Tech Takes - the infrastructure podcast for education

Available Episodes

5 of 17

Simplifying Microsoft 365 management with cloud assist
Explore how Jisc’s upcoming cloud assist service is being designed to help your organisation simplify Microsoft tenancy management. Recorded at Networkshop 2025, this episode features Nick Brown, senior cloud solutions architect - M365 and Alice Yang, cloud software developer, as they discuss the evolution of cloud assist and share our vision for its future. From automating Intune policy deployment to improving compliance and reporting, cloud assist is designed to support IT teams across the sector. Show notes Join the cloud community group to stay up to date with the latest information on cloud services Explore our cloud services Subscribe to our Headlines newsletter, which has all the latest news, guidance and events tailored to you
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11:28
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11:28
Quick Takes - exploring the growing threat of social engineering techniques
Join the Jisc cyber threat intelligence team as they unpack the rise of ClickFix and its new variant, FileFix. Quick Takes is our new short-form Tech Takes series, created to provide you with critical threat intelligence in minutes. In this first episode, we explore ClickFix, a deceptive social engineering technique that tricks users into clicking on malicious links or downloading harmful files. ClickFix has rapidly become one of the major cyber threats facing organisations worldwide and a new variant, FileFix, is gaining momentum. In this episode of Quick Takes, George Bloor from Jisc’s cyber threat intelligence team is joined by colleagues Clive Bream and James Ellor to unpack how these techniques work, why they’re effective, and what organisations can do to defend themselves. Show notes Get the latest threat intelligence and connect with peers in our cyber security community group. Explore our cyber security products and services Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you. Episode guest Clive Bream – Cyber threat intelligence analyst James Ellor – Cyber threat intelligence analyst Episode Host George Bloor – Senior cyber threat intelligence analyst
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20:50
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20:50
Polar connect: Pan-Arctic connectivity
Join Jorgen Qvist, chief operating officer at NORDUnet, to explore Polar Connect, the visionary initiative led by NORDUnet and Nordic NRENs to establish a resilient, trans-Arctic submarine cable linking Europe and Asia by 2030. In this podcast recorded live at Networkshop 2025, learn more about how this route, traversing the High Arctic, complements the Far North Fibre system and offers a sovereign, secure alternative to traditional, congested paths through the Suez Canal, Russia, or North America. In addition to digital connectivity, explore how Polar Connect integrates advanced sensing technologies (eg DAS and SMART sensors), enabling real-time data collection for Arctic climate research, marine biology, and seismology. The initiative promises substantial societal benefits - enhancing digital sovereignty, resilience, and scientific discovery - while supporting sustainable infrastructure powered by Nordic green energy. Discover how the harsh Arctic environment presents logistical and technical challenges, requiring ice-class vessels, phased implementation, and public-private investment models. Polar Connect is supported under the EU’s CEF Digital programme and aligns with broader strategies for European digital autonomy and global data infrastructure resilience. Show notes Learn more about Polar Conect Explore our connectivity products and services Join our Networkshop community group Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you.
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16:41
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16:41
The GÉANT Network: supporting international collaboration
Join Sebastiano Buscaglione, senior network architect at GÉANT, for an overview of how GÉANT, and in particular the GÉANT network infrastructure, supports collaboration within the research and education community on a global scale. In this podcast recorded live at Networkshop 2025, learn more about how the GÉANT network underwent significant changes, transitioning toward an infrastructure ownership model for its pan-European footprint. Now, building on the success of this project, GÉANT is applying the same model to its intercontinental connectivity. European NRENs (including Janet) are connected via GÉANT, a regional education and research network (RREN) which links 50 million users worldwide, creating a global network mesh that forms a collaborative information ecosystem of infrastructure and services. With an increasingly tightening global security environment, ownership and control of critical infrastructure are becoming ever more important. In this context, the model applied by GÉANT is becoming ever more relevant. This episode is targeted at network and IT professionals in the REN sector interested in gaining a deeper understanding of where the regional and global REN network is now and will be in the near future, why this is important, and how it supports the research and education sector. Show notes Learn more about GÉANT Explore our connectivity products and services Join our Networkshop community group Subscribe to Headlines - our newsletter which has all the latest edtech news, guidance and events tailored to you.
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15:46
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15:46
Cyber security threat monitoring
Join Steve Howard, head of product, and Darren Jones, cyber solutions consultant, for a deep dive into Jisc's Cyber security threat monitoring (CSTM) service. Learn how CSTM helps organisations improve visibility across their infrastructure by consolidating key security data into a single, easy-to-use dashboard, all closely monitored by Jisc’s security analysts. We also explore how CSTM integrates with existing systems, from servers and firewalls to cloud platforms and EDR tools, and discuss the benefits of its UK-hosted, cloud-native platform. We also outline how detection rules are continually updated to keep pace with evolving threats, and give a glimpse into future enhancements, including integrations with Jisc’s wider SOC and new use cases to help members get even more value from their security data. Learn more about CSTM on jisc.ac.uk Explore our new Security operations centre service (SOC) Join our cyber security community group today
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20:53
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20:53