E-Business
Google Introduces Dual-regional Data Storage
Google Cloud’s storage offering has been updated to give customers more control over where their data is stored, letting them store it in a dual-location.
This was announced at the Google Cloud Next 2018 conference in London this week.
The company says Google Cloud Storage is unified object storage that powers many Google Cloud Platform (GCP) customers, letting them store and move data as needed.
“We’re pleased to announce that you can now choose to store your data in a dual-regional Cloud Storage location, which is a pair of specific GCP regions. By storing your data in a dual-regional location, you get the availability and business continuity characteristics of geo-redundant storage, with predictable, low-latency storage access for co-located compute resources,” the company said in a statement.
The new update, which is in the beta phase, lets users choose from a list of dual-regional pairs when creating a new multi-regional storage bucket. Data in that bucket will automatically be stored geo-redundantly across those specific two regions.
The company, which is trying to differentiate itself from its main cloud rivals Microsoft and Amazon, says there are many benefits to storing data in two locations.
“Dual-regional is especially beneficial for analytics or big data workloads. The closer together you can put your data and compute resources, the faster you can potentially run your analysis.
“It can also help with content serving. If you use a content delivery network (CDN) shield for delivering content, you may want to co-locate the content you’re serving geographically close to your CDN shield implementation location.”
The new update means users only have to write to a single dual-regional bucket without having to manually copy data between primary and secondary locations.
“No replication tool is needed to do this and there are no network charges associated with replicating the data, which means less overhead for storage administrators out there. In the event of a region failure, we transparently handle the failover and ensure continuity for your users and applications accessing data in Cloud Storage,” says Google.
“Data in Cloud Storage is also strongly consistent, so when you create a dual-regional bucket, then follow that up with a request to fetch a list of resources, your resource will be in that response. That is critical for data analytics workloads, where a lack of consistency could mean missing files in your request.”
Google Cloud does not currently have any data centres in South Africa, or the African region. The company would not comment on when or if this would change, but did note the region is an important market for Google.
E-Business
NITDA, NIMC Partner for Seamless Data Exchange Capabilities
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystems and secure seamless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
NITDA, which made the announcement on its X handle, said that the collaboration was to further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,
During the meeting, Kashifu Inuwa, director general of NITDA, and Bisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, with some management staff of both organisations, discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of public-key infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up.
This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives and is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks.
E-Business
Expert Urges FG to Harmonise NIN, BVN to Tackle Crimes
Noble Ajuonu, head, Sydani Technologies Ltd., has urged the Federal Government to harmonise National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) to tackle crimes and insecurity in the country.
Ajuonu made the call at a media roundtable, organised by Sydani Group in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the roundtable focuses on driving sustainability through a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s key development areas.
Ajuonu said that Nigeria could overcome its security challenges and pave the way for a safer, more secure future for all Nigerians by embracing technology and implementing practical solutions,
“We need to harmonise data, prioritise seamless integration of databases like NIN, BVN, and security agency records, establish clear protocols for data sharing and access, with robust safeguards against misuse,’’ expert said.
According to him, the unified data pool will empower intelligence gathering and targeted operations.
He also called for investments in smart surveillance, intelligent video analytics software, training of personnel in data analysis, interpretation of data in real-time to combat crimes.
“There is need to implement a legal framework for call interception in criminal investigations, with strict oversight to prevent abuse, encourage community cohesion, training of tech savvy security personnel with tech-enabled tools.’’
Ajuonu also urged the government to address infrastructure deficit in technology, saying that technology was all encompassing to address insecurity.
“According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as of December 2023, only 104.2 million Nigerians had been enrolled for the National Identity Number (NIN).’’
Ajuonu added that over 122.2 million citizens left uncaptured for NIN were people in rural areas where enrolment centres, digital services were limited.
“Most crimes are being perpetuated from rural communities and this lack of comprehensive identification creates a gap where elements not captured in the national database can constitute public nuisance, crimes.
“There is the inadequacy in the integration of NIN, BVN and Voters Identification Number (VIN).
“Advanced call interception and analysis tools, used successfully in other countries, could provide invaluable insights into criminal networks and operations but infrastructure is lacking,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Godfrey Petgrave, the Agricultural Expert, Sydani Group, called for empowerment of smallholder farmers with access to finance and training to enhance productivity.
According to Petgrave, Nigeria requires policy reform and institutional strengthening to improve agricultural practices and embrace digital agriculture solutions to address food insecurity.
Mr Akolade Jimoh, another expert of the group on health, advocated for expanded community-based health insurance programmes for rural and underserved areas.
Jimoh added that the country needed to encourage Public Private Partnership to revolutionise products design and quality improvement on health services.
E-Business
Konga launches Infinix Brand Week with Incredible Deals
Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce group, is thrilled to announce the launch of amazing deals at its Infinix Brand Week. Infinix, a leading global smartphone brand known for its innovative products and cutting-edge technology promises exclusive discounts and special offers on select smartphones, marking an exciting milestone in the realm of online shopping.
Shoppers can expect nothing short of extraordinary deals on a wide range of Infinix products, all available exclusively on the Konga online platform. With discounts of up to 30% off, this partnership between Konga and Infinix aims to redefine the shopping experience for tech enthusiasts across Nigeria.
Konga Brand Week has become synonymous with excitement and unbeatable deals, and this year’s edition is no exception. In addition to exclusive discounts on Infinix smartphones, shoppers can explore a diverse array of products across various categories, including electronics, fashion, home essentials, and more.
“At Konga, we are dedicated to providing our customers with the best shopping experience possible,” said Rita Ohaedoghasi, VP Marketing at Konga. “The Infinix Week during Konga Brand Week allows us to continue delivering on that promise by offering incredible discounts and special offers on some of the most sought-after smartphones in the market.”
To stay updated on the latest developments and exclusive deals during Konga Brand Week, shoppers are encouraged to connect with Konga across all platforms, including social media and the Konga website. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to score big savings and elevate your tech game with Infinix and Konga.
- Telecom3 days ago
Imperative of Upholding Nigeria’s Telecoms Lifeline
- News3 days ago
Kaspersky Warns of Data Stealers Hunting for User Credentials
- Telecom3 days ago
What You Need to Know About Multifactor Authentication Fatigue Attacks and How they can be Prevented
- E-Financial3 days ago
Hydrogen, CCHub Partner to Encourage Fintech Startup Success
- Telecom2 days ago
FG Plans EO to Criminalise Fiber Cable Damage Costing Telcos Billions
- Telecom3 days ago
Samsung Returns to Top of The Smartphone Market – Industry tracker
- E-Financial3 days ago
CBN Cuts Banks’ Loan-to-Deposit Ratio to 50 Percent
- E-Financial3 days ago
Access Bank Unveils DiamondXtra Season 16, Dangles N200m, 3 SUVs