The BETT show, as last year, was spectacular and Education & IT Ltd were there to catch up on the low down. We spent the day catching up with old friends and making new friends.

This year the big thing is cloud computing and virtualisation. Cloud computing is the concept of having files and software all based on the internet so that these become accessible to all users at all times from anywhere in the world. Fascinating stuff and scary as it raises questions of relaibility and security. Servers will have to be powerful enough to cope, backup's have to be efficient and resilient, internet provision would have to operate at least at 99.9% otherwise there would be point in it. A lot of cloud computing can be addressed with the use of collaborations suite slowing being introduced into the work place. Such solutions as Google Apps, Zimbra from Yahoo, Microsoft Exchange combined with Sharepoint and Education & IT Ltd's own Online Office Solution. Microsft have taken it one step further with the introduction of Microsoft Azure, a powerful tool that assists technical people to create cloud applications for users. Soon the term "your head in the clouds" won't be figurative but literal.

Virtualisation is exactly that, virtualisation. Hardware, software, memory and other components of computing, can exist without being physical. Confusing I know, but just imagine that for the cost of a single server you could have three servers on the same physical machine. Each apparent server can be used for three different purposes e.g. running your network, running your website, running your emails etc. Taking virtualisation to another level you can virtualise your software, so the software is apparently there but it isnt installed on your computer. Turning that on its head you could have virtual operating systems, so Microsoft Windows is apparently running on your computer, but it isnt installed on your computer. Freaky...I think so! The biggest expense for virtualisation is the cost of a super duper thrice super server.

It was nice to bump into some familiar faces from Service Birmingham on the Equanet stand. There was a friendly debate as to who had the better network solution. Of course, Education & IT Ltd do, but Equanet don't know that yet!

We stopped at the SERCO stand to have a look at Progresso, the new management software implemented in Birmingham this year. It was surprising to learn that Progresso was still in the coding stages of development and isnt going to be ready for release until January 2012. Most definitely a "watch this space" moment.

Interesting to see some Chinese manufacturers at BETT this year. Could this be the foreword to new Chinese hardware coming into the UK for education. Time will tell. I know I will be looking into durability, reliablity and the ever important cost!

For the first time, Computers 4 Africa, an organisation that recycles computers and sends them onto the impoverished regions of Africa. This is an area that Education & IT Ltd have begun to become active. Education & IT Ltd have established connections with many other organisation around the world to provide them with working IT equipment for people who havent the opportunity to obtain and/or access modern technology. We have already furnished a primary school in Bangaldesh with laptops recovered from a recent upgrade.

Now to the real crux of why we were really there...the memory sticks. Such a disappointing turn out for memory sticks this year. So many big companies and so many manufacturers turning up with nothing but pens, for shame! Still all in all a most interesting and productive day at the Olympia Conference Centre.