As the year-end holiday season approaches, NETSCOUT highlights the continuous efforts of IT network experts who ensure digital systems remain secure and functional while others enjoy time off. They face surging cloud workloads, increased API calls, and additional data management from generative AI, necessitating a strategic "soundtrack" of year-end IT preparations.

• NETSCOUT has developed a "playlist" of six key strategies for IT professionals to maintain network and application performance.
• Key strategies include 'Patch Before You Dash' (reviewing updates) and 'Silent Night, Quiet Network' (maintaining incident-free operations).
• These efforts are crucial as retail traffic, streaming usage, and analytics workloads surge during the holiday period, impacting network operations (NetOps) and security operations (SecOps).

Google's 2025 Search Year in Review reveals what captured Kenyans' attention, with searches spanning politics, sports, and cultural trends. The passing of Raila Odinga, the CHAN tournament, and athletic achievements heavily influenced queries.

• The CHAN tournament was the top trending news search, reflecting Kenya's co-hosting of CHAN 2024.
• Faith Kipyegon was the most searched Kenyan personality, while the Odinga family dominated political searches.
• Manchester United's Benjamin Šeško was the most searched sports personality in Kenya, driven by transfer news.
• Searches related to loss were topped by Raila Odinga, indicating significant national grief and impact.
• Popular 'meaning' searches included "Enigma" and "Jowi," suggesting public interest in trending terms.
• "Ginger shots" topped recipe searches, reflecting a wellness trend, alongside traditional foods like "Uji power."
• Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell" was the most searched song lyrics, showcasing an eclectic music taste among Kenyans.

Genetec, a global leader in enterprise physical security software, has released its top predictions for the physical security industry in 2026. These trends highlight evolving cloud adoption, advanced AI applications, modernized access control, and enhanced system connectivity.

• Organizations will prioritize flexible cloud solutions, evaluating workloads for performance, cost, and data residency, favoring hybrid deployments and open architectures.
• The focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) will shift from hype to practical Intelligent Automation (IA) solutions, streamlining workflows and improving decision-making with demands for transparency and robust cybersecurity from vendors.
• Access control modernization will accelerate, with increasing adoption of Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) and the integration of mobile credentials and biometrics for enhanced convenience and security.
• The number of connected devices, including IoT sensors and smart systems, will surge, leading to more intelligent and efficient security operations through unified platforms.