It’s never dull on the IT show circuit. A few days after Micro Focus touched down from SUSECon in Amsterdam, on Wednesday it was time to revive the dinner suit in preparation for the UK Tech Awards 2015 in London.
And it’s just as well that we reclaimed the company tuxedo from the dry cleaners, as we won – and won big. Micro Focus is the 2015 ‘Tech company of the Year’.
Since 2000, the TechMark Awards – as they were formally known – has recognised the achievements of UK public and private companies in the technology sector. This year the field was as competitive as ever with the other nominees representing a strong field.
What a difference a year makes
This time last year Micro Focus and the Attachmate Group (TAG) were two separate companies and COBOL was regarded in some quarters as yesterday’s language.
Since the turn of the year, so much has changed. COBOL has moved up 11 places in the TIOBE Programming Community Index and is now up to no11, while Micro Focus has completed the merger with TAG and is now one company operating two product portfolios: Micro Focus and SUSE.
The Micro Focus portfolio includes identity access, security, COBOL development and mainframe solutions, development and IT operations management tools, host connectivity and collaboration/networking solutions.
The SUSE portfolio includes leading enterprise-grade open source solutions including Enterprise Linux, OpenStack private cloud, software-defined storage and other IT infrastructure management and optimization solutions.
But the awards are not about who has the best products and solutions. That is for the marketplace to decide. Neither is it about which companies represent the best investment opportunity – although analysts have already nominated Micro Focus as a ‘top pick’ for Q4.
Movers and shakers
Instead, the judges – who include some of the industry’s major players – have recognised Micro Focus’ bold move to create one of the industry’s biggest infrastructure software companies, and the dedication of the management team and staff that have made it happen.
This is a volatile industry and no-one can predict the future. However, it is likely that certain trends will endure – chief among them is good customer service and access to solid portfolios that enable customers to achieve the innovation needed to meet tomorrow’s challanges.
By offering the full range of services for those looking to create and maintain business-critical applications and software, from the initial build through operate to securing those business systems against disruption, Micro Focus and SUSE have the product spread and solution portfolio to help an installed base of more than two million license holders meet a broad range of challenges.
In this industry to spend too long in self-congratulation is to invite hubris. So we won’t be doing that. Once the dinner jacket has gone back in the wardrobe, the sleeves will be rolled up and we’ll be back to work. Albeit with a nice trophy for the reception area.
