Latest news with #middleware
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The software that could be putting your cyber-security at risk
Payara is a Business Reporter client As organisations rely more and more on IT ecosystems to support their digital transformation, middleware components have become crucial to effectively support applications, data sharing and transactions. Yet middleware security is often overlooked, leaving many digital ecosystems exposed to multiple threats that could hinder key business operations. How can chief information and technology officers (CIOs and CTOs) identify and address middleware vulnerabilities? Middleware plays a central role in connecting IT systems and applications. Considered 'software glue', it facilitates communications and data exchange between them. It is precisely these key activities performed by middleware that lead it to carry underappreciated cyber-security risks. To minimise these issues and their impact, it is essential for organisations to be aware of the most common vulnerabilities and how they can be addressed. Middleware components are often used without fully considering their lifecycle. One widespread practice is the use of unsupported and/or outdated open-source middleware to support data management and transfer across various applications, including mission-critical software. As a result, crucial applications and business operations may be relying on versions that lack updates, patches or commercial support. Over time, these neglected components accumulate exploitable vulnerabilities. Unsupported and/or legacy middleware software also undermines compliance efforts. Typically, regulatory frameworks not only mandate timely vulnerability remediation but also the use of supported, up-to-date components. This can create a paradox: organisations adopt unsupported open-source solutions to reduce costs, only to risk facing steep penalties and reputational damage when audits reveal non-compliance. Compounding these challenges is the rise of supply chain attacks, which target an organisation through vulnerabilities in its supply chain. These vulnerable areas are usually linked to vendors with poor security practices. Middleware built on unsupported or poorly vetted components can therefore become a conduit for these threats and propagate them across integrated systems within one or multiple organisations. Enterprise-grade solutions: a path forward for middleware security Addressing these risks demands a shift in mindset. CIOs and CTOs must first map their middleware landscape, identifying any outdated or unsupported components, such as application servers, to reveal hidden weak points where vulnerabilities fester. Following this, technical teams can plan suitable strategies to secure their middleware and IT ecosystems. These will typically involve migrations from unsecure unsupported or legacy application servers to a more reliable alternative. While this transition can be more challenging than a generic 'lift-and-shift', it offers long-term benefits in terms of performance, resilience, regulatory compliance and security. This is where a reliable technology partner, such as Payara Services, fills a critical gap. Payara provides a platform of open-source yet stable, supported, up-to-date and production-ready middleware solutions that are built with security and stability in mind. Payara Platform Enterprise combines the flexibility of open-source with advanced security features, such as centralised management and fault tolerance, that mitigate risks inherent in fragmented middleware environments. Crucially, it aligns with regulatory standards, reducing the compliance burden and shielding organisations from the financial and legal fallout of breaches. In addition, unlike unsupported open-source alternatives, Payara Platform Enterprise provides extensive technical assistance as well as long-term software support. These result in the timely, regular delivery of security patches and performance updates as well as round-the-clock expertise if any issue arises. Even more, the middleware technology comes with enhanced monitoring, logging and access control features that help detect anomalies and proactively enforce security policies. Beyond providing secure alternatives, a technology partner such as Payara Services can play a key role in streamlining migration efforts through consulting, tooling, documentation and best practices. This helps make the transition from legacy systems or community solutions smooth while optimising the setup for long-term scalability, compliance and modernisation efforts. Driving robust middleware security strategies Middleware may often operate behind the scenes, but its security implications are front and centre in ensuring enterprise resilience. Unsupported or community-driven open-source middleware, while financially appealing, introduces risks and operational burdens that escalate over time, transforming short-term savings into long-term liabilities. By replacing these software components with an up-to-date alternative such as Payara Platform Enterprise that enforces governance while offering enterprise-grade support, organisations can reduce their exposure and better defend against the evolving threat landscape. Ultimately, it is possible to move beyond reactive firefighting and embrace a proactive security posture that protects data and systems, as well as the trust of customers and partners, while optimising costs.
Hospitality Net
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
EHL Innovation Rewind: Michael Levie on Middleware, Microdata and the Jam Session Spirit of CitizenM
At the Open Innovation Summit hosted by EHL Innovation Hub, we sat down with Michael Levie, Founding Partner at CitizenM. We asked him a few questions about where he sees the biggest tech shifts coming in hospitality and what makes CitizenM stand out in the way they work. Michael talked about middleware, microdata and why moving to the cloud is not enough. He also explained how the culture at CitizenM is like a jam session and how that energy still lives on today. Which technology or innovation do you think will have the most impact in our industry over the next 5 to 10 years? In the digital age, everyone is trying to get their digital connect with their customer and focus on AI. But what I have found is that our legacy systems are not capable of dealing with the golden profile of guests appropriately. Digital and AI applications will be transformative, but we can only get there if we clean up our tech architecture. Middleware will play a major role. Moving systems to the cloud is not enough. Our industry has insufficient data in general and lousy data on our guests. We are not unlocking the power of micro data and general data, and until we do that, we cannot properly support our digital, commercial, and revenue strategies. Is there anything CitizenM did or does that should become an industry standard, and is there something that should remain unique to your DNA? CitizenM is about inclusion. All our constituencies are part of it and excited about our brand. The key component is human interest and human connection. That is the essence of hospitality. Our product is extremely consistent and recognizable, but the service is what brings comfort and kindness. People feel at home. That is not proprietary to us. Many companies express it in their own way. I do not think anything should become an industry standard. I do not believe in that. Let everyone have their own DNA. I am just proud of what we have accomplished. How would you describe the unique rhythm or flow of CitizenM, and how does that contribute to the guest and team experience? It is like a jam session. A jam session still involves instruments that need to be played well. You need to be trained and experienced. But there is freedom for everyone to contribute. We all want to belong to something, to contribute, and to be recognized for our contribution. That is true for guests, employees, suppliers, partners. Everyone finds their own piece of the music. If you do not play an instrument, sing or tap or whatever. It is very inclusive. Yet there are strict rails. That combination is what makes it work and what makes it beautiful. Now that CitizenM is under the Marriott umbrella, how do you keep the rebel DNA intact? Marriott is a big company with a strong culture and values. When I say Marriott family, I do not just mean those with the Marriott last name. Their teams believe in the values. Each child in the family is different. Maybe we are a different child. But they respect that. Kids grow up. We took CitizenM as far as we could as owner-operators. Now the brand is in safe hands and will take on new dimensions. They respect what we have built. Being a rebel is not about being rebellious. It is about being curious. Be humble. Be agile. Be collaborative. We are very excited for this next stage, and yes, we will stay ourselves. About the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025 This interview was recorded during the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, where Hospitality Net joined as official media partner. The event brought together a global mix of thinkers and doers to explore the future of hospitality, food, and travel through open innovation. What made it special was the mix of ideas, formats, and people. It was not only about tech or talks. It was also about people showing up, working together, and sharing energy in real time. Key Figures 385 participants 48 speakers and contributors from more than 20 countries 7 innovation challenges collectively addressed 45 sessions 25 student volunteers 15 F&B startups letting us taste the future 1.5 days of connection, learning, and co-creation Key Insights from the Summit
Globe and Mail
02-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
LEAD Consult Unveils Universal Loader: Transforming Energy Trading Integration with Real-Time Middleware and Event-Driven Automation
As the energy sector accelerates toward digital transformation, LEAD Consult introduces a breakthrough in enterprise integration with the release of its Universal Loader (UL): a scalable, event-driven middleware solution purpose-built for energy trading and operational systems. Amid rising complexity in Energy Trading and Risk Management (ETRM), grid balancing, IoT integration, and real-time market interactions, Universal Loader offers energy companies a powerful new way to automate, transform, and scale their IT Landscape. Leveraging modern technologies such as streaming data pipelines, hybrid cloud solutions, and event-driven architecture, UL enables seamless connectivity across diverse systems, eliminating the friction of legacy point-to-point integrations. Solving Integration Challenges in Energy In today's volatile energy markets, enterprise architects face mounting pressure to unify trading systems, scheduling platforms, telemetry feeds, and analytics services into a cohesive digital backbone. Traditional integration models, often reliant on fragile batch jobs or manual workflows, can't keep up with the pace and volume of data flowing through modern energy ecosystems. LEAD Consult's Universal Loader addresses this challenge head-on. Acting as a platform-agnostic enterprise service bus (ESB), UL decouples source and target systems via a powerful configuration layer. It supports real-time event ingestion, transformation, and delivery with minimal latency, making it ideal for high-frequency trading, smart grid automation, and cross-platform data synchronization. Performance-Driven by Design At its core, Universal Loader is engineered for performance and reliability. It supports high-volume data transformation and transfer, leveraging cloud-native ASB queues, as well as streaming data via Apache Kafka, and manages thousands of events per second across multiple protocols and formats. Key technical capabilities include: UL's no-code mapping engine allows architects to translate any data input to any required output without custom development. This enables rapid onboarding and integration of new exchanges, TSOs, OTC platforms, market data providers, or internal applications, while maintaining compliance with unique data standards across global energy markets. Event-Driven Architecture in Action Universal Loader aligns with the modern trend of event-driven integration, where every market trade, grid fluctuation, or sensor reading is treated as an event. These events are captured and processed by the UL, which then transforms and routes the data in real-time to downstream systems. Energy leaders like Nexus Energia, Gelsenwasser, Syneco Trading, and many more, have adopted similar architectures to streamline their digital operations. Universal Loader modernizes their ecosystems by offering configuration-based integration without tight coupling. Whether systems are hosted on-premises, in private clouds, or public cloud providers, UL serves as the glue connecting them, ensuring business continuity and agility in dynamic trading environments. Built for Energy Sector Complexity Unlike generic middleware, UL is designed to meet the domain-specific needs of energy firms: Supports ETRM/CTRM platforms, grid scheduling systems, market exchanges, and any data or trade provider. Interfaces with any downstream or upstream systems such as Aglotrading, SCADA systems, IoT sensors, and real-time analytics engines Adapts to regulatory formats and regional data protocols Enables resilience, buffering, and replay for business-critical workflows With its visual configuration tools, audit-ready event logs, and cloud/on-premise compatibility, Universal Loader simplifies system upgrades, new asset onboarding, and global expansion without requiring rearchitecture. To read the full post, visit: Media Contact Company Name: LEAD Consult Contact Person: Dragomir Stanchev Email: Send Email Country: Germany Website:
