SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

NETGEAR has launched Insight 10.0, a new version of its cloud network management platform. The release marks its latest push into AI-led network operations for small and medium-sized businesses and managed service providers.

The updated platform is aimed at organisations managing increasingly complex networks as they add cloud services, connected devices, AI applications and staff working across multiple locations. Insight 10.0 is designed to help smaller IT teams handle those demands through greater automation and a single management interface.

Insight 10.0 adds what NETGEAR describes as AI-powered operations, with tools intended to spot issues earlier, surface contextual information, and guide administrators through troubleshooting and routine tasks. NETGEAR is positioning the platform as a step beyond basic monitoring and control, arguing that network management systems increasingly need to identify anomalies and suggest responses rather than simply report status.

That approach reflects a broader shift in the networking market, as suppliers use AI to reduce the manual work required to run distributed infrastructure. For smaller businesses and service providers, the pitch is that this can narrow the gap with larger companies that have dedicated networking teams.

The platform also focuses on unified visibility across network performance, device health, connectivity and user experience. Administrators can manage multiple sites, devices, users and customer environments from one cloud-based system.

Another part of the update is a redesign intended to simplify administration at scale. Insight 10.0 includes revised workflows, streamlined navigation, flexible access controls and simpler subscription management, with the aim of reducing the operational burden on lean IT teams and managed service providers.

Market focus

NETGEAR has framed the launch around the needs of SMEs and MSPs, two segments that often lack the staff and resources available to larger enterprises. As more smaller organisations rely on digital tools across several locations, vendors have increasingly packaged centralised network management into cloud services that are easier to deploy and maintain.

Built on NETGEAR’s cloud architecture, Insight 10.0 is intended to provide centralised management across distributed environments. The company also described the platform as the foundation for its longer-term direction in AI operations and AI-defined networking.

Pramod Badjate, President and GM of NETGEAR Enterprise, set out the company’s view of where the market is heading.

“The future of networking is about giving organizations the intelligence to operate increasingly complex environments with confidence. As AI transforms every business, networks must become more adaptive, more automated, and easier to operate. Insight 10.0 is the foundation for our vision of AIOps and AI-defined networking for the millions of small and medium-sized organizations that have historically been underserved by enterprise networking solutions. We’re bringing enterprise-class intelligence to businesses without enterprise-sized IT teams,” said Pramod Badjate, President and GM, NETGEAR Enterprise.

User feedback

NETGEAR also pointed to input from CTI, which said it had used NETGEAR switches in its own locations and had been involved in testing the platform during its beta phase. That suggests the company sought partner feedback on practical issues such as deployment, troubleshooting and configuration before launch.

“We’ve had NETGEAR switches deployed across our own locations for years, and we’ve been part of the Insight development process since beta. So when we recommend Insight 10.0 to customers, we’re recommending something CTI actually runs on. The 10.0 release reflects the feedback we gave – the interface is sharper, onboarding is faster, and the platform handles the two things that cost integrators the most time: post-deployment troubleshooting and manual network configuration. That’s a meaningful change, and it shows up in how we deliver,” said Kenny Red, CTO at CTI.

Founded in 1996, NETGEAR sells networking products for businesses, homes and service providers. In the business market, its portfolio includes switches, routers, access points, software and AV over IP products, with Insight serving as the cloud management layer across those deployments.

The launch underlines how even suppliers focused on the SME market now treat AI-driven administration as a core part of network management rather than an added feature. NETGEAR said Insight will be the platform through which it delivers the next phase of networking, security, cloud and AI integration for smaller organisations and service providers worldwide.

Lloyds Banking Group has announced that Halifax will be phased out over time, with customers gradually transferred to Lloyds-branded accounts as part of a major overhaul of its retail banking business.

The decision marks the end of one of Britain’s best-known banking names, which has been part of the high street since 1852.

The banking giant says the transition will happen gradually and insists customers will not lose the features they currently use.

What happens to Halifax customers?

Lloyds says existing Halifax customers will eventually become Lloyds customers, but they will keep many of the things they already have during the transition.

That includes:

• The same account number and sort code
• The same banking app design
• Access to the same branch network
• The same familiar staff in branches

Jas Singh, Lloyds’ consumer relations boss, said: “As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today – the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches – even the same sort code and account number.

“But as Lloyds customers, they’ll get the best innovation and experiences we offer.

“Our Lloyds customers are already benefiting from a significant investment into propositions like Club Lloyds, Lloyds Premier, Lloyds Ultra and Lloyds Rewards – and now we’re really excited that Halifax customers can bank on Lloyds for more.”

Why is Lloyds making the change?

The banking group is simplifying its consumer banking business by bringing Halifax customers under the Lloyds brand.

Lloyds says this will allow customers to benefit from newer banking products and services already available through its flagship brand, including Club Lloyds, Lloyds Premier, Lloyds Ultra and Lloyds Rewards.

Will anything change immediately?

No.

The changes will happen over time, meaning customers do not need to do anything straight away.

There is no indication that customers will need to change their debit cards, direct debits or standing orders immediately, with Lloyds saying account details will remain the same throughout the migration.

Branches are already shared across Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, meaning customers can continue banking as they do now while the transition takes place.

Recommended reading:

Will Halifax branches close?

Lloyds has not announced any branch closures as part of the rebrand.

The group has previously invested in its Halifax headquarters and says customers will continue to have access to its branch network during the migration.

The decision represents one of the biggest changes to Britain’s banking landscape in recent years, bringing the curtain down on a brand that has served customers for more than 173 years.

What do you think of the changes? Tell us in the comments below.

Last month, the renowned French chef was at Brasserie Blanc in Walton Street, Jericho as the chain celebrated its 30th birthday.

At the end of a four-course meal he and his staff team served to invited guests, the 76-year-old was presented with a chef’s jacket signed by current and former members of staff at the restaurant.

Now Raymond Blanc has told The Times that although he still has a role at Le Manoir, and at Brasserie Blanc, he has handed over some of his work commitments so he can focus on spending more time with his family, including partner Natalia Traxel.

Raymond Blanc with partner Natalia Traxel (Image: Andy Ffrench)

He launched Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons at Great Milton in 1984, and in the four decades of its existence, the restaurant retained its two Michelin stars, including for 2025, making it 41 years in a row.

Le Manoir, now owned by Belmond, is currently closed on a temporary basis, after shutting its doors on New Year’s Day for a year and a half of refurbishments and renovations.

Some major changes have already taken place after five months of closure, with sculptures being removed from the site, including the large artichoke statue from the car park.

An aerial view of Le Manoir (Image: Ed Nix)

The celebrity chef, who will have the title of lifetime ambassador and founder” when Le Manoir reopens next year, explained how difficult it had been to make the temporary closure announcement.

He said: “You have to understand this was not a surprise decision. It was six years in the making, which included over two years applying for planning permission but that doesn’t mean there weren’t elements of sadness.”

One of the toughest parts was telling the staff – hundreds of people including some who had relocated to Oxfordshire to work at Le Manoir, whether it was in the kitchen, tending to the gardens and orchards, or cleaning the 32 rooms and suites.

“It was a very traumatic time,” said the chef.

Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir (Image: Newsquest)

“People who had houses, mortgages and kids in local schools suddenly had to reorganise their lives. Newspapers said everyone lost their jobs but that is absolutely not true. We managed to find more than 85 per cent of staff new jobs.

All through Christmas we were all on the phone – including myself – finding them for people.”

In January it was announced that one of France’s most decorated chefs, Arnaud Donckele, who has two three-star restaurants there, would be taking up the role of culinary director

A priority this summer for Raymond Blanc is to cut back on the number of days he is working in a row.

Chefs at Brasserie Blanc (Image: Andy Ffrench)

“I have not taken longer than 10 straight days off in 40 years. Usually I only take 20 a year,” he added.

From mid-July he will be taking a whole month off. 

“When I opened Le Manoir life was crazy. I was working, working, working and life at home was really suffering. So I am looking forward to spending more time with my family.”