Tech Takes - the infrastructure podcast for education Jisc

In our very first episode of this new limited podcast series, Jisc Explainers, we’re diving into Jisc's session border controller service.
Host, Michael McFarlane, deputy director, network operations, is joined by Sam Neate, voice solutions engineer, to explain what our session border controller service entails. Sam talks us through how the session border controller works, and why it’s needed; from getting you ready for the big analogue switch-off in 2025 to transforming your telephony.
What is Jisc Explainers? A new limited edition podcast series designed to explain complex Jisc products and services in a comprehensive and easy to understand way.

We’re joined by Matthew Cranfield, Head of IT at Croydon College, to discuss their journey through cyber essentials certification. 
Matthew explains Croydon College’s reasoning for acquiring cyber essentials certification and explores the challenges faced along the way. Cyber essentials are vital to ensure security precautions are in place and critical for reputation and compliance. Matthew discusses how the guidance and advice Jisc provided aided Croydon College during the process of achieving certification.
He moves on to reflect on what he and Croydon College have learnt as part of the cyber essentials process and what is next for the college. 

During this episode of the Tech takes podcast, we chat with Jason Oliver, Director of IT, and Claire Gryce, Deputy Director of IT, both of the University of Sussex.
Jason and Claire explore the relationship and challenges that exist between research communities and the provision of IT services centrally. They also delve into the importance of developing a  culture around digital transformation. We then move into discussing how digital was key for collaboration during the pandemic and how necessary digital skills are.
Together they conclude by discussing staff retention and recruitment, as well as the impact and challenges that exist around cyber security.

In this episode, host Andy Powell chats with Dimitra Simeonidou, Professor at the University of Bristol, co-director of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and director of Smart Internet Lab, about the future of 5G and 6G connectivity.
Dimitra explains how 5G has caused digital transformation and revolution, and how 6G will enable great advances such as smart cities and kick off another generation of innovation. She also considers ethics and digital accountability, and how we need to innovate responsibly for the future. We also delve into areas such as the Metaverse and immersive living, and how this could impact our future.
We conclude with a look into the near future with smart cities, smart universities, and smart campuses and how infrastructure is key to offer end users the many benefits these innovations can provide. 

In this episode, host Andy Powell chats with Simon Hewitt, Principal at Dundee & Angus College, about how they responded to a ransomware attack.
Simon talks through the devastating effects a ransomware attack had on his college, why it was able to happen, and what Dundee & Angus have put in place to deal with ransomware attacks in the future. He also discusses the impact the attack had on staff and how the experience has brought the team closer together.  
We also consider how the attack was in some ways a blessing in disguise, as through developing a whole new system, Dundee & Angus College were in a much better place to deal with the pandemic.