Monthly Archives: August 2024

MapReduce: A 20-Year Retrospective on How Jeffrey Dean and Sanjay Ghemawat Revolutionised Data Processing

This article provides a retrospective on the 20th anniversary of Jeffrey Dean and Sanjay Ghemawat’s seminal paper, “MapReduce: Simplified Data Processing on Large Clusters”. It explores the paper’s lasting impact on data processing, its influence on the development of big data technologies like Hadoop, and its broader implications for industries ranging from digital advertising to healthcare. The article also looks ahead to future trends in data processing, including stream processing and AI, emphasising how MapReduce’s principles will continue to shape the future of distributed computing.

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Celebrating a Milestone: Horkan.com Reaches 12th on Feedspot’s UK Tech Blog List

I’m pleased to share that Horkan.com has been recognised as the 12th most widely read tech blog from the UK by Feedspot, based on RSS feed aggregation in their recent article “Top 70 UK Tech RSS Feeds“. This acknowledgement is a significant moment for me, reflecting a journey that began over 17 years ago.

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Revisiting the Cloud Security Initiative: Reflections on the Journey

In 2009, I spearheaded an initiative to establish a cloud security working group aimed at addressing the sovereignty and security of UK data within the cloud. The goal was to create a cross-sector collaboration involving both public and private entities, with the aim of ensuring that the UK maintained control over its critical data as cloud computing emerged as a pivotal part of the national infrastructure.

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Revisiting the Home Office’s Big Data Initiative: A Success Story in Modernising Border Security

This article revisits the Home Office’s 2013 initiative to modernise border security using Big Data and Machine Learning. It highlights significant cost reductions, enhanced functionality through advanced data integration, and the strategic shift to open-source technologies, which improved security and flexibility. The piece also reflects on the challenges of avoiding vendor lock-in while strengthening UK border operations.

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Revisiting the Cloud Computing Panel at Julie Meyer’s Entrepreneur Country: Reflections 15 Years On

This article revisits a 2009 cloud computing panel discussion at the ‘Entrepreneur Country’ event, hosted by Julie Meyer, examining how the ideas and predictions shared during the event have influenced the evolution of cloud computing over the past 15 years. It reflects on the entrepreneurial context of the time, the adoption and maturity of cloud services, legal and regulatory challenges, and the future vision for cloud technology, offering insights into the lessons learned and their relevance today.

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Revisiting the Cloud Computing Model: A 15-Year Reflection

This new article revisits a conceptual framework of cloud computing I introduced in 2009, exploring how cloud roles, billing models, and security have evolved over the past 15 years. It discusses the maturity of cloud services, the expansion of “as-a-service” models, and the rise of country-specific cloud solutions. The piece also highlights potential disadvantages such as hidden costs, vendor lock-in, and the recent trend of companies moving away from cloud providers. The article concludes with predictions of cloud computing.

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Optimising SQL in Ruby on Rails with PostgreSQL: Best Practices and Strategies

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This article explores strategies for optimising SQL performance in Ruby on Rails applications using PostgreSQL. It covers techniques such as avoiding N+1 queries, efficient indexing, leveraging PostgreSQL-specific features, and monitoring performance to ensure applications remain efficient and scalable.

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Practical Strategies for Optimising SQL: Refactoring, Indexing, and ORM Best Practices

This article provides practical strategies for optimising SQL performance, covering query refactoring, index usage, and ORM best practices. It offers developers actionable tips to improve the efficiency and scalability of their applications.

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Leveraging Sequence Diagrams for SQL Optimisation: A Non-Functional Perspective

This article explores how extending sequence diagrams to include non-functional aspects can help developers better understand and optimise SQL performance by highlighting often-overlooked details like database hits and data transfer volumes.

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Bridging the Divide: Understanding Application Development vs. Database Optimisation

This article explores the divide between application developers and database administrators, highlighting how their differing focuses can lead to inefficiencies in SQL performance. It discusses the importance of bridging this gap by encouraging collaboration and a unified approach to optimise both application logic and database performance.

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Creating a Timeline for Microsoft 365 Tenant Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Successfully migrating multiple Microsoft 365 tenants into a single tenant requires a well-structured timeline and careful planning. This guide outlines a week-by-week approach to managing the migration process, from initial assessment to ongoing support, helping organizations navigate the complexities of tenant consolidation.

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Merging Multiple Microsoft 365 Tenants into One

Merging multiple Microsoft 365 tenants into a single, cohesive environment can be a complex and challenging task. This guide provides a structured approach to migrating users, mailboxes, and resources, ensuring a smooth transition while minimizing disruptions to your organization. From planning to post-migration support, this article covers the essential steps for a successful tenant consolidation.

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Masking and Personality Typing: An Asperger’s Perspective

This article explores how masking, often necessary for those with Asperger Syndrome, complicates the accuracy of personality typing systems. Drawing from personal experiences in a challenging post-war inner-city environment, it critiques the limitations of these systems in truly capturing one’s authentic self and offers insights into the interplay between identity, masking, and neurodiversity.

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Top ten SERP Tools to Supercharge Your SEO Strategy

Discover the top 10 SERP (Search Engine Results Page) tools that can help you analyze, track, and improve your website’s search engine performance. From SEMrush and Ahrefs to Google Search Console and SpyFu, this article outlines the best tools available to optimize your SEO strategy and enhance your site’s visibility.

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Ten Advanced SEO Strategies to Elevate Your SERP Performance

This article delves into ten advanced SEO strategies designed to boost your website’s visibility and performance on search engine results pages (SERPs). From leveraging local SEO and optimizing for featured snippets to enhancing page experience and utilizing video content, these techniques will help you stay ahead of the competition and drive more organic traffic to your site.

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Thirteen Essential Strategies to Boost Your Click-Through Rates (CTR) and Drive More Traffic

This article explores 13 actionable strategies to enhance your website’s click-through rates (CTR). From crafting compelling title tags and optimizing meta descriptions to leveraging rich snippets and mobile optimization, these techniques will help you attract more clicks, increase traffic, and improve overall SEO performance.

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Nine Proven Strategies to Boost Your SEO Rankings and Improve SERP Visibility

This article outlines nine actionable strategies to enhance your website’s SEO performance and visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). From implementing structured data to optimizing for mobile and voice search, these techniques will help you improve your rankings, increase click-through rates, and ensure your content effectively engages your target audience.

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Enhancing SERP Rankings and Click-Through Rates in Light of the 2024 Google Document Leak

Uncover powerful insights from the 2024 Google Document Leak that can transform your SEO strategy. This article reveals how to enhance SERP rankings and boost click-through rates by leveraging user engagement metrics, site authority, and content freshness. Learn actionable steps to optimize your website in line with Google’s latest algorithm updates and stay ahead in the competitive search landscape.

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Understanding SEO User Behaviour Signals: Navigating the Complexities of Navboost, Pogosticking, CTR, and Negative Signals

This article delves into the critical aspects of SEO user behavior signals, including Navboost, Pogosticking, CTR vs. Ranking, and Negative Signals. Understanding these concepts is essential for optimizing website performance and ensuring that your content ranks well in search engine results. We will explore how each of these factors influences search rankings and provide actionable insights to enhance your website’s visibility.

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The Google Documents Leak of March 2024: A Comprehensive Overview

Discover the groundbreaking revelations from the March 2024 Google Documents Leak, which unveiled over 2,500 pages of confidential information about the inner workings of Google’s technologies. This article delves into the intricate details of Google’s search engine mechanics, including newly uncovered ranking factors, user engagement metrics, and the controversial use of Chrome data for influencing search results. Learn how these insights can reshape SEO strategies and offer a competitive edge in the digital marketing landscape.

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