NZCS Canterbury Events

Fibre to the Door - Now what? (Christchurch, 23/9/2010)

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:04:52 +1200

Fibre to the Door - Now what?

23 September 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

Join us in getting back to business-as-usual after the earthquake! Hotel SO is open and our Presenter is the CEO of a national-award-winning ISP.

Jamie Cairns offers us an insight into the changing face of broadband to the premises and the shift in the bottleneck of Internet performance for Kiwis. Jamie will also discuss the ever-increasing divide between expectation and actuality in high-speed broadband, the localisation of content and how Internet Service Providers are gearing up.

In particular, Jamie will highlight the position of ISPs in the broadband market.

About The Speaker

Jamie Cairns is CEO of Snap Internet Limited, “New Zealand’s Best ISP” for a second, consecutive year - as awarded this month by the Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ).

With 17 years’ experience in the ICT arena, Jamie has worked within educational, enterprise, government, integrator and service provider organisations, specialising in network and communications solutions and bridging the gap between technical and management teams. Jamie graduated from Massey University with a BSc (Computer Science) and is also a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert.

In addition, Jamie is a Director of The Colocation Company, which opened its new colocation facility in Christchurch this year, and he is the current President of the Internet Service Providers Association of New Zealand (ISPANZ).

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

NZCS Corporate Partners and approved organisations can opt to pay by invoice by calling 0800 252 255 or emailing attendee and business details through to registrations@nzcs.org.nz. Credit criteria and other conditions apply.

(More Info)

SaaS Tools for 21st Century Service Providers: A Case Study (Christchurch, 26/8/2010)

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:05:04 +1200

SaaS Tools for 21st Century Service Providers: A Case Study

26 August 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

The NZCS Canterbury Branch invites you to join us for this special case study presentation by Ben Reid of Memia Cloud Consulting, an authorised Google Apps reseller.

Free for NZCS members, inexpensive for others.

Today's service providers have never been better served by the wide variety and deep functionality of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications that are available now on the Internet.

Ben Reid will take us on a tour of the tools used at Memia Cloud Consulting for email, diary management, collaboration, office productivity, communications, accounting, time tracking and billing, customer contact management, sales process automation and customer support.

In short, a comprehensive suite of applications needed to operate a successful services business, available out of the cloud for just dollars per month with no complex IT or servers to manage.

About The Speaker

Ben Reid, founder of Memia Cloud Consulting, is a software and enterprise architect with 15 years of professional software and IT architecture experience.

Originally from the UK, Ben moved to NZ in 2004 and worked for four years as a software architect at HP Consulting until leaving to start Memia in 2008. Ben has worked in a wide range of vertical industries and technologies, and is driven by applying technology innovation to build business value.

Ben is a qualified TOGAF Enterprise Architecture practitioner and has worked as part of the IT architecture teams for some of NZ’s largest enterprises.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Hacked: Teaching the Good Guys Bad Tricks (Christchurch, 12/8/2010)

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:51:05 +1200

Hacked: Teaching the Good Guys Bad Tricks

12 August 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

Continuing a security theme, in the latest National Series event NZCS is proud to bring one of the country's experts in application and web security to Christchurch.

NOTE: Due to the NZCS 50th Anniversary Conference there will be no National Series event next month.

Hacked: Teaching the Good Guys Bad Tricks

NZCS National ICT Event Series

You can't fight a war that you don't know you're waging. You can't defend your website against attack unless you know the tricks that the bad guys will use.

Join Andy Prow, Managing Director of Aura Software Security, as he demonstrates and discusses attacks and defences in action. By the end of this session you'll have an understanding of some of the common attacks such as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Cross-Domain Request Forgery (CDRF), and will have an appreciation of how layering your defenses (defense-in-depth) can help protect you from exploit chaining.

The session will also give you some practical tips that you can apply straight away to help you design, build and manage more secure websites.

This event is NEXT WEEK. Apologies for the short notice.

About The Speaker

Andy Prow is Managing Director of security specialists Aura Software Security, is an ITCP Certified Professional and holds a BSc(Hons) in Computer Science and Software Engineering.

With over 16 years of IT experience Andy has designed and written software for companies including IBM, Telecom, Vodafone and Ericssons.

Andy launched the Aura group of companies in 2001, and Aura Software Security is now one of NZ’s leading IT Security Consulting practises with clients including the NZ Government, Xero, plus other Banking and Corporate companies here in New Zealand and overseas.

About the National ICT Series

The NZCS National ICT Series is a series of monthly presentations held in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin, and bringing some of the country's top ICT-related thought leaders and speakers on a national circuit to present their view on interesting and informative subjects.

These events are designed to be informal and interesting, and are ideally suited for open-minded individuals interested in expanding their understanding of a range of different IT topics.

Registration Details

Places are limited and these events may well sell out, hence Registration is essential.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

NZCS Corporate Partners and approved organisations can opt to pay by invoice by calling 0800 252 255 or emailing attendee and business details through to registrations@nzcs.org.nz. Credit criteria and other conditions apply.

(More Info)

Seminar: Introduction to Project Management (Christchurch, 29/7/2010)

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:16:22 +1200

Seminar: Introduction to Project Management

29 July 2010: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Seminar Room Hotel So 165 Cashel St Christchurch

NZCS are proud to announce the first of a new half-day Seminar Series in Christchurch. These will cover a broad range of IT-related areas.

Introduction to Project Management

Duration: 1/2 Day

This half-day course is an introduction to project management which addresses the basics of project management and its terminology and methods - perfect for anyone managing small projects already or looking to move into project management.

Book Early - numbers are very limited

Objectives

At the end of the course delegates will be able to:

Understand the basics of project management
Understand project management terminology
Be able to apply a framework for effective management of small projects, without the overhead of a formal project management method

Target Audience

Managers and IT Professionals who have been asked to manage a small project for the first time
Clients and other stakeholders who have a role in ensuring small projects proceed smoothly to a successful completion
Senior Managers who will be governing small projects

Approach

You'll be led, not lectured, through real world examples from the real-world experience your trainer brings. You'll learn concepts and techniques applicable to any type of small project. We will provide you with simple tools and techniques to get you off to a flying start.

Course Content

The course covers the following:

The nature of project management
The role of the project sponsor
Risk and Issue management
Quality management
Stakeholders
Benefits
Procurement
Project planning
Project justification
The Planning Phase
The Delivery Phase
The Harvest Phase

Your Trainer

Wellington-based Paul Sutton operates Project Results bringing hands on experience as a Technology Professional, Project Management Trainer, Coach and Practitioner. Paul has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Canterbury in Computer Science and Operations Research.

Along with being a Full Member of the New Zealand Computer Society he currently holds PMP^® and MSP^TM Practitioner certifications. He is also a Gateway Reviewer and an Accredited PRINCE2^TM Trainer.

The Course

Goal Professional Services provides expert project management consultancy and courseware across Australasia. Goal offers a wider range of course options and with a huge range of experience you can be sure you will be given best practice knowledge.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Mid-Winter Dinner - With our CEO (Christchurch, 23/7/2010)

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:28:03 +1200

Mid-Winter Dinner - With our CEO

23 July 2010: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Hotel SO 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch 6.30 for a 7pm start

Warm-up your winter and learn more about what the NZCS is doing for you by joining us for a delicious dinner with festive company and the opportunity to chat with the Society’s CEO, Paul Matthews, who will have the latest news on current NZCS initiatives and our upcoming conference celebrating 50 years of ICT Innovation.

As well as the opportunity for informal discussion, Paul will give a short "State of the Nation" presentation discussing the IT industry and profession in New Zealand, opportunities, and the big picture of where we're heading and why.

Menu for Mid-Winter Buffet Dinner

Salads - Choice of 2 from

Roast Pumpkin, Baby Rocket, Red Pepper, toasted Seeds & Feta
Rosemary Roasted Potato, Wholegrain Mustard, Spring Onion & Crisp Streaky Bacon
Pesto Pasta, grilled Zucchini, Baby Spinach, Blue Cheese & Smoked Tomato
Mixed Greens w` Sweet Sherry Vinaigrette

Mains - Choice of 2 from

Cranberry Stuffed Turkey & Cranberry Relish
Honey & Mustard Glazed Ham
Roast stuffed Lamb Leg, Mint Jelly & Gravy

For the table -

Roast Potatoes
Seasonal Vegetables w` Rosemary Hollandaise

Dessert -

Pavlova, Sticky Kiwifruit & lots of Cream
Christmas Pudding w` Blackberry Compote & Brandy Custard

Registration Details:

It is essential to book for this event – no door registrations can be accepted and the maximum number that can be catered for is 40.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via credit card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your credit card details.

NZCS Corporate Partners and approved organisations can opt to pay by invoice by calling 0800 252 255 or emailing attendee and business details through to registrations@nzcs.org.nz. Credit criteria and other conditions apply.

Cash Bar Operating

NB All drinks are additional and are at bar costs, payable to the wait staff.

Overnight package offered by Hotel SO:

Hotel SO has kindly put together an accommodation package that is available to anyone attending our Mid-Winter Dinner.

Accommodation for Friday night is $79.00 or $109.00. Car parking is available at $16.00 for 24 hours.

To take advantage of this package you need to contact Hotel SO directly – Chanelle Sefont at chanelle.sefont@hotelso.co.nz or direct dial 03 968 5009.

(More Info)

The Latest in Digital Forensics and e-Crime (Christchurch, 13/7/2010)

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:03:22 +1200

The Latest in Digital Forensics and e-Crime

13 July 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

In the latest National Series event, NZCS is proud to bring the head of the NZ Police's National eCrime Group to Christchurch to present the latest in digital forensics and eCrime. This is not one to be missed!

National Series: The Latest in Digital Forensics and e-Crime

Digital Forensics and e-Crime is a rapidly developing and cutting edge discipline of ICT, contributing more and more significantly to crime investigations in New Zealand and globally every year.

The NZ Police e-Crime Group is responsible for managing the digital forensics for the NZ Police via three e-Crime Labs throughout the country.

In this presentation Maarten Kleintjes, head of the NZ Police National Electronic Crime Group, will give an update on the latest local and international work in digital forensics and e-Crime including recent examples of high profile cases where digital forensics played a key part in cracking the case.

As the devices on which people process and store information have become more sophisticated, more widespread and more interconnected, the role of the E-Crime Lab has grown considerably. These days there are very few crimes committed that don’t have an electronic component to evidence and the number of exhibits have increased from around 40 a year in 1985 to over 16,000 in recent years. This ranges from people using their computer to research how to commit a crime (or ironically how to get away with it!), or emails or text messages which often unknowingly give the game away, through to more complicated analysis.

Maarten will also outline EVE, the Environment for Virtualised Evidence, the world-leading system created by the NZ e-Crime Group and launched last year to revolutionalise the efficient and timely collection, indexing and analysis of electronic evidence. This system dramatically changed the turnaround of a Detective submitting a computer for analysis and access to files and information from many months or years to several days.

The NZ Police e-Crime Group is leading the world in the area of digital forensics, and this presentation will provide significant insight into this fascinating area.

About The Speaker

Maarten Kleintjes is the Manager of the National Electronic Crime Group for the New Zealand Police.

Maarten has a long, varied and distinguished background in the computer industry as an electronic engineer, technical investigator, consultant, software developer, educator and international seminar presenter.

Maarten commenced his career in the New Zealand Police in 1984 as Officer in Charge of the National Tape Laboratory specialising in covert evidence gathering and recovery through advanced signal processing. In 1993 he advanced into the position of Chief Technical Investigator and pioneered Computer Forensics in New Zealand. In 1999 he was appointed National Manager after successfully establishing the Electronic Crime Laboratory.

In 2009 Maarten was appointed Manager e-Crime Group and is responsible for the e-Crime Laboratory, the NC3 (National Cyber Crime Centre) and the e-Crime Research and Development group.

His interests have covered a wide range of topics including audio, video, operating systems, programming languages, cryptography and the Internet.

Maarten trained in New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands in the area Electronic Engineering, Signal Processing and Computer Forensics. In his career with the New Zealand Police he has been involved in a large number of high profile investigations and he gives evidence in District and High Court on a regular basis as an expert witness.

In addition to his investigative work Maarten is much involved as an educator, lecturing at the Royal NZ Police College and other National and International Seminars.

About the National ICT Series

These events are designed to be informal and interesting, and are ideally suited for open-minded individuals interested in expanding their understanding of a range of different IT topics.

Registration Details

Places are limited and these events may well sell out, hence Registration is essential.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

How Weather Forecasting Works (Christchurch, 22/6/2010)

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:15:20 +1200

How Weather Forecasting Works

22 June 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Seminar room L233 Level 2, Main Building, Above the City Campus Library CPIT, City Campus, Madras Street Christchurch

Ever wondered how weather forecasting works?

Twice a day, the UC Centre for Atmospheric Research publishes weather forecasts (at www.ucar.canterbury.ac.nz/weather). Most of us take these and other weather forecasts for granted, however there's a heap of work behind the scenes involved in getting these as accurate as possible.

What you may not know is that, in this case, data is analysed and the forecast calculated by the BlueFern BlueGene/L supercomputer (albeit using of a small fraction of its capacity).

In this presentation Tony Dale of BlueFern will run through the process of these twice daily forecasts from start to finish, including gathering the data and the complexities of the software used to analyse it, through to the final output you see on the site above.

Refreshments kindly sponsored by CPIT.

About The Speaker

Tony Dale Bsc(Hons), MSc, MNZCS ITCP, has over 20 years of experience in academic computing at the University of Canterbury. Tony has been a member of the BlueFern high performance computing unit since 2006, and is involved in all aspects of its supercomputing activities.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

National Series: ICT in a Disaster Zone [Christchurch] (Christchurch, 08/6/2010)

Sun, 23 May 2010 22:07:35 +1200

National Series: ICT in a Disaster Zone [Christchurch]

8 June 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

NZCS is proud to bring you the next of the National ICT Series, this month focusing on ICT in a disaster zone and the role technology plays in saving lives.

Free for NZCS members, inexpensive for others.

National Series: ICT in a Disaster Zone

As we know, ICT has transformed everyday life and changed the way we do things. As well as this, technology now plays a pivotal role in the global humanitarian and rescue response when disaster strikes around the world.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have established a number of IT & Telecommunications Emergency Response Units (ERUs) to help in the response to disasters and emergencies around the world. New Zealand's ERU was the 5th such unit and consists of a team of 20 with diverse backgrounds in telecommunications and ICT.

The Emergency Response Units are charged with putting in place emergency telecommunications infrastructure to support the rescue effort. Ongoing power and internet outages as well as IT system software and hardware failures within the country create significant difficulties for Red Cross to maintain ongoing contact with key partners, field staff and external contacts, making this role essential.

As an active member of the NZ Red Cross IT&T ERU, Steve Davis will outline the impact greater use of telecommunications and IT infrastructure has had on the rescue efforts in disaster-hit areas such as Haiti, Tonga and the Solomon Islands, the challenges faced, as well as some of the backgound to the Red Cross IT&T team.

About The Speaker

Steve Davis has a background in Radio Communications and IT spanning more than 25 years and has been putting this to use in the fields of Emergency Management and Disaster Response through a number of agencies over the past 18 years.

Through an early interest in electronics and radio Steve obtained his amateur radio license in 1980, soon after becoming a member of the New Zealand Association of Amateur Radio Transmitters (NZART) and later joining the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications group (AREC). Steve has served as a member of the National Council for NZART, various offices for the local NZART branch and as Section Leader for the local AREC Section.

Through AREC Steve became involved in Land Search and Rescue in New Zealand and has responded to many searches to provide communications and IT support at the Incident Control Point. Steve has also participated in local, regional and national roles of the Land SAR organisation over many years.

In more recent times Steve has become a member of NZ Red Cross’s first International Emergency Response Unit, providing IT & Telecommunications support to International and Local Red Cross in times of a major disaster.

Steve is currently self employed providing training, consulting and contracting services in a range of fields in the ICT and Emergency Management sectors, and is active in NZCS, Scouts NZ, and the Mountain Safety Council.

About the National ICT Series

The NZCS National ICT Series is a series of monthly presentations bringing some of the country's top ICT-related thought leaders and speakers on a national circuit to present their view on interesting and informative subjects.

These events are designed to be informal and interesting, and are ideally suited for open-minded individuals interested in expanding their understanding of a range of different IT topics. From service management to open data access, from technical presentations to ICT in disaster zones, there'll be something there for everyone.

Launched in March 2010 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin, these events promise to be informative and educational, often challenging the traditional view of ICT and its role in the organisation and wider environment.

Registration Details

Places are limited and these events may well sell out, hence Registration is essential.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Using Open Source Software for Developing Web Sites - What's your flavour? (Christchurch, 27/5/2010)

Fri, 07 May 2010 02:18:44 +1200

Using Open Source Software for Developing Web Sites - What's your flavour?

27 May 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

The NZCS Canterbury Branch invites you to this special panel event - to hear from and share your views with three of Christchurch's most experienced developers using Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) for their Web development work.

Using Open Source Software for Developing Web Sites - What's your flavour?

Our panel members are all passionate about FOSS and the particular software they have chosen to specialise in - Drupal for Dave Lane, Plone for Paul Roe and Joomla for David Noah.

Dave, Paul and David will share their insights on using this software. In particular, they will discuss Drupal, Plone and Joomla relative to the following aspects:

Selection process: date when they selected that software; the criteria used for its selection; functionability; standards and the client base it's aimed at.
Background: communities, resources, developer forums, conferences.
Architecture: design for maintainability and extensibility.
Security and performance of the software.

About Dave Lane

Dave is a Director of Egressive, which is dedicated to providing kiwi businesses with technically superior FOSS solutions and support. He holds an MSc (Mech Eng) and BSc (Physics).

In 1998, Dave left his job as a research scientist at a Crown Research Institute to found Egressive. When not acting as an advocate for FOSS and making submissions to select committees related to the evils of software patents and ACTA, Dave specialises in web development on the Drupal CMS platform, and system administration with Ubuntu Linux.

In addition to his technical activities, Dave tweets and blogs actively, is a keen cyclist and cycle advocate, an enthusiastic cook and baker, is in a rock band, enjoys dancing swing and loves being a dad. Dave also does a weekly, tech-related radio segment on PlainsFM 96.9.

About Paul Roe

Paul is a Director of TheVirtual and has been using FOSS to do all in-house development since the late 90's. He holds a BSc (Physics).

Having worked in IT since the mid 80's, Paul has developed software in a variety of languages on a diverse range of systems, from micro-controllers to mainframes. He founded his development company in 1990 and it was rebranded as TheVirtual in late 2002. Paul's frustration with orphaned and closed tools and platforms is what led him to FOSS. After experimenting with a few different languages and frameworks, Paul settled on Python and then Zope. Once Plone stabilised in 2002, most of his company's work was moved across to Plone, which has been a good fit for their web business.

Outside of work, Paul enjoys sailing hydrofoil skiffs (rclass.org), cycling and chasing around after his two boys.

About David Noah

David is Solutions Architect and Development Team Lead with hairyLemon Media Solutions, a Christchurch-based digital media agency. He holds a NZIM Dip Management and NZ Cert Data Processing (Computer Programming).

Since cutting his first website in 1995, David has enjoyed fooling around with content management, portal and intranet solutions. He has particular interests in usability, web standards and information architecture.

hairyLemon have been using the Joomla! Content Management System for approximately 18 months. They use it for traditional client site builds and also as a web application development platform, to deliver custom web functionality for clients with specialised needs.

Refreshments kindly sponsored by Novell.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

National Series: Transformational ICT through Open Data (Christchurch, 11/5/2010)

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:34:09 +1200

National Series: Transformational ICT through Open Data

11 May 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch (5:30pm for a 6pm start)

NZCS is proud to bring you the next of the National ICT Series, this month focusing on the concept of open data, and how it is transforming the ICT sector.

Free for NZCS members, inexpensive for others.

National Series: Transformational ICT through Open Data

(Previously called "A Brave New World: Rebuilding Civil Society Online")

Throughout Europe in the 18^th Century the great Age of Enlightenment was born, a movement promoting the black arts of education, reason and logic in decision-making.

In this entertaining and informative presentation popular ICT commentator and online strategist Paul Reynolds will shine light on the new Internet-driven "Age of Enlightenment" happening right now, and how individuals and organisations can cash in on the phenomena by building upon the growing wealth of publicly-available open data covering everything from map and geospatial information, through to the human genome itself.

Exploring what is available and where is fascinating, and as Reynolds takes us through some of the more obscure and interesting datasets freely available, what we can do with it will surprise even the most data-aware information scientists amongst us.

Reynolds will argue that with the age of the Internet and the new age of Cloud Computing now upon us, the revolution is already here, with levels of information and data never seen before at our fingertips and the type, nature and volume of open data expanding rapidly.

Similarly, the scope and range of the tools being applied to open government and e-democracy are transforming the landscape we, as ICT professionals, operate in, also impacting on politicians, bureaucrats, citizens and business.

But where does the ICT profession sit in relation to these double revolutions? Managing information and data has responsibilities attached, and is the profession really ready and open to always-on ubiquitous networks, or will risk aversion, and a craving for the old certainties of centralisation send the baby with the bathwater?

In a truly inspired presentation designed to provoke discussion and debate Paul Reynolds's asks: Is the ICT profession ready for the 18th century?

About The Speaker

Paul Reynolds is an entertaining and colourful ICT commentator and consultant based in Auckland, with an avid interest in information access and cultural/techno change.

Paul presents a very entertaining regular insight into the Virtual World on Radio NZ, and is often at the forefront of discussion and debate around ICT issues, especially in relation to data and digital literacy.

Paul co-founded McGovern Online, an online media company with clients throughout New Zealand and in Australia, Fiji and the UK.

Until recently Paul was the Adjunct Director to the Digital Library at the National Library of New Zealand, has served on the Library and Information Advisory Commission and Government Digital Strategy Advisory Group and is on the board of the NZ National Digital Forum.

About the National ICT Series

Registration Details:

Places are limited and these events may well sell out, hence Registration is essential.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

The Cloud in 2010: After the hype! (Christchurch, 22/4/2010)

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:02:53 +1300

The Cloud in 2010: After the hype!

22 April 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

The NZCS Canterbury Branch invites you to join in the stimulating discussion that Cloud-watchers Ben Kepes of Diversity and Ben Reid of Memia will be generating when they present on the state of "the Cloud" in 2010.

Free for NZCS members, inexpensive for others.

The Cloud in 2010: After the hype!

First, The Cloud - A Post-hype Reflection. Cloud Computing analyst and commentator Ben Kepes tiptoes through the tulips of what is happening "in the Cloud" in 2010.

Late 2009 saw almost every vendor producing "cloud-specific" marketing material and tailored cloud offerings. In an IT world where almost everything is offered "as a Service", where the Cloud is seemingly the panacea for hunger, disease and early balding and where traditional business models are falling by the wayside - profit? Who needs profit?

Then, a big question from Ben Reid - 21st Century CIO: All your IT is in the Cloud - now what?

The founder of New Zealand-based Memia Cloud Consulting will present on the immediate future of IT management for businesses of all sizes, given the current momentum towards placing IT solutions in the Cloud. What if all your systems were cloud based? First, is it possible? What will be the differences for IT managers when there are no servers or software left to manage? What will be the practical impact on running your organisation's IT and what new techniques will the CIOs of the future need?

About Ben Kepes

Ben Kepes is an analyst, an entrepreneur, a commentator and a board member.

His business interests encompass a diverse range of industries from manufacturing to property to technology. As a commentator, he has a broad presence both in the traditional media and as an extensive blogger.

He sits on the boards of a number of organisations, both commercial and not-for-profit. Ben is well connected having spoken at length with the vast majority of SaaS players in existence. He is editor of CloudAve.com, a specialist Cloud Computing blog and principal of Diversity Analysis a broad spectrum consultancy specialising in SaaS, Cloud Computing and business strategy.

About Ben Reid

Ben Reid, founder of Memia Cloud Consulting is a software and enterprise architect with 15 years of professional software and IT architecture experience.

Originally from the UK, Ben moved to NZ in 2004 and worked for four years as a software architect at HP Consulting until leaving to start Memia in 2008.

Ben has worked in a wide range of vertical industries and technologies, and is driven by applying technology innovation to build business value. Ben is a qualified TOGAF Enterprise Architecture practitioner and has worked as part of the IT architecture teams for some of NZ's largest enterprises.

Refreshments kindly sponsored by Novell.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

National Series: Developing for the iPhone: Innovation and Usability (Christchurch, 12/4/2010)

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:31:19 +1300

National Series: Developing for the iPhone: Innovation and Usability

12 April 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

NZCS are proud to bring you the second of the National ICT Series, this month focusing on the paradigm shift required to develop for a mobile platform such as the iPhone.

Free for NZCS members, inexpensive for others.

Developing for the iPhone: Innovation and Usability

Many believe that the introduction of the iPhone brought about a fundamental shift in the usability, functional abilities, and expectations of phone and PDA users.

However along with this shift came a new challenge: how to develop for this revolutionary platform?

Join John Ascroft, Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of Jade Software Corporation, and Hadley Trounson, a member of Jade's development team as they take you through the iPhone environment and its focus on user-centric design and market driven innovation.

The Jade team will also outline the total shift in developmental paradigm encountered, plus their experiences in introducing the new platform and the technical development challenges encountered along the way.

This will be a thoroughly enthralling presentation and not one to be missed.

About John Ascroft

John Ascroft is Jade's Chief Innovation Officer, based in Christchurch and a member of the Jade senior management team.

His current responsibilities include the Jade High Performance Technology division and the corporate Innovation program.

John joined the company in 1983 and has held a variety of technical and management roles in the research, development and marketing areas, including a one year assignment as VP North America based in Atlanta, Georgia.

John has a BComm in Accounting, is a Member of the New Zealand Computer Society, and his outside interests include flying, motorcycles and history, but not usually at the same time.

Special thanks to Jade for part-sponsoring this presentation

A special thanks to Jade Software for making it possible for us to bring you this event.

Canterbury based Jade Software Corporation Limited (Jade) is an information technology research and development organisation with over 25-years experience in supplying innovative software solutions and services.

They specialise in providing high-performance, smart technology solutions to complex business problems.

About the National ICT Series

Registration Details:

Places are limited and these events may well sell out, hence Registration is essential.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

National Series: A Harmonious IT Environment through Realitsm (Christchurch, 25/3/2010)

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:34:23 +1300

National Series: A Harmonious IT Environment through Realitsm

25 March 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

NZCS are proud to kick off the new National ICT Series, beginning with well-known IT Skeptic Rob England presenting on what would appear to be regarded as the utopia of service management, RealITSM...

Free for NZCS members, inexpensive for others.

A Harmonious IT Environment through Realitsm

Idealised models such as ITIL®, COBIT and ISO20000 are all very well for theoretical discussions, but more and more people are discovering these models just don't fit the way we do things in the real world.

Join the movement that is sweeping the ITSM community. Find out about Real ITSM, as it is done in the real world.

Making IT Real. Get Real. RealITSM, that is...

In this light-hearted and humorous presentation Rob England, the wellknown "IT Skeptic", introduces Real ITSM, as documented in the book "Introduction to Real ITSM" (see www.realitsm.com).

RealITSM is the methodology of implementing IT service management as it is done now in the real world, thereby saving costs, minimising impact and ensuring acceptance.

Realitsm (pronounced "realism" with a slight lisp) is the underlying philosophy of primarily ensuring a tranquil life for IT staff. After all, life is hard for us IT types!

The main threats to IT stability, or at least the stability of the IT team, are change, accountability and reduced spending. Realitsm is about eliminating these threats from the IT environment, in the best interests of all in IT. A harmonious IT environment requires adherence to the following Realitsm principles:

Ensure a stable operating environment
Maximise adaptability to change
Promote involvement through collectivist decision-making
Maintain morale through reduced group accountability
Maximise revenue and funding for the IT department
Maximise benefit and value for the IT staff

Realitsm may be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, however by reflecting on the motivations of teams and managers that unknowingly subscribe to some of its principles, a level of clarity on the importance of service management becomes apparent.

This is a not-to-be-missed presentation for anyone in the Service Management space or those interested in a humorous presentation from one of the more colorful figures in New Zealand's IT scene.

About The Speaker

Rob England, an IT Certified Professional (ITCP), is a "portfolio entrepreneur" working on multiple activities via his company, Two Hills. These include IT commentator, speaker and consultant (ITSM, culture change...), blogger, speaking coach, sales coach, trainer, published author, small business researcher, and nascent internet businessman.

Rob does remote consulting, writing and editing for a variety of clients internationally. He provides local consulting and training to a number of business and government clients on Service Management (ITSM) topics, especially ITIL. He also specialises in helping change IT culture, through a CC plan, workshops and structured courses such as The Seven Tasks of EnGrok.

Rob is also well known for his controversial website, The IT Skeptic (Google page-rank 4, tens of thousands of readers worldwide).

He runs a stable of other diverse sites including Real ITSM (a funny one), Ops4Less (cut the cost of IT operations), He Tangata (IT is the people), Chocolate in the Morning, and others, all built in his own Drupal-based technology stack.

Rob's goal is to maintain his relaxed lifestyle while becoming a millionaire by the end of 2010. Details of the plan are somewhat sketchy.

He lives in idyllic but breezy Pukerua Bay, Wellington, New Zealand with his wife and son. Pukerua Bay is most famous as the home town of Peter Jackson, but Rob hopes to change that.

Rob's profile (including links) is at http://www.twohills.co.nz/profile

About the National ICT Series

Launching in March 2010 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin, these events promise to be informative and educational, often challenging the traditional view of ICT and its role in the organisation and wider environment.

Registration Details:

Places are limited and these events may well sell out, hence Registration is essential.

NZCS members may register below.

Non-members and staff of Corporate Partners may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Students meet Industry BBQ (Christchurch, 16/3/2010)

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:29:46 +1300

Students meet Industry BBQ

16 March 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

University of Canterbury Staff Club Ilam Rd, Christchurch (entrance opposite University of Canterbury Students' Assn building)

Come and meet tertiary ICT students from the Canterbury region.

The ICT industry is vitally dependent on a good flow of graduates, so join us and:

let students meet real people from the Canterbury ICT industry that they hear and read so much about,
tell students about your organisation and what it does,
meet students that you might like to employ (even if you're not hiring at the moment),
talk to and encourage students in their studies to help ensure that when you do need new people, there are good students available,
enjoy a relaxing time with some drinks and barbecue food.

This event is organised by the NZ Computer Society and sponsored by the CPIT, University of Canterbury and Lincoln University computing departments.

Thanks to:

(More Info)

Transpower's Market Systems Project (plus Branch AGM) (Christchurch, 25/2/2010)

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:23:15 +1300

Transpower's Market Systems Project (plus Branch AGM)

25 February 2010: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Hotel So 1st Floor Conference Room 165 Cashel St Christchurch

Transpower is investing significantly in the next generation of information technology and telecommunications hardware and software. In July 2009 Transpower's System Operator successfully completed and launched the $70 million Market Systems Project (MSP), replacing a 13 year old system.

MSP involved a major upgrade to the software and hardware supporting theelectricity market and system operation functions, positioning the SystemOperator as a world leader in this area.

MSP is critical to the electricity industry as a whole, as it looks to continue to improve the ability to deal with the increased complexity of load growth and increasing amounts of renewable generation. Now fully operational, MSP will deliver wide-ranging benefits to the industry(and hence ultimately to consumers). Its introduction has already led to a number of enquiries from interested grid operators internationally.

About The Speaker

Kieran Devine is an electrical engineer with more than 30 years experience within the electricity industry both in New Zealand and abroad. He is currently General Manager of System Operations forTranspower New Zealand Ltd, the owner/operator of New Zealand's high-voltage electricity transmission grid.

Kieran is responsible for real time Scheduling, Despatch, and Security of the New Zealand Power System, together with the management of the real time Wholesale Electricity Market, as theSystem Operator.

He completed bachelors and masters degrees in engineering at the University of Canterbury, and an MBA with Distinction from Victoria University of Wellington. Kieran is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers (NZ), and a member of UK and USA counterpart organisations - the IET and IEEE, respectively. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors of New Zealand, a former director of WEL Networks and past Chairman of the NZ Electricity Market, Rules Committee.

Notice of Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Computer Society will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday 25^th February at the Hotel So 1^st Floor Conference Room, 165 Cashel Street, Christchurch.

The Agenda, Nomination and Proxy Forms, and the minutes of last year's ADM are available here:

2010 Agenda
2009 Draft Minutes
2010 Nomination Form (for Officers)
2010 Proxy Form (if you are unable to attend in person)

We urge all members to attend the AGM.

Adrien Borrie, MNZCS ITCP
Secretary, Canterbury Branch

Registration Details:

NZCS members can register for this event below.

Non-members can register via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Canterbury Christmas Party [Members only] (Christchurch, 01/12/2009)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:23:38 +1300

Canterbury Christmas Party [Members only]

1 December 2009: 5:15 pm - 7:30 pm

Club XO 128 Oxford Terrace (The Strip) Christchurch (Above Liquidity Bar and Restaurant)

Canterbury Software Cluster

and Canterbury Branch NZCS

Christmas Party

This is an invitation to NZCS members to join the Canterbury Software Cluster at the combined NZCS/CSi Christmas Party.

This event is for NZCS and CSi members only and is free for NZCS members. To help estimate numbers we would appreciate it if you would please Register below.

(More Info)

Panel on ICT Skills Gap [NOTE: New Venue] (Christchurch, 26/11/2009)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:22:54 +1300

Panel on ICT Skills Gap [NOTE: New Venue]

26 November 2009: 5:45 pm - 7:15 pm

Imagitech Theatre - A134 Ground Floor, Main Building, Near City Campus Library CPIT, City Campus, Madras Street Christchurch [NOTE: This is a new venue]

In this day and age access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) plays an absolutely essential role in both economic and social development.

Over the last decade investment on ICTs has become the largest component of capital expenditure within most organizations. The increasing investment on ICTs and accelerated adoption of ICT solutions (to digitize businesses and modernize communities) have introduced challenges. Today, more than ever, organizations and societies depend on skilled ICT workers to keep up with the pace of adapting ICTs and benefit from their investments on ICT solutions and applications.

Concern about the shortage of ICT and eTechnology skills is world-wide. The world has become aware that growth in adoption of ICT is outstripping the supply of adequately trained and skilled ICT workforce and the situation is unlikely to improve. It is clear that, either directly or indirectly, one of the key roles of tertiary education is to develop, prepare and supply adequately skilled ICT workers to respond to the needs of Industry.

As an exciting closure to the 2009 South Island Digital Careers Expo, NZCS Canterbury Branch has organized for a panel of experts from various sectors to discuss the ICT skills gap and possible solutions that can be considered to address the increasing demand on ICT skills. The panellist will represent views from various professional bodies and organizations such as: the tertiary sector, Department of Labour, Accelerated Auckland, Canterbury Development Corporation and human resources management functions of technology companies within the Canterbury region.

This will be an exceptional opportunity to be part of an interactive discussion suitable for industry, students, academia, and anyone interested in becoming aware of ICT skills shortage issues and the concept of a greater tertiary-industry partnership.

Includes Refreshments, sponsored by CPIT.

Panellists

Anthony Thomas - Sector Manager, ICT - Canterbury Development Corporation

Anthony has both worked and studied internationally from 1992 through to 2009. He completed an MBA at the University of Bristol in 1999 following which has held roles with a focus on collaborative strategies with the Commonwealth Secretariat (London), Virgin (Sydney) and News Digital Media (Sydney). Anthony joined CDC in February 2009 as ICT Sector Manager.

Judith Speight - ITT WRKZ Ltd

Judith is a graduate of the University of Auckland; she works across the public and private sectors as a catalyst, strategist and advisor.

Judith is a current councillor for InternetNZ and NACCQ, a director of ITT WRKZ Limited and trustee for Carers New Zealand. At an operational level Judith leads Accelerating Aotearoa, a charitable organization that works with Communities, Government, Education providers and the Private Sector to build New Zealand's competitiveness by improving the digital skills and abilities of New Zealanders.

Historical roles include membership of New Zealand's APEC TEL delegation, Government's Broadband Forum, Minister for Communication's Electronic Commerce Action Team, the Prime Minister's Y2K Task Force, Chairman of the Telecommunications Users Association (TUANZ), member of Internet NZ's Executive Board & Trustee for the e-regions Trust.

In 2007 Judith was recognised internationally with a Champion of Digital Literacy award in Orlando, Florida for her work to address the Digital Divide.

Matt Hoskin, Manager, Relationship Management Team, Immigration NZ

Matt manages the Relationship Management team within Immigration New Zealand, where he has worked since 2005. A small team, the Relationship Managers assist sectors and employers to find, recruit and retain the skilled migrants that they need. Prior to that Matt worked for Venture Southland, the region's economic development agency, where he set up the regional skilled migrant recruitment and retention programme. Originally from the UK, Matt has degrees in Law and International Relations.

Panel Chair: Mehdi Asgarkhani, Faculty of Commerce, CPIT

Mehdi is currently a principal lecturer (strategic management of ICTs) and academic leader at Faculty of Commerce (CPIT). He is currently the chair of the NZCS Canterbury branch committee and has been previously involved (prior to joining CPIT) in the ICT sector in various roles including, Managing Business Support Services, Business Strategy Analyst; Project Director; and ICT Solutions Consultant.

Mehdi's industry based research includes the effectiveness and the role of ICT solutions within various sectors of the industry (with focus on the public and education sectors), strategic management of technology, ICT governance and strategies for developing closer alliance between the ICT education sector (tertiary) and the ICT industry. He has had numerous publications (both in NZ and internationally) in the strategic use of ICTs in the public sector and tertiary education.

Registration Details:

NZCS Members and Corporate Partners should register below for catering purposes.

Others can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

NZCS "Brown Bag" Lunch (Christchurch, 28/10/2009)

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:31:03 +1300

NZCS "Brown Bag" Lunch

28 October 2009: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Office of Farrow Jamieson Level 9 Forsyth Barr House (Armagh Street) Christchurch (Click Here for map)

Join us for the 1st of what may become a regular event.

NZCS Canterbury recently started the informal ‘Birds of a Feather' sessions as something a bit different and on a different night to our regular monthly presentations. So let's try something that may appeal to those in the central city that can't make it to evening events.

This is an open invitation to those in Canterbury's ICT community to meet informally at lunch time, potentially once a month, in addition to our current monthly events.

Participants bring along your own lunch, ‘brown bag style'.

Tea and coffee will be available thanks to Farrow Jamieson

Topic: Open discussion and networking

For this first session we will leave it pretty informal and open, but here are a few ideas that can be tossed around.

Do we want to do a regular lunch event, and if so an informal or formal style?
Is a central venue the best place for these, or other, NZCS events?
What topics, speakers etc would you like to hear/see at events?
Anything else?

Come along and have a chat and do some networking.

Registration Details:

Attendance is free, however we'd really appreciate you registering so we know who's coming, and for catering the tea and coffee. Thanks!

(More Info)

Social Media for Business 101 (Christchurch, 22/10/2009)

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:57:57 +1300

Social Media for Business 101

22 October 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Ground Floor Meeting Room) Click Here for map

Business is moving on from traditional one-way marketing. Organisations embracing social media marketing are reaping the rewards.

Simply put, the benefit of social media is that, by engaging your public on a personal, conversational basis, your public actually pays attention to what you have to say. Social media provides a very cost-efficient means of targeting and connecting with any given audience.

Blogs, Facebook and Twitter have radically changed the face of customer relationship management. The technology and applications can seem daunting. Learn the fundamentals of social media technology and how to get started or find out how to develop your existing skills in this area.

Refreshments kindly sponsored by Novell

About The Speaker

Kaila Colbin, PMP, is an entrepreneur and social commentator who arrived in NZ from the US four years ago. She is the founder of Missing Link Consultants Limited, a communications and marketing consultancy with a focus on social media and also a co-founder of Falcon Training Limited, a project management training company.

Recognised as an innovative voice on web trends and global online communities, Kaila is an ambassador for the Web Genome Project, a movement to map the virtual topography of the Web; the voice of the former VortexDNA blog (now the Web Genome Project blog); and a regular contributor to Search Insider and Network World.

Registration Details:

This event is free for NZCS members, however registration is essential.

Non-members may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Birds of a Feather: Open Source Software in the Real World (Christchurch, 13/10/2009)

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:23:16 +1300

Birds of a Feather: Open Source Software in the Real World

13 October 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Pegasus Arms Bar 14 Oxford Terrace Christchurch (Click here for map)

This is an open invitation to those in Canterbury's ICT community to meet informally each month over a drink and/or counter meal, in addition to our current monthly events.

These Birds of a Feather events are popular at other NZCS branches and we welcome this opportunity to discuss issues and practices of interest to our industry in Canterbury.

Come along and join in the discussion, facilitated so that everyone can have his or her say! Share your experiences, your war stories, your successes and your knowledge, or come along to learn from others.

No cover charge, cash bar, and counter meals available.

Topic: Open Source Software in the Real World

In these economic times, can you afford not to be using Open Source Software? Or is Commercial Software still the way to go?

Open Source software is increasingly being adopted by organisations to meet their needs for an enriched choice of tools and applications that on economic grounds they may not be able to justify developing themselves from the ground up. Earlier this year Don Christie spoke to the Canterbury Branch on this topic and the opportunities sounded attractive, and Gavin Treadgold presented the Sahana Project to us.

Have you had some real world experience with the adoption of, enhancement of, and/or submission of improvements back to Open Source software? How does this compare to commercial offerings, in function, support, stability, and other factors?

Whether you like the concept of Open Source software or not, come along, share your experiences, and have a chat on this theme over a drink and some networking.

Registration Details:

This event is free for members and non-members, however please register below to secure your place.

(More Info)

Aligning ICT Tertiary Education with Industry Needs (Christchurch, 24/9/2009)

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:26:38 +1200

Aligning ICT Tertiary Education with Industry Needs

24 September 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Seminar room L233 Level 2, Main Building, Above the City Campus Library CPIT, City Campus, Madras Street Christchurch

Few would argue that, whether directly or indirectly, one of the key objectives of tertiary education is to prepare students for the needs of Industry and their career.

A big part of this is solid, practical experience of what our exciting sector offers. However, how can students gain the practical experience they need while studying, and how can the industry and tertiary sector partner to make this available in a win-win-win situation?

The answer can be found in the concept of internship, or "co-opting" students.

In this thought-provoking presentation Ian Wells will outline how Trimble Navigation has found an ideal solution to their testing needs by pairing up interned undergraduate students with Master Testers, thereby providing vital industry experience as well as meeting the needs of their business.

This is a positive and creative programme providing practical experience to students (as well as helping pay their fees!) plus cost-effective and dynamic workers to meet the needs of industry. But why does Trimble have to go as far as the University of Waterloo to find a programme with the flexibility of hiring full-time students at any time of the year, and via a simple process?

While there are very good internship programmes in operation in and around New Zealand Ian will outline how the more comprehensive Waterloo programme works so well for them, the students, and the Institution, and ask whether it's time to consider moving these type of partnerships to something more similar to that programme.

Two students, Michael Trengrove from Lincoln University and Jeffrey Ho from Waterloo University will also discuss respective tertiary sector institution and business interactions from a student's perspective.

This will be an excellent interactive discussion suitable for industry, students, academia, and anyone interested in the concept of a greater tertiary-industry partnership.

This event is sponsored by CPIT, including drinks and nibbles following the presentation.

About The Speaker

Ian Wells is Technical Services Manager for the Mapping and GIS division of Trimble Navigation based here in Christchurch. He is responsible for testing all GPS hardware, software and firmware released by the division. He can be contacted at ian.wells@trimble.co.nz or through linkedin.com.

Registration Details:

This event is free for NZCS Members and Corporate Partners, however registration is essential.

Non-members can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Birds of a Feather: Virtualisation (Christchurch, 08/9/2009)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:17:07 +1200

Birds of a Feather: Virtualisation

8 September 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

The Bar @ Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Click here for map)

This is an open invitation to those in Canterbury's ICT community to meet informally each month over a drink and/or counter meal, in addition to our current monthly events.

These Birds of a Feather events are popular at other NZCS branches and we welcome this opportunity to discuss issues and practices of interest to our industry in Canterbury.

No cover charge, cash bar and counter meals ($10 ea) available.

Virtualisation

Virtualisation is the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as an operating system, a server, a storage device or network resources.

It has been happening for many many years in our industry with virtual memory and virtual machines dating back to almost the start of computing. However in the past few years there has been an explosion and now it is virtual everything.

Whether it is the desktop, the server, applications, storage or even the network, Virtualisation seems to be the buzz at the moment.

There are various offerings from the open source and commercial communities - mostly "Free" but what is the real cost, and who is using what?

Come along and have a chat on this theme over a drink and some networking.

Registration Details:

This event is free for members and non-members, however please register below to secure your place.

(More Info)

The Sahana Project - Free Open Source Software for Disaster Management (Christchurch, 27/8/2009)

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:10:20 +1200

The Sahana Project - Free Open Source Software for Disaster Management

27 August 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Ground level meeting room)

In the days following the impact of the Boxing Day Tsunami on Sri Lanka, in addition to the humanitarian crisis, it also became apparent that there was an information problem. Hundreds of programmers were assembled under the Lanka Software Foundation and over the course of a week created a web application to register missing persons, camps, and the swelling numbers of NGO's in Sri Lanka. This system was called Sahana - Sinhalese for 'relief'.

Since then, Sahana has been rewritten, and has been deployed at many of the large disasters over the past 5 years, and has won numerous open source awards and accolades.

The aspirations on the project are captured in the following goals:

Primary: Help alleviate human suffering and help save lives through the efficient use of IT during a disaster

Bring together a diverse set of actors from Government, Emergency Management, NGOs, INGOs, spontaneous volunteers and victims themselves in responding effectively to a disaster

Empower the victims and their next of kin and better enable them to help themselves

Protect victim data and reduce the opportunity for data abuse

Provide a Free and Open Source solution end-to-end available to everyone

Includes drinks and finger food sponsored by Novell (www.novell.com).

About The Speaker

Gavin Treadgold (Director - Kestrel Group Limited)

Gavin has had a lifelong interest in technology after being introduced to his first computer at the age of 10. He left university in 1996 to start a web development company and developed New Zealand's first online pharmacy.

After becoming involved in Civil Defence rescue in 1997, he became increasingly interested in how information technology could be applied to Emergency Management. Returning from an internship in Washington DC with the DC Emergency Management Agency in 2002, Gavin was founder of Kestrel Group - a risk, continuity and emergency management consultancy.

Gavin specialises in reviewing emergency management arrangements, developing plans, and co-ordinating exercises. His experience covers a range of sectors including CDEM, health, central government, lifelines and the private sector. Much of Gavin's work for Kestrel has focused on the details involved in producing operational response plans.

Gavin became involved in Sahana mid-way through 2005, and is a member of the Project Management Committee and a member of the Board.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Introduction to Videoconferencing and Site Visit (Christchurch, 13/8/2009)

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:45:59 +1200

Introduction to Videoconferencing and Site Visit

13 August 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

IP Communications Ltd Pathway House 68 Durham Street South Sydenham, Christchurch

Come and join us and gain hands on experience how videoconferencing has developed over the recent years and it is assisting businesses.

The session includes:

A non-technical explanation of videoconferencing
An overview of the latest trends
An explanation of how organisations can save time and money
A live, hands-on demonstration of high definition video and the videoconferencing bureau room

You'll also get the chance to experience the latest in high definition technology as we call live locations in New Zealand.

You should attend if...

You are keen to gain an overview of the different types of systems (Skype, desktop, room, telepresence, etc.)
You want to know what to consider when installing a video system into an organisation.
You are curious on how video communications has evolved from its standard definition beginnings to the high definition solutions available today.
You want to understand the costs and ROI of videoconferencing.
You are interested to know how a bureau service operates, the costs, how you book, etc.
You need to know the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of modern videoconferencing solutions.
You are interested to know how video is currently being used.

Space is limited to 30 places. Registrations close Friday 7th August 2009

About The Speaker

Richard Bishop, Managing Director - IP Communications Limited

Founded in 2006, IP Communications Limited is a videoconferencing company that specialises in the design, deployment and support of high-definition videoconferencing solutions. IP Communications also operates VideoLink, the first public videoconferencing bureau established in the South Island.

In a career that spans 20 years, Richard has a wealth of national and international business experience from the research, finance and technology industries. Richard has worked in senior roles within large national organisations, US multinationals, research organisations, start-ups and SMEs. During this time Richard has developed his experience and passion for technology-based communication solutions.

Registration Details:

Attendance is free for members, however please register below - numbers are strictly limited.

Non-members can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Get your head out of the clouds and into the "Cloud" (Christchurch, 23/7/2009)

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:27:59 +1200

Get your head out of the clouds and into the "Cloud"

23 July 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Ground level meeting room)

Managing your data, backing up critical data and being prepared for disasters is critical for all organisations.

Implementing the right IT infrastructure that caters for growth can save you time, money and resources, and optimise your operational efficiency.

NZCS invites you to attend a meeting that considers the challenges of performing effective backups, creating robust disaster recovery plans and managing common data growth problems.

In this context the speakers will discuss virtualisation and cloud computing, considering insights such as the issues being faced, how organisations can utilise these concepts, what the business benefits are, and whether they are right for your organisation.

You will hear case studies of how organisations have successfully virtualised their data, and developed disaster recovery and business continuity strategies.

Refreshments are kindly being sponsored by Revera and Hitachi Data Systems.

About The Speaker

Andrew Chapman from Revera and Kerry Sims from the Wellington office of Hitachi Data Systems will be the presenters.

Revera is a New Zealand-owned company that specialises in providing IT infrastructure services. It has a local 'infrastructure-as-a-service' capability called "Datacloud" based around data centres in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch.

Hitachi Data Systems Corporation provides services-oriented storage solutions that enable heterogeneous storage to be dynamically provisioned according to business needs and centrally managed through storage virtualisation software.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Annual NZCS Dinner (Christchurch, 04/7/2009)

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:32:19 +1200

Annual NZCS Dinner

4 July 2009: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Native Garden Café Untouched World 155 Roydvale Avenue Burnside

An Invitation to the Annual Dinner

Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Computer Society Inc.

The Canterbury Branch of NZCS invites you to the NZCS Annual Dinner on Saturday 4^th July 2009

Native Garden Café, Untouched World, 155 Roydvale Avenue, Burnside

Commencing at 6:30 p.m. for drinks, sitting down at 7 p.m.

This is a full three-course dinner for all those in the Canterbury region, members and non-members welcome.

Cost : $55-00 per person. A selection of quality wines will be available on a cash basis at $7-50 per glass.

NOTE: Registration and Payment required before the event

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

IntelliConnect - An innovative research platform (Christchurch, 25/6/2009)

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:33:06 +1200

IntelliConnect - An innovative research platform

25 June 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Ground level meeting room)

IntelliConnect^TM is CCH's newly launched online search platform, designed to transform the way that its customers research CCH's online information products.

Based on an intuitive, Google®-like search engine, IntelliConnect^TM was built from the ground up, based on thousands of hours of customer input. The result is a leading-edge design in search and content publishing technologies that provide intelligent information, connected to the way professionals search and use information and workflow tools.

CCH New Zealand Limited is part of the Tax, Accounting & Legal Division of Wolters Kluwer, a multinational publisher and information services company. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Amsterdam, has annual revenues (2008) of €3.374 billion, employs approximately 19,544 people worldwide and maintains operations across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region.

Includes Refreshments

About The Speaker

Matthew Leonelli is the South Island Account Manager for CCH New Zealand Limited. His background includes 10 years of sales and sales management experience in document efficiency solutions and strategic staffing for "Fortune 500" organisations.

Matthew has a B.Sc. in Human Development from the University of Utah and his interests include playing golf, tramping, skiing, fishing, running and travel. He and his family arrived in New Zealand in 2008.

NZCS wishes to thank Novell for sponsoring this event.

Registration Details:

Members may register at no charge below. Please register to secure your spot.

Non-members can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

JADE Case Management & Intelligence System (Christchurch, 28/5/2009)

Wed, 06 May 2009 08:37:19 +1200

JADE Case Management & Intelligence System

28 May 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Canterbury Innovation Incubator 200 Armagh Street Christchurch

After Jade had built a case management and intelligence system for the Australian Federal Police, it became clear that law enforcement agencies throughout the world could use this innovative new application.

This presentation will cover the early development of JADE Investigator, the features that make it unique and successful, and how and why it has already been deployed in law enforcement agencies in 18 countries.

The presenter will also discuss his experiences with law enforcement agencies in the US market, and talk about the huge differences between policing there and in New Zealand.

Includes Refreshments.

About the Speaker

Greg Thompson has more than 20 years experience in international sales and marketing, and has held senior management roles at several leading Canterbury technology exporters, including Tait Electronics, HumanWare, and Jade Software Corporation.

In these roles he has worked extensively in the United States, the UK, Europe and Asia, often developing export markets for new products and services. From 1994 he spent two years based in England establishing Cardinal Network's UK operation (now Jade's UK subsidiary), and in 2004 he was based in California on assignment as President of HumanWare's US subsidiary. He travels overseas on business extensively, and currently at Jade Software he has a focus on introducing a new investigation management and intelligence analysis product to law enforcement agencies throughout the United States.

Registration Details:

You can register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

Customer Focused Design (Christchurch, 23/4/2009)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:24:18 +1300

Customer Focused Design

23 April 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Canterbury Innovation Incubator 200 Armagh Street Christchurch

How do you develop products that your customers will love and rave about?

Designing software or web applications that really hit the mark can happen by chance but rarely does.

Customer Focused Design is both a philosophy and methodology which can systematically produce products that are more readily adopted, sell more and have lower support costs.

In this informal talk, Alan Cox, CEO of LeftClick, will outline the principles and tools of Customer Focused Design, where you can apply it, and why it makes extremely good business sense.

Refreshments included.

About The Speaker

Alan Cox is CEO of Christchurch based LeftClick, which specialises in customer focussed design for e-commerce and web based applications. Whilst often touted as a user-experience guru, Alan is far more humble in saying that he's simply a practitioner of advanced common sense and good practice.

Registration Details:

Attendance is free for members and staff of Corporate Partners, however registration is essential. Please register using the link below.

Non-members are very welcome. Please register below via Credit Card. NZCS Corporate Partners and approved organisations can opt to pay by invoice by calling 0800 252 255 or emailing attendee and business details through to registrations@nzcs.org.nz. Credit criteria and other conditions apply.

Thanks to Canterbury Innovation Incubator for providing their venue

(More Info)

NZCS Consultation Workshop on Professional Certification (Christchurch, 19/3/2009)

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:12:11 +1300

NZCS Consultation Workshop on Professional Certification

19 March 2009: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Hotel So Conference Room 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Assemble from 5pm, workshop starts 5:30pm sharp)

This is your chance to have your say about the upcoming Professional Certification Programme.

Certification Programme

NZCS is in the process of designing and implementing a Professional Certification Programme for ICT Professionals.

This internationally-aligned certification has the potential to redefine our profession, and put ICT on equal footing with other professions, such as Accountancy, Medicine and Engineering.

"Professional Certification" is the cornerstone of a profession, and helps define and recognise true professionals. This is an overarching certification and is NOT the same as technical certifications; ie it is similar to "Chartered Accountant" or "Chartered Engineer" certifications for those professions rather than technical certifications (such as Microsoft or Cisco certs), although technical certifications are aligned with it.

Certification Workshops

This facilitated interactive workshop is your chance to not just hear about the detail of how this programme will work, but to provide significant feedback into the process as well.

Senior NZCS staff will work through the details step by step then lead discussion around why particular routes have been chosen and decisions made, other options available, and what the participants believe are the best options.

Who's invited?

Everyone is welcome. Professional Certification is for the entire sector - not just existing NZCS members - and we encourage everyone to come along and get involved.

Consequently, please pass this invitation along to anyone you believe may be interested in attending.

More information

The full model will be released at the beginning of March and sent to everyone on the NZCS Mailing List.

In the meantime, please visit www.nzcs.org.nz/certification for more information, particularly the "Certification Update" document and Frequently Asked Questions.

Registration

Registration is essential. Places will be filling fast, and registration is necessary for catering and logistic purposes.

To register, simply click the Registration link below. Registration is free.

(More Info)

Students meet Industry BBQ (Christchurch, 10/3/2009)

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:09:31 +1300

Students meet Industry BBQ

10 March 2009: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

University of Canterbury Staff Club Ilam Rd, Christchurch (entrance opposite University of Canterbury Students' Assn building)

Come and meet tertiary ICT students from the Canterbury region.

The ICT industry is vitally dependent on a good flow of graduates, so join us and:

let students meet real people from the Canterbury ICT industry that they hear and read so much about,
tell students about your organisation and what it does,
meet students that you might like to employ (even if you're not hiring at the moment),
talk to and encourage students in their studies to help ensure that when you do need new people, there are good students available,
enjoy a relaxing time with some drinks and barbecue food.

This event is organised by the NZ Computer Society and sponsored by the CPIT, University of Canterbury and Lincoln University computing departments.

Thanks to:

(More Info)

Don Christie: Using Open Source to Build Innovative Solutions (plus Branch AGM) (Christchurch, 05/3/2009)

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:36:01 +1300

Don Christie: Using Open Source to Build Innovative Solutions (plus Branch AGM)

5 March 2009: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch

Don Christie: Using Open Source to Build Innovative Solutions

Don Christie has an extremely interesting story of innovative success relevant to those in both the commercial and open source software spaces.

As a founder of what is now New Zealand’s largest open source solutions provider, Don is one of the first people to build a truly viable and successful commercial model in New Zealand around open source software and has managed to build his company to almost 100 employees.

Don's company Catalyst IT, which was voted in NBR Magazine earlier this year as the most exciting company in New Zealand, provides significant solutions to companies such as Telecom, Fairfax, the TAB, plus a host of Government agencies. Catalyst also architected, designed and developed, host and maintain NZ Registry Service's core system, the Shared Registry System (SRS) which maintains the .nz domain space (ie handles all .nz internet addresses).

In this intriguing presentation, come and hear what inspired Don to take his passion for Open Source to the mainstream and the hurdles he has had to overcome along the way. Don will also discuss his keys to success in turning concepts into reality, an integral step on the path of innovation. The insight presented by Don will be of huge interest to others aspiring to be the best in their field through hard work and true innovation.

Don is also the organiser of the NZ Open Source Awards and president of the NZ Open Source Society.

Canterbury Branch AGM

The 45th Annual General Meeting of the Canterbury Branch of NZCS will be held prior to the commencement of this presentation.

The following forms are available for the AGM:

AGM Agenda
Branch Committee and Officer Nomination Form
Proxy Form (if you are unable to attend in person)
Minutes from Previous Meeting

Schedule of Events

5:00pm: Networking
5:30pm: AGM
5:40pm: Don Christie speaks

Registration Details

REGISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL.

Members can register for free below. Others may register for this event via Credit Card online now by using the link below, or alternatively call 0800 252 255 with your Credit Card details.

(More Info)

2009 NZCS National Update - General Progress and Certification (Christchurch, 12/2/2009)

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:38:42 +1300

2009 NZCS National Update - General Progress and Certification

12 February 2009: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Hotel So 165 Cashel Street Christchurch (Assemble 5pm for a 5:30pm start)

Join NZCS President Don Robertson and CEO Paul Matthews as they present an update on national activity including detailed information about the main drive for this year - the Certification initiative being implemented in 2009.

NZCS Work Programme

NZCS Chief Executive Paul Matthews will outline the achievements thus far in the context of the overall Work Programme for 2008/2009 including the issues NZCS has addressed and is addressing and why. This will include NZCS's work for the ICT profession, computing and ICT education standards and the community at large, and the plans for 2009 and beyond.

NZCS Professional Certification

Next NZCS President Don Robertson, who also chairs the Certification Working Group, will cover the background information and research that has lead to the development of the Professional Certification/Charter Programme. This programme is designed to ensure NZ ICT professionals gain the same opportunity as our counterparts in other countries by having their level of professional competency and skills accredited against an internationally-accepted standard.

The professional certification and recognition programme for ICT professionals is happening - this is your chance to find out more.

Have your say, or find out more

More importantly, however, this event will give you the opportunity to have your say about the current direction of NZCS and the profession generally. Whether you think we've got it right or wrong, we want to know about it.

This is a not-to-be-missed event for members and non-members alike. If you're not a member, this is your chance to come along and hear what NZCS stands for and what we do on a national level to further the interests for the ICT profession.

Light refreshments provided.

(More Info)