Latest News from Datacenter Automation

CHAD Industries Announces First WaferMate System Sold into China

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:39:22 EDT

CHAD Industries announced today that it has sold its first WaferMate automated wafer handling workcell to a customer location in China.

Report: Growth of ISH Testing Exceeds Other Novel Technologies

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:17:38 EDT

ISH tests or in situ hybridization tests, which are probes for specific DNA sequences performed on portions of tumor tissue, have become one of the fastest growing market segments in laboratory medicine, showing eight percent sales growth per year. With new enhancements the technology will continue to drive revenues for Abbott, Genzyme, Invitrogen and myriad other test makers, according to a report from healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information. Its biennial report on the cancer industry, "The Worldwide Market for Cancer Diagnostics," notes that ISH has performed better than other technologies that were predicted to dominate the industry.

China Valves Technology, Inc. Chairman Elected Executive Vice President of China Overseas Listed Corporations Association

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:00:16 EDT

China Valves Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVVT) ("China Valves" or the "Company"), a leading Chinese metal valve manufacturer, today announced that its Chairman and CEO, Mr. Siping Fang, has been elected to serve as the Executive Vice President of the China Overseas Listed Corporations Association ("COLCA") during its inaugural conference.

Esprida Partners with The Winkenwerder Company for the Healthcare Sector

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:49:26 EDT

Esprida Corporation:

China Overseas Listed Corporations Association Established in Beijing

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:37:14 EDT

SORL Auto Parts Inc. (Nasdaq: SORL) ("SORL" or "the Company"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of commercial vehicle brake systems as well as related auto parts in China, today announced that Mr. Xiaoping Zhang, the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, participated in the organizational meeting in Beijing establishing the China Overseas Listed Corporations Association (COLCA) and was appointed an executive vice president of the Association on March 7, 2010.

Axia Software to Exhibit and Speak on Asset Investment Planning (AIP) Solutions for Utility Companies at DistribuTECH

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:04:13 EDT

DistribuTECH 2010 – Axia Software, a leading provider in Asset Investment Planning (AIP) solutions announced today it will exhibit the latest enterprise version of its REVEAL™ AIP suite at DistribuTECH, the world’s largest gathering of decision-makers in utilities automation and technology, at the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida, March 23^rd– 26^th 2010.

Chairman and CEO of China Information Security Technology Elected Deputy Chairman of Newly Founded China Overseas Listed Corporations Association (COLCA)

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:30:24 EDT

China Information Security Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CPBY) ("CIST" or the "Company"), a leading total solutions provider of digital security, GIS and digital hospital information systems in China, today announced that the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jianghuai Lin, was elected as deputy chairman of the China Overseas Listed Corporations Association (COLCA).

Wonder Auto Chairman and CEO Mr. Qingjie Zhao Elected Executive Deputy Chairman of Newly-founded China Overseas Listed Corporations Association (COLCA)

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:30:17 EDT

On March 7, 2010, the founding of the China Overseas Listed Corporations Association (COLCA) was announced in a conference held at Beijing Haoyuan Jianguo Hotel, which was jointly sponsored by more than 40 Chinese corporations listed overseas (as well as some Chinese corporations interested in becoming listed overseas).

Arctic Glacier Posts Fourth Quarter and Year-End Results

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:00:22 EDT

Arctic Glacier Income Fund (TSX: AG.UN) today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009.

Now is the conference of our discontent…

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:41:39 EDT

Talking about standards apparently brings out some very strong feelings in a whole lot of people.

From “it’s too early” to “we need standards now” to “meh, standards will evolve where they are necessary”, some of the discussions at CloudConnect this week were tinged with a bit of hostility toward, well, standards in general and the folks trying to define them. In some cases the hostility was directed toward the fact that we don’t have any standards yet.

[William Vambenepe has a post on the subject, having been one of the folks hostility was directed toward during one session ]

Lee Badger, Computer Scientist at NIST, during a panel on “The Standards Real Users Need Now” offered a stark reminder that standards take time. He pointed out the 32 months it took to define and agree on consensus regarding the ASCII standard and the more than ten years it took to complete POSIX. Then Lee reminded us that “cloud” is more like POSIX than ASCII. Do we have ten years? Ten years ago we couldn’t imagine that we’d be here with Web 2.0 and Cloud Computing, so should we expect that in ten years we’ll still be worried about cloud computing?

Probably not.

The problem isn’t that people don’t agree standards are a necessary thing, the problem appears to be agreeing on what needs to be standardized and when and, in some cases, who should have input into those standards. There are at least three different constituents interested in standards, and they are all interested in standards for different reasons which of course leads to different views on what should be standardized.

WHAT are we STANDARDIZING?

And while everyone talks about these nebulous “standards”, very few explain what those standards are. Are they APIs? Are they protocols on the order of IP and TCP? Are they data exchange formats? Or are they properly the standardization of policies and information into a portable metadata that can be used to exchange information such as SLA and infrastructure service requirements that can be packaged easily with the application for portability and that can be interpreted by infrastructure to provision and execute such services?

Most folks seem interested in “cloud” standards as a means to achieve portability across and interoperability between cloud computing implementations, both on and off-premise. But once the “edge” of the cloud is penetrated, the mechanisms become, well, cloudy and obscured and are often portrayed more as a “black box” than as the integral piece of the interoperability puzzle they are.

Applications are not islands; they rely on infrastructure to provide everything from IP addresses to packet and data filtering to scalability to performance enhancements and security. These infrastructure services must necessarily be a part of the "portability plan” that allows applications to migrate from one environment to another and still behave as expected. The concern is that standardization inside the cloud environment might (a) restrict innovation and (b) expose the “secret sauce” of individual providers, rendering their investments and innovations moot.

As explained by Krishna Sankar during a subsequent panel at CloudConnect on “Where are standards going?”, it is not so much that the interfaces, the APIs, become standardized as it is that the policy and configuration metadata be based on a standardized model. Doing so allows components from multiple vendors to implement specific services and support in innovative ways without compromising the ability of providers and organizations from migrating application dependent on those components. It is the model that is important and must be standardized, not necessarily the means by which that model is exchanged and transported. Ideally this metadata would correlate closely to what consumers of cloud computing are looking to standardize – namely the means by which capabilities and prices and services can be discovered and compared. James Urquhart’s pCard proposal heavily invests itself in a common, standardized metadata model that describes both capabilities and services in a way that makes it possible for consumers and ultimately applications themselves to query, compare, and choose from across cloud computing providers in a dynamic and autonomous way.

CLOUDS cannot be BLACK BOXES

It is tempting to view cloud computing implementations as black boxes, particularly when they are of the “public” ilk. But surveys, polls, and research continues to offer strong evidence that organizations are not solely interested in “public” cloud computing, but are also interested in “private” and hybrid cloud computing models. This means that standardization inside at the infrastructure service and component layers must be considered as important as the interfaces to the cloud computing environments themselves, lest implementers suffer the same problems as providers: lock-in and inability to change “providers”.

In the case of infrastructure, specifically the focus of much of Infrastructure 2.0, is the necessity of standardization not only to address concerns regarding vendor lock-in, but to make cloud computing work the way it was intended. Without standardization the cost of managing such volatile environments will certainly become as prohibitive as IPAM (IP Address Management) today, and thus the “benefits” of cloud computing would surely be lost to organizations as they struggled to integrate, automate, and orchestrate their environment into a dynamic infrastructure capable of automatically dealing with the rapid rate of change associated with dynamic and virtualized environments.

The “secret sauce” of the provider, and ultimately any business, are the processes they employ to perform business, whether technologically or on a product level. It is the processes that ultimately define a “cloud” and thus it is those operational processes that are the source of efficiency gains and a fluid architecture. Those processes cannot be automated without a common model for policy metadata that provides the base information necessary for infrastructure to configure itself, to take action, to interpret SLAs and work toward meeting them.

We don’t need more APIs. We need a model. That’s what we should be standardizing. And not just at the cloud interface layer, but inside at the infrastructure service layer.

Related blogs & articles:

Technorati Tags: MacVittie,F5,infrastructure 2.0,integration,collaboration,standards,cloud connect,pCard,Urquhart,Sankar

Haemonetics Announces Agreement to License Alba Blood Typing Reagents

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:00:20 EDT

Neutral Tandem Deploys Cisco ASR 9000 for Ethernet eXchange Service

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:17:04 EDT

has selected the Cisco® ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers to support its new Ethernet eXchange service.

Denali's Mark Gogolewski to Address ISQED 2010 Audience

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:43:17 EDT

Industry Executive Discusses Achieving High-Quality Design and Verification at Low Expense Amidst Today's Skyrocketing Costs

DDC-I Announces HeartOS DO-178B Real-time Operating System Support for ARM Processors

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:24:32 EDT

DDC-I, a leading supplier of software and professional services for mission- and safety-critical applications, announced today that its safety-critical, DO-178B Level A certifiable, HeartOS real-time operating system and OpenArbor development tool suite is available for the ARM7™ and ARM9™ families of processors. The HeartOS running atop ARM® processors provides a scalable, low-power, high-performance computing platform for developing and hosting mission- and safety-critical applications for the avionics, transportation, industrial automation and medical markets. HeartOS is particularly well suited for applications requiring DO-178B certification from the FAA and international aviation authorities.

Mailers Show Success in Printing Intelligent Mail Barcode

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:19:18 EDT

Sysmex America Honored Second Consecutive Year as a 'Company That Cares'

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:18:18 EDT

GE Uses GPGPU Technology To Deliver Supercomputer-Like Capabilities In Small, Rugged, High Density Embedded Systems

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:00:40 EDT

GE Intelligent Platforms today extended its family of rugged GPGPU (general purpose computing on a graphics processing unit) solutions with the announcement of the 6U OpenVPX NPN240 multi-processor. The NPN240 features two NVIDIA® CUDA-capable GT240 96-core GPUs, enabling it to deliver up to 750 GFLOPS peak per card slot (depending on the application). Multiple NPN240s can be linked to single or multiple hosts to create multi-node CUDA GPU clusters capable of thousands of GFLOPS.

Gaming Standards Association Creates Game Authentication Committee to Develop an EGM Validation Protocol

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:00:10 EDT

In today's gaming industry, there are three software concerns at the gaming device level. First, there is not an accepted standard for validating machine software at the machine, second, multiple versions of the game authentication terminal are being used for verification, and third, there is not a common or recommended method for validating files on high capacity storage media. To help operators, regulators and suppliers resolve this situation, the Gaming Standards Association has created the Game Authentication Terminal (GAT) Committee.

GHX Collaboration Portal Validates Contract Pricing in Real Time; First to be Used by All Stakeholders of the Healthcare Supply Chain

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:52:55 EDT

GHX extends trusted portal to distributors, including all parties to the electronic Letter of Commitment (eLOC) process, ensuring rapid price synchronization and accuracy

Research and Markets: EDA Tools - Global Strategic Business Report

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:43:25 EDT

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8acf5f/eda_tools_global) has announced the addition of the "EDA Tools - Global Strategic Business Report" report to their offering.

Telephonetics VIP and Lagan collaborate to provide excellent service solutions for the public sector

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:30:00 EDT

Telephonetics VIP is awarded Lagan Silver Partner status for sophisticated software integration...

18th March 2010, Hemel Hempstead, UK - Telephonetics VIP, the automated telephony and data integration specialist collaborates with Lagan, leading government software supplier; to integrate Telephonetics VIP's sophisticated Contact Centre telephony with the Enterprise Case Management system from Lagan.

The seamless software integration with single CRM/ACD sign on improves productivity enabling public sector organisations to achieve key targets and performance indicators set by the Government, including NI 14, resolving queries first time and reducing avoidable contact.

Improving efficiency and reducing call handling times are key areas for the public sector to get right, achieving first time call resolution. The integration between Lagan and Telephonetics VIP technology provides flexibility and the potential to maximise your infrastructure investment helping you to deliver savings and meet the current increase in expectations of public services.

The technology collaboration provides the following unique functionality:

Enhances current security and protects customers' bank details with the pause call recording feature which automatically suspends call recording when payment details are being collected over the telephone.
Controls agent workflow with automatic wrap-up at the end of every call.

Mark Holmes, Director of Sales at Telephonetics VIP, comments "Blending key technologies such as the Lagan Enterprise Case Management system with the Telephonetics VIP automated telephony is an essential productivity tool for organisations facing the worst financial challenge of our time. We are delighted at our Silver Partner status and to be working alongside Lagan with our complementary solutions. We are confident that we offer customers a true cost effective integrated solution that helps the public sector deliver more for less now and into the future."

- ENDS -

About Telephonetics VIP
Telephonetics VIP, which is part of Telephonetics Plc, is a leading provider of speech recognition and voice automation solutions. Offering diverse automation solutions and deployed across 20,000 telephony channels, Telephonetics VIP uniquely processes over 35 million minutes of speech recognition per annum via its carrier-class resilient platform in both hosted and customer premises solutions.

Drawing on over 15 years of understanding how people interact over the telephone, Telephonetics VIP offers a range of customer-focused solutions covering even the most demanding environments, and delivering real business benefits to all its customers. With innovative solutions for speech self-service, mobility, outbound messaging, emergency notification and business continuity, Telephonetics VIP has built a large customer base. This includes 80% of the major UK multiplex cinemas, over 60% of the NHS acute health trusts, more than 50 local councils and emergency service operations alongside significant financial and legal company representation.

TELEPHONETICS PLC
Telephonetics Plc (TPH.L) is a UK-based leading provider of speech automation and data integration solutions. The Group was listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market in July 2005.

About Lagan Technologies
Lagan Technologies are the global leaders in G2C (government to citizen) technology. Lagan software connects government and citizens worldwide. It enables governments and citizens to communicate online, on the phone and on the move. With more than 180 public sector customers worldwide - from Toronto to East Timor and from Bolton to Boston - Lagan helps local governments serve the interests of more than 40 million citizens.

Lagan Enterprise Case ManagementTM (ECMTM) has been designed to streamline the service delivery functions of government, enabling improved efficiency and more citizen-centric public services. Lagan ECM manages the interactions between citizens and government and provides full support for a wide variety of government service delivery processes. Lagan ECM has proven utility for government at all levels - local, regional and central - as well as the wider public sector.

For further information please contact:

Telephonetics VIP
Chris Binding, Marketing Communications Executive (Public Sector)
+44 (0)1442 242 242
chris.binding@telephoneticsvip.co.uk

Lagan Technologies
Alison Palmer, UK Marketing Manager
+44 (0)2890 788 300
alison_palmer@lagan.com

20 Florida Companies to Showcase the Latest Home Technology Products at EHX Spring 2010

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:10:41 EDT

Twenty Florida-based companies will join 125 participating companies showcasing the latest home technology products at the Electronic House Expo (EHX) Spring 2010. Sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association’s TechHome Division, EHX Spring runs March 25-27 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Georgia Firm Adds Medical Travel to Cut Costs, Provide Options for Workers

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:03:26 EDT

Axcess International AxcessView Software Enables New Wireless Credential Applications

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:32:33 EDT

Axcess International Inc. (OTCBB:AXSI), a leader in wireless business credential systems, announces the release of AxcessView^TM, an intelligent desktop software package that automatically monitors, analyzes and alerts on critical personnel and asset activities in the enterprise. AxcessView derives real-time visibility via data collected from Wireless Credentials (traditional proximity access control badges augmented to enable local area wireless capabilities). With access control badges extended within the enterprise, AxcessView enables new found applications increasing security, safety and enterprise productivity. Compatible with existing access control systems, the product drops easily into virtually any vertical industry worldwide in support of the $10 billion global access control market. The product will be demonstrated at the International Security Conference (ISC West) at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas from March 24 to 26. In addition to demonstrations in Axcess’ booth (number 20145) in the Access Control section, it will be shown in the booths of HID Global (number 12051) and ADT (number 24051).

S&C Electric Company Forms New Communications Systems Business

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:31:41 EDT

Thomson Reuters Announces Most Comprehensive Transaction Tax Integration With Oracle Suite 12

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:30:14 EDT

The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters has now integrated its latest version of the Sabrix Application Suite with Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12. Building on previous integration support for Oracle 12, this latest solution provides the broadest support for global transaction tax management covering sales, use and value-add tax (VAT), across order-to-cash and procure-to-pay processes for multi-national companies.

Siemens PLM Software unterstützt die GMN PAUL MÜLLER INDUSTRIE GMBH & CO. KG bei der Optimierung ihrer Prozesse und der Verbesserung ihrer Designs

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:07:32 EDT

Siemens PLM Software, ein Geschäftsbereich der Siemens-Division Industry Automation und ein führender, weltweit tätiger Anbieter von Product-Lifecycle-Management-(PLM-)Software und zugehörigen Dienstleistungen, gab heute bekannt, dass die GMN PAUL MÜLLER INDUSTRIE GMBH & CO. KG (GMN) sich für die NX™-Software und die Teamcenter®-Software zur Optimierung ihrer Prozesse und zur Verbesserung ihrer Designs entschieden hat.

Raley’s Renews with Kronos® to Hire and Retain the Best Employees

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:06:11 EDT

Kronos^® Incorporated today announced that Raley’s, a chain of 133 grocery stores in California and Nevada, has renewed its successful partnership with Kronos. The selection and hiring solution from Kronos will continue to help Raley’s attract, hire, and retain a quality workforce.

Mentor Graphics Acquires Valor Computerized Systems, Ltd.

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:03:38 EDT

Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT), the market and technology leader in electronic design automation (EDA) and systems analysis solutions, today announced completion of the acquisition of Valor Computerized Systems, Ltd. for net consideration valued at about $50 million. Mentor paid approximately 5.6 million shares of Mentor stock and $32.5 million in cash. Immediately prior to closing, Valor had cash of approximately $29 million. Valor's revenues for its last reported full year ending December 31, 2008 were approximately $40 million.

Siemens PLM Software Helps GMN PAUL MÜLLER INDUSTRIE GMBH & CO. KG Optimize Processes and Enhance Design

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:00:36 EDT

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced that GMN PAUL MÜLLER INDUSTRIE GMBH & CO. KG (GMN) selected NX™ software and Teamcenter® software to optimize processes and enhance design.

Software Toolbox .NET Technologies Integrated with New AFCON Pulse SCADA/HMI Application

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:42:32 EDT

Software Toolbox® today announced that its Symbol Factory.NET and Industrial Gadgets.NET graphics technologies have been integrated with new Pulse SCADA/HMI application software from AFCON Software and Electronics Ltd. The addition of Software Toolbox advanced graphics technologies enables engineers to select animated images from a library of more than 3,600 industrial and manufacturing objects to create custom control panels.

Hercules Technology Growth Capital Announces Additional New Commitments of Over $52 Million to New and Existing Portfolio Companies

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:33:46 EDT

Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTGC), the leading specialty finance company providing venture debt and equity to venture capital and private equity-backed technology and life science companies at all stages of development, today announced that it has committed over $52.0 million in structured debt financing to new and existing portfolio companies. Today’s announcement is in addition to the Company’s commitment last week to provide $25 million to Velocity Technology Solutions.

Proginet Announces a New Version of the RocketStream File Transfer Acceleration Suite with free RocketStream Client

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:31:47 EDT

Proginet Corporation (OTCBB: PRGF), a world leader in multi-platform file transfer solutions, today announced RocketStream 1.6, an updated version of its ultra-fast file transfer acceleration software suite. RocketStream 1.6, which is now generally available, delivers key enhancements including native support for Windows 7, Mac OS X, and several popular Linux distributions. The Company also made several pricing related announcements including availability of a free RocketStream Client, radically lower price points for RocketStream Station and Server, and a limited-time, special incentive program for existing users to upgrade from previously-licensed versions of the software. Proginet acquired the RocketStream technology assets in December 2009, and develops and markets the RocketStream solution via Proginet Accelerator, Inc., a wholly-owned Proginet subsidiary.

How to Put the "Viral" in B2B Marketing Viral Campaigns?

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Does viral work for B2B marketing? We asked B2B Marketing experts: What are the components of a "good" viral B2B Marketing Campaign? Read on to get their insights. Every B2B marketer wants their content to be so widely acclaimed that it goes “viral.” This said, I encourage marketers to look beyond the numbers of views to the quality of the outcomes. For a B2B company, if 1,000 people download your eBook, white paper or video, does it matter if you can’t link that activity back to revenues? The best example I’ve seen documented recently is from Junta42. Joe Pulizzi and Jonathan Kranz published The Content Marketing Playbook: 42 Ways to Connect with Customers. Here are the tangible results they documented within 4 business days of its launch:

uSamp™ Unveils Groundbreaking Panel Management Platform, Integrating Unrivaled Suite of Technologies for Simplified Delivery of Online Panel, for Market Research

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:04:26 EDT

uSamp™, one of the world’s fastest growing online panel companies, today announced the introduction of a web-based panel management platform that simplifies the delivery of online panel for market research. With a suite of breakthrough proprietary technologies and more than one 1.5 million active panelists globally, uSamp (www.uSamp.com) offers market researchers and brand managers unprecedented access and control over their panel management and sample requirements.

Reuters Launches Competitive Solution for US Newspapers' Financial Pages

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:00:07 EDT

Reuters today announced it will offer automated delivery of customizable, print-ready financial data layouts to US newspapers at an attractive price. The solution leverages Thomson Reuters assets as the leading financial news and information provider.

CellaVision and Sysmex enhance partnership by signing a global distribution agreement

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:40:06 EDT

Castle CRM Offering SalesLogix CRM Virtual Classroom Training, for a Limited Time, at No Cost

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:00 EDT

New York, NY, March 18, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Castle CRM (http://www.acastle.com), a Sage Software business partner specializing in CRM customization, system integration, and workflow management of Sage SalesLogix, is offering 90 minute virtual training course on SalesLogix v7.5 CRM web, for a limited time, at no cost.

“The training focuses on: My Workspace, contact management, account management, search, look-up functions, filters, list and detail views, history, calendar management, activity management, and more,” says William Zarbock, President, Castle CRM.

"Training is especially valuable right now,” says Tony Castle, CEO Castle CRM. “With Sage SalesLogix v7.5 released. We encourage you to take advantage of the new deployment options (Web) functionalities.”

Castle CRM (www.acastle.com), located at 44 Wall Street in New York City, provides consulting services and develops software solutions that help businesses achieve superior results through workflow automation and process simplification for their customers. Castle CRM is a SalesLogix Premier Business Partner. For more information on Castle CRM contact information@acastle.com.

For more information, reporters may contact:

Nancy Radomski (866) 330-6470 (voice and FAX)

nradomski@acastle.com

###

Contact Information:
Castle CRM
Nancy Radomski
866-330-6470
nradomski@acastle.com
acastle.com

Click here to read the full story: Castle CRM Offering SalesLogix CRM Virtual Classroom Training, for a Limited Time, at No Cost

Press Release Distributed by PR.com

Introducing the Network Test Automation Forum (NTAF)

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:35:05 EDT

Contributed by Kaushal Agrawal, Sr. Director of Engineering at Cisco
Founding board member of NTA Forum

As we become more dependent on IP networks to make VoIP phone calls, find information, and run our businesses we usually forget what is required to ensure that a new service operates correctly. Building robust networks requires operators to spend a lot of time and test resources to validate service performance, especially since new service offerings are growing more complex. What is lacking today is a methodical, industry-wide approach to testing to promote the interoperability, standardization, and automation of test infrastructure. To address this matter, a new forum, the Network Test Automation Forum (NTAF) has formed to bring together test equipment vendors, service providers, and network equipment manufacturers.

Cisco is already trying to minimize Service Provider risk and deployment times with the availability of Cisco certified solutions, such as our IP NGN Carrier Ethernet design. It was an easy decision for us to jump at the opportunity to be a founding member of the NTAF. NTAF will help bring the right level of standardization to achieve common interoperability goals. In a complex test environment, interoperability becomes the key differentiator for service providers when improving time to market of their deliverables. As an innovator in network equipment manufacturing and with our experience with service providers such as Verizon and BT, and key test equipment vendors such as Ixia and Spirent, Cisco is well positioned to address the challenges the NTAF aims to solve.

NetBrain Technologies Announces New Channel Strategy in North America and Europe

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:16:41 EDT

NetBrain Technologies today announced the launch of the new NetPower Partner Program, an innovative channel program targeted for both the North America and European regions. The recruitment campaign for NetBrain VAR and reseller partners is now underway.

McAfee Launches Program for Added Security in the Cloud

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EDT

McAfee has announced the McAfee Cloud Secure program, a program for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers to add additional security to their cloud deployments. Amazon Web Services (AWS), a pioneer in cloud computing and SuccessFactors, a SaaS provider, are expected be among the first providers to leverage the new program, which combines cloud security certification services, provided by leading certification and attestation providers, with automated auditing, remediation and reporting capabilities provided by McAfee. According to IDC, 87.5 percent of users surveyed cited “security concerns” as the primary issue for adopting Cloud-based services.1 By adding certification and automation, McAfee is providing an easy and efficient way for SaaS customers to gain added confidence in their cloud deployments.

Schenck Promoted to Lead Follett Technology Solutions and Technology Group

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:55:56 EDT

CORRECTING and REPLACING Innovation to Inspire 12,000 Precision Manufacturers at EASTEC 2010

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:54:34 EDT

First graph, last sentence should read: Over 90 manufacturers have indicated that they will be showcasing new products at EASTEC 2010 including Massachusetts-based Citizen Machinery America, Inc.

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) for Mobile Operators: Lessons from the Market

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:40:53 EDT

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology and solutions are helping to create an “internet of things” that will drive productivity and improve lives - for consumers and businesses. At the heart of this internet of things is an intelligent IP network that enables harmonious collaboration of devices in ways that appear seamless to the user.

Mobile operators in particular are looking at the explosively growing M2M market as a major source of new services revenue. ABI research predicts that the mobile M2M market is set for explosive growth, from approximately 71 million connections in 2009 to 225 million connections globally by 2014. This growth in mobile connectivity to machines ranging from vending machines to automobiles is being driven by a number of factors including, according to ABI research:

Telematics (i.e., convergence of telecommunications and information processing) and telemetry (i.e., remote measurement and reporting of information) are seen increasingly across many vertical industries as sources of greater operational efficiency and increased incremental revenue.
M2M applications are benefiting from the R&D and the scale of the mobile handset industry
Technical advances in air interface standards are enabling new 3G M2M market segments.
Government mandates are increasingly requiring the use of telematics and telemetry functionality
Mobile network operators (MNOs) are seeking to expand their data service offerings into M2M

Challenges for Mobile Operators

The M2M Market presents some unique technical and business requirements for Mobile Operators. The most obvious technical challenge is being able to provide connectivity to potentially many millions of virtually any kind of device. Additionally, while many M2M end devices transmit only limited traffic and thus do not require high throughput or a 3G connection, other devices have the potential to scale up bandwidth requirements significantly, for example, streaming of video from surveillance devices upon detection of a security event. The looming shortage of public IPv4 addresses is also a potential constraint, with some operators postponing commercial M2M service launches because they need to preserve their IP address allocations to satisfy the continued high growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers.

Operators also need to adopt aggressive new business models to exploit the M2M opportunity. Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for connected M2M devices is much lower compared to mobile broadband subscribers. This can be problematic for operators where an industry indicator of overall financial health is the growth or decline in overall ARPUs. Of course, the number of potentially connected M2M devices is expected to dwarf the number of mobile broadband subscribers. M2M also brings with it specific customer support requirements, often including expertise that operators may not have in key M2M applications such as automatic telematics, transportation fleet management, security and public safety, remote healthcare monitoring, and remote automation for energy and utilities. Lastly, M2M brings with it transnational competitors operators, all seeking to service their enterprise customers with an integrated, global connectivity solution.

Innovation to Inspire 12,000 Precision Manufacturers at EASTEC 2010

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:30:40 EDT

Innovation will be a key theme at EASTEC 2010, the largest annual precision manufacturing event on the East Coast. The three-day event will kick off on May 25^th with an Executive Breakfast where Chris Trimble, the author of 10 Rules for Strategic Innovators, will present “The Innovation Imperative and Revitalizing the U.S. Economy." EASTEC 2010 will also launch Innovations Theater this year where manufacturers will introduce new products and services introduced since last year’s event. Over XYZ manufacturers (round number) have indicated that they will be showcasing new products at EASTEC 2010 including Massachusetts-based Citizen Machinery America, Inc.

WebFilings Launches Fully-Integrated, End-to-End Solution That Streamlines SEC Reporting

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:32:06 EDT

Cloud-based software reduces complexity, time and cost associated with creating and filing regulatory compliance reports

COCC Offers Clients ATTUS Technologies IAT Processing Along With Watch List Compliance

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:23:19 EDT

Society Insurance Goes Live With ISI's WebWriter Inspection for Risk Control Operations

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:15:04 EDT

Insurance Systems Inc. (ISI), a leading provider of web-based enterprise solutions for the property/casualty insurance industry, is pleased to announce Society Insurance (Society) has successfully implemented ISI's risk control software, WebWriter Inspection.

VIZIO and Linx B-TUBE Amp Up Home Entertainment with Bluetooth Wireless Technology

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:02:38 EDT

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) today recognized the makers of the VIZIO XVT Series TVs and the Linx B-TUBE for their innovative wireless design utilizing Bluetooth wireless technology. These home entertainment products are considered “Ones to Watch” by the Bluetooth SIG because of their unique value, market possibility, and implementation of Bluetooth wireless technology.

Franklin Federal Savings Bank Increases Account Openings with Benchmark Technology Group’s Compass™

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:45:35 EDT

Benchmark Technology Group, a leading provider of branch automation solutions and technology management services, announced at the ICBA National Convention & Techworld held at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center that Richmond, Va.-based Franklin Federal Savings Bank implemented Compass™, Benchmark Technology Group’s new account automation software.