantial tech investments by education officials nationwide—plus the reality that online learning is here to stay—securely managing school devices is as crucial as acquiring these digital devices. Default system monitoring and updates are definitely not the most effective ways of securing your expensive investments. Getting the best educational technology products out there deserves getting equally reliable device management software. Figuring out how to ensure that necessary devices are receiving the proper maintenance and protection is key to moving forward successfully. MDM can help you get there, fast.WIRELESS WANS 22KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINED ata released at the end of the summer suggests that almost 20% of ‘casual dining’ venues have been lost over the last year and a half. This, combined with the rapid rise of Omicron cases causing more cancellations and restrictions, a severe worker shortage and the growth of online food delivery services, has left the restaurant industry in a dire predicament. When restrictions were lifted, the restaurant and hospitality industries initially enjoyed a surge in custom, but many are now facing major staff shortages and concerns over the new wave of infections. Owners must therefore look at ways to restore that early momentum and ensure a robust recovery once we come out the other side of this latest wave of infection. Some of the ways to achieve this are based on offering more engaging experiences to entice customers back through the door when it is safe to do so and streamlining operations to ensure they can operate efficiently. For the modern customer, dining out isn’t just about high-quality food and a unique atmosphere. Internet connectivity has become fundamental both to customers and restaurants themselves for many reasons, such as facilitating interactive experiences and improving flexibility in operations. With this being said, could Wireless WANs (WWANs) using cellular modems and management systems, offering reliable and consistent connectivity, help to support the restaurant industry’s recovery, even throughout this latest wave of restrictions and worry? Upgrading customer experience Put simply, seamless connectivity allows restaurants to deliver more engaging and touchless experiences, enabling them to WIRELESS WANS SERVICE PLEASE! UPGRADING THE POST-PANDEMIC RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE THROUGH WIRELESS WANS The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been well documented, and the restaurant industry is no exception. 23 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE PAUL MCHUGH AREA DIRECTOR UK CRADLEPOINTWIRELESS WANS 24KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE provide Covid-safe environments at the same time. For example, restaurants can implement interactive online menus that automatically update and allow customers to order from their tables. Secured wireless connectivity can also support handheld payment systems or systems built into tabletop kiosks. It can also facilitate a more personalised experience for diners, using data to offer customised offers and deals to repeat customers, allowing physical restaurants to compete with discounts offered by online delivery services. Customers now expect accessible, free WiFi when visiting public locations; this is no different for restaurants. It does however, increase the load on traditional wired broadband services or WiFi routers that are inherently under-provisioned to support today’s data consumption - often negating the premium experience that customers demand. As well as this, many restaurants based in shopping centres or markets often require their own dedicated network that is independent of the wired one being offered by their landlord. WWAN solutions can help handle both of these issues, providing restaurants with their own portable network and being able to manage the extra load by backing up the primary network or acting as the primary network itself to ensure seamless connectivity. Facilitating flexibility While the benefits of WWANs to static stores have been noted, including improvements to private, secure networks and the effective use of point-of-sale devices, they can also facilitate non- traditional restaurant experiences like pop-up stores and food trucks. These allow businesses to reach out beyond their bricks and mortar sites and connect with customers who might not want to risk coming into crowded city centres. Opportunities such as festivals and markets allow restaurants to build on their customer base and cater to a wider range of customers. Reliable connectivity is a fundamental requirement for this. Traditional wired connections cannot provide this type of flexibility. These mobile food services would traditionally have to depend on the location having wire broadband installed. And even with that, they would have to rely on less-than-optimal WiFi access to the network. WWANs can enable pop-up stores and food trucks to be instantly connected wherever they decide to operate. This instant and remote connectivity gives them much more flexibility and stability in their chosen locations, thus providing a well-rounded service for the customer. This means that restaurants can use cellular connectivity to embrace the flexibility offered by online delivery services, accommodating new customer demands for a premium experience where the customer is, rather than relying on the customer visiting a fixed location. Supporting IoT As the use of IoT devices increases for streamlining operations and improving quality, it will become vital to have a robust network that can support the increased amount of data being shared and the different stakeholders involved. IoT data assists management in automating and streamlining certain tasks, making the restaurant more labour efficient. It can also monitor temperature and energy usage, enabling significant cost savings for the restaurant as they become more efficient. However, if the network carrying this information fails, it could have a wide-ranging impact on how the business operates. This is where WWANs can Could WWANs using cellular modems and management systems, help to support the restaurant industry’s recovery?WIRELESS WANS 25 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE again provide that backup network or even act as the primary network for this data, ensuring continual uptime. Final thoughts Though there is no ‘silver bullet’ that will eliminate the need for hard work and innovation, WWANs can be the key to unlocking the restaurant industry’s potential. Customers will expect a premium dining experience if they are to ditch online delivery services, in favour of the real thing. And restaurants must find ways to be more flexible in serving customers where they congregate and improve the operational efficiencies while ensuring non-stop WAN availability for all applications. If restaurants make this change, they will be in a good position to come back stronger in 2022. WWAN solutions can help restaurants with their own portable network, able to manage the extra load by backing up or acting as the primary network itself to ensure seamless connectivity.FIVE CYBERSECURITY MYTHS COMPROMISING YOUR DATA T he reasons for this lack of awareness include no training on cybersecurity and persistent misinformation. Despite more media attention than ever, there are still some common misconceptions about cybersecurity that put businesses at risk. Here, we bust the top myths around cybersecurity and how you can address them. Cybersecurity isn’t my responsibility IT security is still viewed as the IT team’s problem when that’s not the case at all. All employees have a responsibility to ensure the security of their business. Your people are the frontline of your defence and represent its biggest attack surface. They are the people hackers are targeting with phishing campaigns because they’re banking on a lack of security knowledge. This myth can have serious consequences if your people don’t practise basic cybersecurity hygiene. If they don’t take care when clicking links in emails or downloading software, they could compromise your business’ security. Education is critical because your employees need to understand why cybersecurity is so important and that they have a role to play. Training will also equip them with the skills to spot threats and change their behaviour for the better. Hackers don’t target small businesses If media coverage is anything to go by, only large organisations like Yahoo, Uber and Marriott get attacked, right? Wrong. This myth is particularly persistent because of mainstream news and the fact that hackers can potentially extort higher sums of money from these businesses. But the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reports that UK small businesses are targeted with over 10,000 cyber-attacks a day. The same report highlights widespread weak security procedures in small businesses, including CYBERSECURITY MYTHS As the importance of cybersecurity has increased, so has our awareness of it. Poor cybersecurity has been identified as the most pressing threat to businesses today. Issues with cybersecurity often stem from a lack of cybersecurity awareness. In fact, according to the 2020 Cyberthreat Defense Report, a lack of cybersecurity awareness was identified as the biggest detriment to an organisation’s cyber-defences. BARRY O’DONNELL CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER TSG 26KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 1 2CYBERSECURITY MYTHS 27 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEa lack of formal password policies, not installing updates and not using security software. While the financial gain from targeting larger enterprises is more lucrative, the stakes are higher for small businesses. Cybercriminals know this. A cyber-attack could destroy a small business and force it to close and that’s why one small business is successfully hacked every 19 seconds in the UK. Small businesses which have a limited cybersecurity budget should tap into the knowledge of an IT support service, who can advise on the most suitable defences. My passwords will keep me safe There are still two long-held misconceptions around passwords. The first is that adding capital letters, numbers or special characters to your one-word password will make it uncrackable. This myth is perpetuated by a lot of business accounts that have these requirements. However, the real measure of password security is length. Software can crack short passwords, no matter how “complex”, in a matter of days. But the longer a password is, the more time it takes to crack. The recommendation is using a memorable phrase— from a book or song, for example—that doesn’t include special characters. But determining a strong, (almost certainly) uncrackable password is only the first step. If the service you’re using is hacked and criminals gain access to your password, you’re still vulnerable. That’s where two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) come in. These methods require you to set up an extra CYBERSECURITY MYTHS 28KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE A cyber-attack could destroy a small business and force it to close. One small business is successfully hacked every 19 seconds in the UK. 3CYBERSECURITY MYTHS 29 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE verification step. When you log in, you’ll be prompted to enter a security code which will be sent to your phone or even accessed via a dedicated verification app. That means if a hacker ever gets their hands on your password, they’ll still be thwarted. A basic anti-virus will be enough to protect my business Gone are the days where your McAfee or Avast anti-virus solution will be enough to protect your business. Now, there are dedicated tools to fight against specific threats like ransomware. A synchronised approach to security, whereby your solutions all interact with one another, is generally accepted as the most robust. Your security solutions should cover your endpoint, firewall, network connections, email and more. In addition, backup and disaster recovery solutions are recommended to mitigate any potential incidents. We only need to protect against hackers While hackers pose an enormous threat to your business, you can’t ignore the possibility of malicious insiders or even staff accidents. One of the most highly-publicised accidental breaches was a Heathrow Airport staff member losing a USB stick with sensitive data on it. Luckily, the person who found it handed it in rather than use it maliciously. The company was still fined £120,000 for its “serious” failings in data protection. It’s also all too easy for an employee to accidentally email a spreadsheet with sensitive data outside of the company. Equally, a disgruntled employee who has access to sensitive employee or customer information could steal or share it. Locking down access to your core systems and ensuring fewer employees have access to them can help you protect against this. For accidental breaches, implement policies that state removable devices must be encrypted. You can also configure your email settings to block certain attachments from being shared outside of your organisation. Are you or your staff members guilty of believing any of these myths? 4 5Next >