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Data centers are the backbone of the digital age; however, many are stuck in the past. Legacy facilities, which were built for a different era, are now struggling under the weight of modern computing demands. With ageing infrastructure, poor energy performance and rising operational costs, these outdated environments are quickly becoming a liability in a world that demands speed, scalability and sustainability.

In light of this, forward-thinking organizations are taking action and migrating their core applications from traditional on-premise infrastructure to the cloud. Such a move achieves modernization of a bank’s IT environment whilst also positioning it to be more agile and cost-efficient when it comes to customer-centric innovation in an ever-evolving digital economy.

Despite this, transforming legacy data centers is not the undemanding cure-all that banks and other financial organizations might be vying for, or even economically viable for that matter. For some, the path forward means shutting down outdated facilities altogether. For example, Singaporean telco Singtel announced last year the closure of five of its legacy data centers in Singapore as part of its plans to pivot towards sustainable, AI-focused facilities, reflecting a wider shift to a more measured and strategic approach to IT infrastructure investment.

The growing need for data agility and cloud-native platforms

Organizations are therefore under growing pressure to respond at speed, often forced to relocate critical data with little notice when closures or capacity shifts occur. It's a logistical challenge, but one that underscores a broader truth, which is that data agility is no longer optional. Rather, it has become a critical need for financial organizations to be able to access, process and act on data, especially in an era where the priorities for technology in an organization can shift overnight.

With ESG standards now central to the tech industry’s agenda, traditional data centers that overheat, guzzle energy and leave a heavy environmental footprint are increasingly out of step with where the sector is headed. But the challenges go far beyond sustainability. Legacy infrastructures create operational drag given the fragmented systems, inconsistent data quality and rigid architectures that hinder fast, informed decision-making.

Cloud-native models provide real-time insights and the ability to scale on demand, which in itself stands as a sharp contrast to outdated data infrastructures that require significant upfront investment based on predicted needs. This often leaves businesses stuck with inflexible systems and delays whilst waiting for hardware. Security is another growing concern.

Whilst cloud providers constantly update and strengthen their defenses, many on-premises teams struggle to keep up. Add to that the rising pressure of data sovereignty regulations and escalating energy costs, and the need to modernize becomes not just compelling, but critical.

A smart migration starts with a clear strategy

Given its elastic scalability, precise cost controls and robust, built-in security, it is certainly no surprise that many organizations are turning to the cloud. However, whilst the benefits are clear, the journey isn’t instantaneous. Successful cloud adoption requires a well-thought-out roadmap. The first step is crafting a strategy that’s tightly aligned with business objectives.

This translates to assessing workloads based on their impact, prioritizing mission-critical applications and selecting the right deployment model, whether it is public, private, or a combination of the two. Multicloud is increasingly gaining traction as it helps avoid vendor lock-in and gives businesses the freedom to leverage the unique strengths of different providers.

But moving to the cloud must be done with precision, especially in complex, legacy-heavy environments such as those that can be found in traditional banks. A rushed migration can have the opposite effect of what financial organizations may hope for when undertaking mass data migration to cloud-native platforms.

Cloud adoption affects multiple parts, if not every part of the business, be it applications and data architectures or operating models and governance frameworks. Missteps in timing or execution can lead to budgets being stretched too tight, unplanned downtimes and costly inefficiencies. Mitigating this risk requires financial organizations to approach migration as a deliberate, end-to-end transformation that reshapes how banks operate, innovate and ultimately deliver value to their customers, instead of a quick fix or a reactive measure.

At the same time, integration of robust governance at every stage of the journey is critical, with security, compliance and data protection ensured from the very outset. With cloud environments demanding continuous optimization, it is a key consideration that the work does not stop at the point of migration. Performance and cost efficiency must be reviewed regularly to ensure systems are running as expected and delivering value.

Recent advances with generative AI and AI tools can also help to accelerate the migration from on-premises legacy data centers to cloud environments by automating discovery, dependency mapping and workload classification. These tools analyze infrastructure and application behavior to identify optimal cloud targets and architectures. AI coding products also assist in refactoring legacy code, creation of testing and documentation, predicting migration risks, and simulating performance in the cloud, reducing migration time and enhancing planning accuracy.

The symptoms of ageing infrastructure in banking

This imperative for cloud migration is especially acute in the banking sector, where traditional institutions are locked in a race against digital-first challengers that can deploy new features in a matter of weeks, whilst legacy banks remain reliant on ageing mainframes. The cost of inaction is no longer hypothetical.

Earlier this year, more than 1.2 million UK customers were hit by banking disruptions on payday, marking a critical moment for individuals and businesses alike. Major high-street banks reported service failures ranging from login delays to hours-long customer service waits.

These outages weren’t isolated incidents, but symptoms of deeper systemic fragility tied to ageing IT systems. In contrast, cloud-native organizations are built for resilience, scalability and real-time responsiveness, which are qualities that legacy setups struggle to emulate.

These failures were not just unfortunate, but predictable and more importantly, preventable, further highlighting the point that embracing cloud-native infrastructure is no longer a long-term goal, rather an urgent priority for maintaining customer trust and securing future competitiveness for incumbent banks.

Data agility as a means of being future-ready

Ultimately, data agility is the engine of faster decision-making, operational flexibility and innovation, whilst cloud-native platforms make that agility possible. By using a fully cloud-native core, financial institutions can sidestep the constraints of traditional infrastructure allowing them to focus squarely on customer needs and accelerate time to market in ways that legacy banks simply would not be able to through traditional channels.

Achieving these results requires organizations to invest not just in modern cloud platforms, but in a data-driven culture that treats information as a strategic asset. Real-time data streaming paves the way to immediate insights, rather than lagging by hours or days. And as market demands continue to evolve, success depends on ongoing integration and innovation.

Cloud transformation isn’t a one-off milestone; it’s a continuous journey of aligning strategy, technology and execution to stay ahead of what’s next.

We've listed the best cloud storage.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Akaso 360 price starts at $199.99 / £199.99 / AUS329.99 – a record low for 360 cameras
• It was launched worldwide on July 7, 2025
• Prime Day deals for rival models crash the party

Insta360 may have cornered the 360 camera market in recent times, but it's under threat from a rumored DJI Osmo 360 and now a surprise entry to the market, the new Akaso 360.

Akaso is a proven alternative to leading action camera brands such as GoPro, Insta360 and DJI, with an impressive lineup of low-cost models. Now it has entered the 360 camera space with the Akaso 360, and it's super impressive for the money – check out our in-depth Akaso 360 review.

The all-new 360 camera shoots crisp 5.7K video with total 360 degree coverage through its twin lenses, complete with the software smarts we've come to expect from the best 360 cameras, such as seamless stitching and selfie stick removal.

Perhaps what's most impressive, though, is the price point at which the Akaso 360 enters the market – it's so much cheaper than any other current model.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Akaso)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Akaso)Lowering the bar for 360 camera prices, but is the Akaso 360 the best value?

The launch price for the Akaso 360 starts at just $199.99 / £199.99 / AUS329.99 for the Standard Combo, or $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$399.99 for the Creator Combo, which adds two additional batteries, a battery charging case and a 120cm selfie stick. It's available at Amazon US and Amazon UK, or directly from the Akaso store.

For price, no other 360 camera comes close – the Insta360 X5 is well over double, while the GoPro Max (2025) is around $150 / £150 / AU$200 more (and that's following a new price point from the original Max model from 2019, which was a similar price to the X5).

But just because the Akaso 360 is the cheapest model available, should you get it?

The comparison between the Akaso 360 and Insta360 X5 is hardly fair – the latter is the best 360 camera on the market, and it beats Akaso's model in almost every respect, including its 8K video and low light image quality.

The X5's twin lenses can be swapped out in case of damage too, with cheap replacement lenses available. In the long run, this feature alone could make it better value than any other 360 camera. After all, break a lens while recording with any other model, which is a likely eventuality for filming outdoor pursuits, and the whole camera needs a pricey repair or replacing. Not so with the X5.

For features and performance, however, I think the older Insta360 X3 is the closest Akaso 360 rival.

It doesn't help Akaso's cause that it unveiled its first 360 camera during Prime Day week, at a time when there are huge price cuts for the X3. You can get the Insta360 X3 for $249.99 at Amazon US (original price $449.99), or £259.99 at Amazon UK (original price £459.99) or at the Insta360 store for the same price, with other bundles available.

The X3 is still a little pricier, then, but I think it has the edge over the Akaso 360 in two ways. First, it's waterproof up to 33ft / 10m, while Akaso's model is not, and second, the X3 also shoots HDR video.

If your wallet stretches that little bit further, the X3 deal is superb value. Otherwise, the cameras are pretty similar, and if the two points above don't put you off Akaso's new model, then a full-price Akaso 360 is still excellent value. It's a super impressive 360 camera for the money.

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It's no surprise that fitness companies love the subscription model: it guarantees them income long after the initial purchase of a smartwatch or a fitness tracker.

Most of the big names in the business now give you the option of paying a monthly fee to unlock extra insights from your health data, and extra features for your apps and devices.

Comments made by Samsung's Head of Digital Health, Dr Hon Pak, have revealed that a health subscription is an idea Samsung is "exploring" as well, and it's perhaps something that will be announced alongside the Galaxy Watch 8 or the Galaxy Ring 2.

This would, of course, have knock-on effects for the best Samsung phones and all the other devices where you'll find the Samsung Health app.

While I feel like I'm right up to the limit as far as digital subscriptions go, there are a few specific ways that Samsung could tempt me to sign up for another service – but it has to make it worth my while.

1. Tools that actually improve health and fitness

The Galaxy Watch 7 is great – if you know what to do with it (Image credit: Samsung)

I'm keen to improve my health and fitness, but I don't really know where to start: from YouTube videos and how-to articles, to AI coaching and social media influencers, there's an overwhelming amount of advice out there. What I really need is a trusted source that will help me with everything from workout plans to nutrition advice.

If that's something Samsung Health can offer, I'd consider paying for it. Whether it's through the form of videos, personalized guides, or something else, I need some clarity around what I should be doing to lead a healthier life.

I'd want to see real progress as a result of my subscription though, whether it's being able to run faster for longer, or bouncing out of bed with extra energy – otherwise what am I paying for? At least if it's a month-to-month subscription, I'll have the option of cancelling it if nothing seems to be changing.

2. Features that actually save me money

Subscriptions have to be worth the cost (Image credit: Strava)

There are a handful of digital subscriptions that I happily pay money for, and what they all have in common is they help me do my job better and more efficiently. Subscriptions that save me time or mean I can work smarter are effectively paying for themselves, or even saving me money overall.

Take YouTube Premium, for example. YouTube can of course be used for free, but paying means I save a lot of time watching and clicking through ads, and means I don't have to pay for Spotify (because YouTube Music Premium is included).

So what would that look like for a health subscription? Perhaps one that has features comparable to paid-for running app, meditation app, and nutrition app subscriptions, and can consolidate them all.

To sweeten the deal even further, how about money off Samsung wearables? Surely a win-win for Samsung.

3. Data insights that are actually insightful

The Garmin Fenix 8 and Garmin Enduro 3 (Image credit: Mike Sawh)

It's become cliche for health subscriptions to offer more advanced insights into your data: often, it's a vague promise that often doesn't really amount to much. Garmin Connect+, for example, promises something called "Active Intelligence" that apparently gives users "personalized insights and suggestions" (powered with the help of AI, of course).

I'd very much welcome genuinely insightful insights, though no one seems to have quite solved this problem yet. Fitness trackers amass a wealth of data each day, much of which never gets properly looked at, like reams of photos backed up to cloud storage.

Give me tips and advice that are actually useful please, Samsung. How much is each 5-a-side game boosting my fitness? Which days of the week do I need more motivation to exercise? Do I drink more water if I get to sleep earlier? Help make sense of the stats I'm accumulating, and I may well sign up.

What Samsung has to avoid: trapping users

We're yet to see a subscription as nightmarish as the ones in Black Mirror (Image credit: Netflix)

Something that makes me wary about signing up for yet another digital subscription is the fear that I'll be locked into yet another product and another ecosystem – unable to leave unless I want to throw away years of data and features I've come to rely on.

It's something you may have seen in the most recent series of Black Mirror: a couple trapped in a subscription that gradually adds more and more advertising (is that you, Netflix?) and removes more and more features. The experience becomes truly awful – but not subscribing is even worse.

Samsung Health already supports services such as Android's Health Connect, and data from any extras that a subscription offers shouldn't be locked away – but available to export and use elsewhere, and in other formats.

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• Singapore’s skyline becomes a glowing canvas celebrating both national history and brand identity
• Three world records mark this as one of the boldest projection shows ever attempted
• UOB’s digital storytelling fuses tradition, future, and corporate legacy through a six-minute visual narrative

A skyscraper in Singapore has become the canvas for a record-breaking projection mapping display which spans an astonishing 250 million pixels.

The UOB Plaza 1 building, standing 280 meters tall, is hosting a series of intricate projections marking two major milestones: Singapore’s 60th year of independence and the 90th anniversary of UOB Bank.

The show has set three Guinness World Records: for the largest light output in a projected image, the longest temporary architectural projection, and the highest projection on a building.

More than just a technical spectacle

At 5.85 million lumens, the light output is exceptional by any standard, dwarfing even the brightest and best business projector on the market.

Although the sheer scale and brightness are attention-grabbing, the projections also aim to tell a story.

“The projection showcase is our way of giving back – offering a record-breaking visual spectacle for the community, both for those who are based here and those visiting from overseas, to enjoy and to celebrate our shared journey,” said Janet Young, UOB's head of group channels, digitalisation, strategic communications and brand.

Among the projected content is Majulah Singapura, an artwork by local artist Sam Lo, highlighting the country’s multicultural roots and collective resilience.

The SG60 logo slowly transforms into the UOB90 logo, reflecting the intersection of national progress and corporate legacy.

Adapted from winning entries of the UOB Painting of the Year competition, Singapore’s longest-running art contest, the projection includes 30 works grouped into three categories: Timeless, Contemporary 1, and Contemporary 2.

These rotate across the week, with all artworks shown together on Friday and Saturday nights.

The reinterpretation of these pieces into animated visuals on a building façade suggests a modern alternative to traditional exhibitions.

It is, without question, a technical marvel, yet also a reminder that large-scale displays remain highly site-specific.

Their impact is immense but also fleeting, tied to infrastructure, planning, and corporate objectives as much as artistic intent.

The projection runs nightly until August 9, 2025.

Via Avinteractive

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• Benchmarks show AMD’s new EPYC 4005 series outperforming older eight-channel EPYC 7601 memory systems with just two DIMMs
• Performance-per-Watt improvements put AMD’s 4005 chip in a new league of server efficiency
• Grado proves newer design beats older bulk - less memory, lower power, yet more performance

In an eight-year leap, AMD’s new EPYC 4585PX processor from the EPYC 4005 “Grado” series has shown performance improvements that nearly triple the output of AMD’s original flagship server chip, the EPYC 7601.

Interestingly, the EPYC 4585PX processor is not part of the high-end EPYC 9005 family but rather a lower-cost, power-efficient alternative.

According to Phoronix, over 200 benchmarks were run on Ubuntu 25.04 across varied workloads, server tasks, HPC, scripting, media encoding, and compilation.

Benchmarks highlight a dramatic efficiency jump

On average, the EPYC 4585PX delivered 2.69 times the performance of the original 7601, despite fewer memory channels and a more compact setup.

When adjusted for power, the improvement looks even more striking: on a performance-per-Watt basis, the newer chip is 2.85x more efficient, thanks to more refined architecture and improved design efficiency.

These results are likely to interest enthusiasts of the best server hardware, and they raise questions about how far older enterprise systems have fallen behind.

It also puts AMD’s lower-cost chips in contention with more expensive processors typically used by top-tier web hosting providers.

Not everything is a clean win, however. While the wall power usage of the full system was significantly improved - 225W for the newer platform compared to 238W for the older Naples server - the CPU-level measurements were less decisive.

Average CPU consumption was 153W for the EPYC 4585PX and 141W for the older 7601, with peak values of 204W and 195W, respectively.

These figures suggest that while the system as a whole has become more efficient, the processor alone hasn’t cut energy use as dramatically.

For those seeking green infrastructure, especially small business operators or SOHO setups, the lower idle draw may be more relevant than full-load comparisons.

Running on a modern Supermicro platform with just two DDR5 DIMMs, the EPYC 4585PX system still managed to beat the eight-channel memory performance of the EPYC 7601 in most workloads.

That suggests memory bandwidth isn’t the only performance determinant anymore.

With support for newer chipsets and more efficient memory, the “Grado” system appears to offer real headroom for entry-level infrastructure deployments, especially for NAS builds where power efficiency and thermal limits matter.

The data shows AMD’s low-cost EPYC 4005 chips may now outperform former flagships without breaking the bank or the power budget.

The upcoming comparison with EPYC 9005 chips promises even greater gains, although the takeaway for now is that you no longer need a premium part to get premium performance.

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• Samsung's rugged tablet built for frontline industries has dual batteries and 5G support
• It includes a stylus, 8 years of Android updates, and can run without a battery
• First review praises long battery life, strong durability, and enterprise-ready hardware design

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is a rugged tablet built for demanding work environments. Introduced alongside the Galaxy XCover7 Pro back in April 2025, the new device is designed to meet the demanding needs of industries like logistics, construction, and field service.

The Tab Active5 Pro comes equipped with a 5G-capable Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, improved display brightness up to 600 nits, and enhanced audio clarity with intelligent noise filtering.

It sports 16GB of RAM and expanded storage options to support heavy multitasking and fieldwork. The dual battery setup has a combined capacity of over 10,000mAh and supports hot-swapping, allowing users to replace batteries without shutting down the device.

Eight years of Android updates

The tablet also features a handy No Battery Mode for fixed setups like kiosks or in-vehicle use. With its MIL-STD-810H certification and IP68 rating, it’s built to handle drops, water, dust, and extreme conditions, just as you'd expect from a rugged device.

It also comes with eight years (8 years!) of Android updates, which is impressive, and includes a protective case with a stylus.

“The Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro combines ruggedized durability, enterprise-grade security, seamless connectivity, and intuitive AI-driven features,” said Jerry Park, EVP and Head of Samsung’s Global Mobile B2B Team at launch, adding it would “help businesses operate efficiently in harsh conditions while maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime.”

Notebookcheck went hands on with the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro and in its in-depth review, declared, “Performance is solid for everyday tasks, and the dual battery setup with a combined capacity of over 10,000mAh ensures very long battery life.”

The review added, “The inclusion of two removable batteries is a smart move. However, it is unusual that the tablet only functions when both batteries are inserted or when running entirely without batteries. On the positive side, these are the same battery models used in the standard Galaxy Tab Active5.”

It concluded, “Overall, this rugged tablet has been thoughtfully designed and could also be a strong choice for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a durable, long-lasting device.”

The Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is officially priced at $839, but as Notebookcheck points out, it’s already available for significantly less through some online retailers.

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