Osborne Park, Australia – In a recent global IT disruption caused by a defect in CrowdStrike’s software, the resilience of Omnitronics‘ Omnicore Enterprise Dispatch system has been highlighted. Despite running on Windows Servers, which were significantly impacted by the defect, organisations using Omnitronics’ dispatch consoles were able to swiftly restore their operations once their Dispatch Console PCs were functional.

The defect in CrowdStrike’s software led to the notorious ‘blue screen of death’ for numerous organisations worldwide, resulting in total system outages. However, the majority of Omnicore Enterprise Dispatch users experienced far less disruption due to the system’s built-in redundancy features.

John Jordan, CEO of Omnitronics, emphasised the importance of their system’s resilience, stating, “Omnitronics systems are used by mission- and business-critical organisations and their solutions need 24/7/365 uptime. If there is a disruption to a client’s technology ecosystem, if a server fails or the internet drops out, Omnicore Dispatch users still need to be able to continue their work. We have hardened our technology so that our clients can continue their important work, no matter what.”

Even though the Windows servers were impacted by the defect, the omnicore dispatch consoles continued to function normally for up to 48 hours without a server connection. This redundancy ensured that during the outage, omnicore Consoles maintained essential voice communication via direct connections to radios and phone gateways, even when network issues related to CrowdStrike prevented server access.

Quick fixes were available for users who also had CrowdStrike running on their Dispatch Consoles, which played a crucial role in maintaining operational continuity. Advanced features like Satellite Location Services and Call Queues operated in a degraded mode during the outages but remained functional. This contrasts sharply with other systems that completely halt when disconnected from servers. Omnitronics’ approach of soft degradation allowed for uninterrupted operation, even in challenging circumstances.

The recent events underscore the importance of robust and reliable dispatch systems for mission-critical operations. The ability to maintain communication and operational functionality during a widespread IT disruption is vital for many organisations. Omnitronics’ omnicore Enterprise Dispatch system’s performance during the CrowdStrike incident is a testament to its design and reliability.

As organisations continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation and cybersecurity threats, the need for resilient and dependable systems has never been greater. Omnitronics’ proactive approach to ensuring operational continuity, even in the face of significant disruptions, sets a benchmark for the industry.

In conclusion, while many organisations grappled with the severe impacts of the CrowdStrike defect, Omnitronics’ omnicore Enterprise Dispatch system demonstrated exceptional resilience. The system’s built-in redundancies and quick recovery capabilities enabled users to continue their critical operations with minimal disruption. As CEO John Jordan aptly put it, the technology is hardened to ensure that clients can carry on with their important work, regardless of the challenges posed by their technological environment.

The Hallé is thrilled to announce the appointment of violinist Emily Davis as leader of the Hallé Orchestra, alongside Roberto Ruisi.

Together they will share the leader seat as the orchestra heads into its 2024/25 season with new principal conductor, Kahchun Wong.

Emily commands a strong international reputation as an orchestra leader, having been invited as a guest leader with orchestras including the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. She formerly held the position of Concertmaster with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and for two years as a student was Concertmaster of the European Union Youth Orchestra.

As a soloist, she has performed in festivals and venues across the world, with highlights including Arvo Pärt’s Fratres with Vasily Petrenko at the Pärnu Festival in Estonia, Piazzolla’s Four Seasons at the Bergen International Festival, and the Cuban premiere of Vaughan Williams’s Lark Ascending. She is also passionate about directing larger chamber ensembles and is founder of ‘Thirteen North’ – an ensemble influenced by both classical and folk music.

Emily will make her debut as leader on October 3, in a concert featuring Stravinsky’s The Firebird. Conducted by Kahchun Wong, the concert is part of the orchestra’s popular new Rush Hour series, at The Bridgewater Hall.

Emily said: “Joining the Hallé as Leader is an immensely joyful moment for me. Having attended Chetham’s School of Music as a teenager, I have a great love for both Manchester and the Hallé. I spent many formative moments watching this wonderful orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall, and am very proud to now be able to call it my new musical home.”

Image credit: Nino Felbab

Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, has today welcomed eight technology pioneers to the Made Smarter Innovation Sustainability Accelerator to improve resource and energy efficiency in UK manufacturing. Working with industry leaders BAE Systems, HS2 and Creagh Concrete, the participating companies will receive support from innovation experts at Digital Catapult to co-develop solutions that will establish a more sustainable industrial future. 

Delivered by Digital Catapult, the programme is funded by Made Smarter and Innovate UK, to build on the success of the Made Smarter Technology Accelerator, which paired UK manufacturers with technology companies to adapt and improve their approach to industrial innovation. The new programme will foster deeper strategic collaborations between tech innovators and industrial pioneers to advance sustainable manufacturing initiatives, including the application of digital twin technologies. 

BAE Systems, which provides some of the world’s most advanced defence, aerospace and security assets, will work with Digica Solutions Ltd to develop a digital twin of its Factory of the Future research centre. Digica’s solution will demonstrate how environmental factors affect manufacturing operations, while Quasir Ltd will combine physics-based models with data-driven machine learning tools to increase operational efficiency, whilst reducing energy consumption and resource waste.

HS2 is constructing Britain’s new high-speed railway, comprising 140-miles of track, four new, state-of-the art stations, two depots, 32 miles of tunnel, and 179 bridges. Construction is based at over 350 active sites between West Midlands and London, most of which will be converted to green sites in the coming years, with Infinitive Group Ltd and Material Index seeking to improve the sustainability of this work by optimising the planned deconstruction process. Both startups will develop digital software tools to integrate and analyse deconstruction-related data effectively to support informed decision making about material recapture and reuse, ensuring that when sites are no longer needed, they are sustainably deconstructed. 

One of the UK’s largest producers of concrete products, Northern Ireland-based Creagh Concrete, will collaborate with DataFlowIQ, Linearworks, Kinsetsu and Coraledge Ltd to gain accurate, comprehensive insight into its production process. Optimising and digitalising the manufacturing process, while improving energy and operational efficiency, will enable Creagh Concrete to maintain its competitive edge and achieve its sustainability goals. 

The programme will offer participants support in the form of sustainability masterclasses, technical monitoring, innovation expertise and peer-to-peer support, to grow each company’s capabilities. The programme will play a critical role in advancing industrial sustainability through the adoption of deep technology, and comes as it was announced that the country is halfway to net zero, with emissions cut by 53% between 1990 and 2023.

Participating startups and SMEs will each receive £75,000 funding to develop a proof of concept and a further £100,000 will be available for up to four companies to progress to phase two. Phase two will support the successful companies to develop pilot prototypes, culminating in a showcase in early 2025 to pitch their solutions to investors and industry leaders.

A man has been jailed after raping a woman while she slept at a London hotel.

Ian Foster (41) of no fixed address, was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment at Wood Green Crown Court yesterday. He was also given a restraining order preventing him from directly or indirectly contacting the victim.

He was unanimously found guilty of rape in April following a trial supported by extensive and damning evidence gathered by investigating officers.

The court heard that the victim, aged in her 30s was known to the suspect. They attended a hotel in Edmonton, in January 2020. A heated argument ensued in the hotel room between the two, where Foster displayed sexual jealousy.

Following the row, Foster (pictured) and the woman went to sleep and in the early hours of January 18, 2020, he raped her while she slept.

Officers attended the hotel later that day, after a concerned phone call from the victim’s mother following the argument. However, the victim did not disclose to officers that she had been raped because she was scared and just wanted to go home – her parents were en route to collect her.

In the early hours of January 19, once the victim was safely home, she reported the incident to police via her friend and detectives from the North Area’s Public Protection team launched an investigation.

The victim was supported by specially trained sexual offence officers in her own force area of Devon and Cornwall, on behalf of the Met.

Foster was circulated as wanted and was arrested in Devon on the afternoon of January 19, on suspicion of rape. He was recalled to prison in breach of his licence conditions following his conviction for two rapes in 2012 at Truro Crown Court. He had been released on licence in 2017.

He was subsequently charged on January 31, 2023 after an extensive investigation, which included taking witness accounts from hotel staff and family and friends of the victim and reviewing CCTV of the pair in the public areas of the hotel from check-in to check-out. This showed Foster following the victim around like a ‘puppy dog’ and trying to ‘reason with her’ in the foyer on January 18, following the rape.

Officers reviewed hundreds of communications on their phones, which highlighted Foster’s sexual jealously. There was also a message on January 18, with Foster saying he was unsure why he committed the act after he was challenged by the victim who said: “What go through ur head to have sex with someone when they are not even awake?”

Detective sergeant Myles Bossman, who led the investigation, said: “Foster is a highly dangerous individual, as reflected by his sentence, who has now been convicted of rape on two separate occasions. Foster appears enraged by sexual jealousy and insecurity, and chose to attack the woman when she was at her most vulnerable as she slept. Foster has showed zero remorse for his actions.

“Thanks to the years of hard work by the North Area’s Public Protection team, Foster is now back behind bars. We were committed to gathering enough evidence to ensure the victim got the justice she deserved,

“With the support of her family and friends, the victim showed immense courage and bravery in supporting a police investigation. I would like to thank the victim for her strength, and the many witnesses who provided evidence.

“This sentencing shows that such violence against women will not be tolerated and those who commit such offences will be dealt with robustly.

“I would encourage anyone who is a victim or witness to sexual assault to contact police immediately where you can access support from specially trained officers.”