Category: b.r.m.

The most important facts about Windows 11

Windows is still the most widely used operating system in the world. Microsoft is now planning a major update in 2022 and will launch Windows 11 with many new features. Find out more about the pros and cons and the most important new features and functions of Windows 11 in this blog post.

New features in Windows 11

The Cortana voice assistant will also only appear from Windows 11 onwards if the user expressly requests it. Until now, users have not been able to deactivate Microsoft's voice assistant.

In addition, the Microsoft Outlook program is getting a major update - certainly one of the most popular e-mail programs. For those who prefer to use other programs, the Android apps that can be used on a Windows PC from Windows 11 onwards will be exciting. With this trick, Windows expands the number of potential applications for its users in no time at all.

The new snap layouts, with which the screen can be divided into several areas to view several applications at a glance, ensure greater efficiency.

Video conferences are now an essential part of our everyday lives - Windows 11 has also thought of this and offers a new button in the taskbar to quickly activate the mute function. This means you no longer have to search for the right video conference window.

Is Windows 11 worth it?

The question of whether and to what extent Windows 11 is worthwhile can only be answered after its release. Too many changes and features are only rumors so far and ultimately only real tests by independent users will show whether Windows 11 only brings advantages. In addition, users have very individual preferences when it comes to setting up and using their PCs - opinions on Windows 11 and its new functions could differ greatly. We look forward to the release of the next major update for Windows in summer 2022 and will then test and examine it in detail.

Are you looking for a competent and experienced partner for your IT? Contact us to find out more about how we can help you with your IT issues.

Learn more

Video conferencing systems / b.r.m. offers data protection-compliant video conferencing solution

There are many providers of video conferencing and online meetings - b.r.m. has been offering a video conferencing solution that meets the highest data protection standards for several months now. In this blog post, you can find out why video conferencing tools are important and how the various providers differ.

The coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed our everyday lives in a short space of time. Professional and business life in particular had to react quickly to new regulations and requirements. Meetings and conferences could no longer be held on site and people had to work together from home. However, such crises must not paralyze everyday working life. That is why it is important to implement a secure and stable collaboration solution in the company. In addition to traditional coordination meetings, documents also need to be exchanged or processed in parallel.

It is undisputed that a classic telephone call does not have the same effect in the long term. You have to be able to see the other person. So we need the opportunity to exchange ideas without direct contact and location restrictions - but with data protection and additional functions that make our work easier: the conference solution.

The major providers of such digital conferencing solutions are Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Skype for Business and Google Meet (formerly Google Hangout). Only Zoom and Skype for Business can be hosted on their own server - in other words, only here can a particularly high level of data protection be guaranteed. In addition to the option of hosting it yourself, Zoom also offers an extremely intuitive user interface. The costs and installation effort for Zoom are kept within limits.

Of course, the other providers (Microsoft Teams, Google Meet) also have some (supposed) advantages, but data protection cannot be guaranteed here. Although the data is encrypted in transit (via the internet), it is decrypted on the server of the respective provider. The service provider therefore has complete control over this personal data - trust is an absolute prerequisite here.

The big difference to the b.r.m. conference solution is the data storage. With us, the data is not decrypted on the server of the respective (American) provider, but is sent from the Internet with 265-bit AES encryption to the b.r.m. data center and are only decrypted there. This corresponds to "real" data protection without any problems of mistrust. In addition, Zoom is the first provider to work on "extended" end-2-end encryption so that data is not passed on to Facebook, for example.

In summary, the b.r.m. Zoom video conferencing solution offers the ideal basic requirements for your company. The best user interface on the market is paired with the highest data protection promises (hosting on our own server in Bremen). An extensive range of functions, e.g. the option to exchange documents, makes day-to-day work easier. A manageable set-up and support effort as well as fair prices round off the offer.

Please contact us for further information.

Learn more

IT review 2021: Log4j/Log4Shell

As part of our review, we would like to look back at various major developments in IT in 2021. This blog post is about the Log4j/Log4Shell security vulnerability.

Log4j/Log4Shell stands for a security vulnerability in the Java library that was discovered at the end of 2021. This vulnerability has received particular attention due to various warnings from public authorities. For example, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) classified Log4j as an "extremely critical threat situation". This classification corresponds to the highest of the four possible levels for cyber security warnings. In addition, this Java library is used in a particularly large number of applications and the vulnerability can be exploited relatively easily.

As with all IT vulnerabilities, fixing the problem involves quickly and thoroughly identifying the error and installing the appropriate updates (which are intended to close the gap). This process has taken a long time due to the increasing complexity of digital applications.

After a few days, the problem was solved in most cases, but the concern and risk remains that in the meantime hackers have installed another backdoor through which the system could later be attacked. In such a case, the attack could no longer be linked to the Log4j/Log4Shell issue.

Learn more

IT industry of the future / b.r.m. provides training

Today's world is digital and the future will be even more digital and technological. IT experts are therefore important and in demand. IT and digital technologies are the industry of the future. b.r.m. business resource management from Bremen offers training in IT.

When looking for a suitable apprenticeship, in addition to the question of a correspondingly high salary, there is no getting around the question of how future-proof that professional field is. For technology enthusiasts and IT, both questions can be answered very quickly and easily. Jobs in IT are more in demand than ever and are therefore extremely well paid - even before the pandemic. In the future, however, technical professions will become even more important. IT experts are the engineers and machines of the modern age - (almost) nothing works without them.

The statement that professions in IT will be in demand and needed in the long term is not just an assertion, but is repeatedly confirmed by experts and the media. Headhunters are on the lookout for good employees every day - and more and more of these are IT professions. However, these IT jobs are no less demanding - cloud applications and smart data analysis are now playing a prominent role. Cyber security is also becoming more important, as more and more digital offerings also increase the "digital risk".

Both in technical professions and in other sectors, the fact that there are fewer and fewer skilled workers makes things even more difficult. IT experts do not always need to have studied for certain jobs. This makes it all the more important to offer appropriate training positions. b.r.m. business resource management from Bremen has been an expert in IT systems for decades, from efficient data centers to GDPR-compliant digital applications. Shortly after it was founded, b.r.m. began focusing on sustainability in IT. In the field of green IT (i.e. resource-saving data centers), b.r.m. is an absolute pioneer and has already received several national awards for this.

We have summarized the four most promising IT professions below:

The IT auditor

The task of this rather unknown working title is to monitor IT systems. An IT auditor checks the relevant infrastructures and systems in order to quickly identify weaknesses or implement optimizations.

The cyber security expert

Cyber security experts are responsible for the security of the constantly growing number of digital IT systems. In an emergency, they are the person who initiates countermeasures in the event of a (digital) attack.

The software developer

Due to the ever-increasing number of possible applications for digital systems, the corresponding software must also be developed and programmed time and time again. Software developers enable us to make the benefits of digitalization tangible and usable.

The network administrator

The need for IT experts is also demonstrated by the fact that there are (and must be) several equally important positions for the management of IT systems. The network administrator is an absolute expert in the administration of the various IT systems. They are responsible for ensuring that everyone involved can use the relevant applications without any problems.

Are you interested in training in IT? Then take a look at our job vacancies and become part of the IT experts from Bremen. We look forward to receiving your application.

Learn more

Post-growth

Today's economy is characterized by the pursuit of growth. More customers, more sales, more employees - that is the goal. However, there is also another way. This path is particularly relevant in the current climate, as rapid company growth has a negative impact on the environment and sustainable action can make companies more profitable.

The basic idea behind the alternative economic model "post-growth economy" is that the economy should also function without growth. The current competition in the economy, which is all about faster, higher and further, is depleting natural resources. As early as 1972, the Club of Rome warned of the consequences of unchecked economic growth. The path to post-growth can begin with small steps. For example, reducing output can lead to an improvement in quality. Certain products and services should be offered less, but in higher quality.

The advantage is that higher prices can then be charged. In addition, fossil mobility should be limited and the radius of action restricted. Supply chains can be adapted so that as little CO2 as possible is emitted during the transportation of goods. In general, business activities should be restricted regionally. This strengthens identification with the home region and the economic power of the local area. An important point for post-growth is materials management. Above all, durable materials should be used in the company. High-quality materials do not wear out so quickly and less is thrown away. In addition, repairs should be made rather than produced. This is because enormous amounts of raw materials can be saved if goods are not only produced but also repaired.

b.r.m. also acts in the spirit of the post-growth economy. When Harald Rossol founded his IT company in Bremen in 1994, he actually had the same plans as any other entrepreneur. Winning customers, increasing turnover, hiring new employees, who in turn would win new customers - that was the goal. Harald Rossol also had to fight greed, as he could have quadrupled his company in recent years. But instead, the number of customers and the team size of five employees have remained constant for ten years. The company's growth would not only have harmed the environment, but also the employees. Harald Rossol came to this realization during the bursting of the dotcom bubble. Although b.r.m. was not affected, he realized how quickly an unbridled boom can be over. That's why he didn't want another data center, another office, only to end up laying people off again. Despite the alternative route and the many competitors, business is stable and turnover is in the low seven-figure range. Although the company is small, it is incredibly fast. No annoying forms have to be filled out until the customer gets help, at b.r.m. everything is done through direct customer contact. In addition, Harald Rossol is always planning for the long term, because quality is his growth. This would not work if Harald Rossol was not constantly looking for potential savings and optimizing processes. For example, his company was the first in the world to be awarded the "Blue Angel" seal of approval for its energy-saving servers. In addition, b.r.m. has programmed an algorithm that sounds an alarm if something threatens to break, for example if a computer runs hot, a hard disk is full or certain data no longer flows. As a rule, IT companies spend 80 to 90 percent of their time trying to find a fault, but the early warning system means that time-consuming troubleshooting is now a thing of the past. A system that enables employees to get off work on time.

Learn more

Hatten UAS & "Unmanned Systems VIII"

The Oldenburg-Hatten airfield (EDWH) in northern Germany is to be expanded into a test center called Hatten-UAS for unmanned civil aircraft systems "drones". The approved flight area extends northwards into the Jade Bay and the North Sea.

Hatten-UAS is planning a new type of system for safe drone flight operations, which is installed on wind turbines. The system receives the transponder signals of all air traffic participants and displays their position and flight direction with high precision for all (remote) pilots. This allows pilots to avoid conflicts.
Germany and Lower Saxony have the opportunity to strongly support the German aviation industry in this still niche market. Hatten-UAS provides the basis for this. The airfield infrastructure also offers space for the establishment of relevant start-ups with highly qualified jobs.

The most important facts:

UAS with up to 150 kg MTOM
maximum flight altitude of 500 ft / 150m above ground
within the pilot's extended line of sight (VLOS / eVLOS) by day and night and
outside the pilot's line of sight (BVLOS) during the day

In keeping with this, the "Unmanned Systems VIII" conference series, which has been running since 2005, will take place on October 26 and 27. The two-day conference at the Maritim Hotel Bonn will feature an exhibition on the topic of "Air, space, land, sea - teaming - future concepts - counter UxS & protection".

Unmanned and increasingly autonomous systems are an integral part of our future. Their strengths lie in autonomous operations, in human-machine teaming and as a component in a system-of-systems approach.

They open up new options for action, but also force us to confront the corresponding opposing capabilities.
This is why the VIIIth Forum will focus on technical development. Forum will therefore focus on technical development and once again address a wide range of possible applications and technologies.

Registration and further information can be found at: https://veranstaltungen.dwt-sgw.de/?v=21

Learn more

Meeting conference of Renn.Nord and ANE MV

b.r.m. business resource management will be taking part in the Begegnungskonferenz in Bollewick on September 15, 2021 in the person of owner and managing director Harald Rossol. The meeting conference is a three-day event on the topic of "Smart villages in the garden of metropolitan areas - villages suitable for grandchildren as the key to the future in urban and rural areas". This conference is being organized by Renn.Nord and Akademie Nachhaltige Entwicklung (ANE) MV. On the first day, the focus will be entirely on providing information. Three different presentations of 12 minutes each will be given on a specific topic. The topics range from "Regional perspectives" and "What can villages offer?" to "Compensation or avoidance" and, of course, many other exciting topics. The audience will also have the opportunity to talk to the speakers after the thematic blocks. There will be a "pause & recap" where guests can ask any questions or comment on the presentation. However, the Encounter Conference is not intended to be a symposium or a market presentation, but rather to encourage people to get actively and unabashedly involved.

Harald Rossol will also be contributing to this with his presentation. The topic will be "Green-IT & Blühfläche.de - a joint way to positively shape urban potential". As the title suggests, Harald Rossol will link his company b.r.m. business resource management with his project "blühfläche.de" in his presentation. b.r.m. has proven that it operates a particularly energy-conscious data center, for example, by being awarded the "Blue Angel". In general, b.r.m. stands for an environmentally conscious and sustainable IT service. However, more companies need to become active. Urban companies in particular can offset and reduce their footprint. In order to achieve this, they need rural space, but they can avoid this on their own. With his presentation and the "blühfläche.de" project, Harald Rossol offers guidance for a shared, sustainable and better future.

You can watch Harald Rossol's presentation here (from 4:11 minutes):

You are currently seeing a placeholder content of YouTube. To access the actual content, click on the button below. Please note that data will be passed on to third-party providers.

More information

Unlock content Accept required service and unblock content

You can view a review of the conference here:

You are currently seeing a placeholder content of YouTube. To access the actual content, click on the button below. Please note that data will be passed on to third-party providers.

More information

Unlock content Accept required service and unblock content

Learn more

Conference solution according to GDPR

Find out more about our conference system as a supplement to our b.r.m. services.

Learn more

Encryption: Everything should be secret

Encryption transforms 'plain text' into 'ciphertext', which the recipient can only read if they have the right 'key' to decipher it. The process is old, its use began long before the 'digitalization of the world'. Not only texts can be encrypted, but also voice recordings or (moving) images.

A particularly simple form of 'coding' is, for example, Morse code. Anyone who cannot convert the acoustic characters back into meaningful letter sequences with the help of a learned key will only hear a 'beep-beep-beep-beep'.

In the digital world, encryption is now largely automated. Anyone writing an email no longer notices that their message has been 'encrypted' before it is sent. Decryption then requires the appropriate key, which converts a ciphertext back into plain text. Most hacking attempts therefore focus on the theft of 'keys' (e.g. passwords). The carelessness of some users here is truly breathtaking. Thousands of times, sequences of digits such as '1234', 'I' or 'password' are still used.

De-ciphering' or 'deciphering' must be separated from 'key theft' or 'decryption'. This is where 'cryptanalysts' come into play, who draw conclusions about the method used from regularities in the character sequences. Historically, the 'cracking' of the German Enigma machine with the help of the Turing bomb is the most famous example.

Learn more

Malware: Trojan displaces virus

In Latin, 'malus' means bad, evil or vile. And this is also how malware programs behave. They nest in computers or servers in order to execute unwanted functions. Although we also count 'computer viruses' as malware, simply infecting or destroying a computer is on the decline. Today, malware typically appears in the form of Trojans, which secretly board the bridge, usually unnoticed by the user.

Trojans are a problem for the external IT service because the fault usually lies with the person operating the customer's mouse or keyboard. It is this person who opens the gates for the intruder. In most cases, Trojans get onto the computer through the careless downloading of email attachments or programs from obscure sources, or through under-complex passwords.

Our IT service therefore focuses primarily on user training. After all, being alert and informed is the best protection against intruders. Our service also includes analyzing obscure attachments. Our customers can forward suspicious cases to us before they carelessly press the mouse button.

Learn more