March Networks Introduces Free IP Video Management Software

March Networks Introduces Free IP Video Management Software

Command Lite Delivers Flexible and Intuitive IP Video Surveillance in Entry-Level Offering

OTTAWA

March 27, 2012 /CNW/ - March Networks® (TSX: MN), a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions, is pleased to introduce Command Lite - a free, entry-level version of its enterprise-class Command video management system (VMS). The software supports up to six video channels and seven days of storage, making it an ideal surveillance solution for businesses with limited camera and retention requirements, as well as organizations ready to evaluate an IP VMS solution in real-world environments. Command Lite installs in minutes, is easy to use, and incorporates the latest time-saving capabilities available with release 1.3 of the Command platform.

As with all March Networks Command software, Command Lite is compatible with more than 300 certified third-party cameras, hundreds of ONVIF-compliant edge devices and March Networks IP cameras, allowing it to be quickly deployed using existing surveillance infrastructure. A one-click device discovery tool identifies and adds all locally networked cameras to speed setup.

In addition, there are no client applications to download. The Command web-based user interface supports all system configuration, management and daily operations. It works with both Microsoft® Windows and Mac OS® X operating systems and can be accessed with all leading web browsers, including Internet Explorer®, Firefox®, Chrome, and Safari®, to ensure a rapid and straightforward installation. The flexible interface is easily tailored to display or hide different functions for specific user groups, which increases user efficiency and reducing training times for enterprise-class deployments.

Command Lite also provides new features introduced in Command 1.3 to help organizations save time operating and administering the VMS. Archive thumbnails and a Visual Finder timeline allow users to search through recorded video quickly without a specific date or time, and refine searches easily with just a few mouse clicks. The software's innovative health inbox helps administrators ensure the system is always performing optimally, while its Device Page offers detailed information on the data being received, recorded and streamed to clients on a camera-by-camera basis.

"We are pleased to offer many of the core capabilities of our Command video management platform in this convenient and freely downloadable solution," said Net Payne, Chief Marketing Officer, March Networks. "Command Lite gives organizations and systems integrators the opportunity to discover the flexibility and ease-of-use of our VMS for themselves, and makes it easy for them to scale to a full-featured Command offering when they are ready."

Upgrades from Command Lite to Command Professional or Enterprise are seamless. No reconfiguration is needed and all previously archived video is maintained.

Organizations, systems integrators and resellers can download Command Lite for free, along with supporting video tutorials and resources, from the March Networks website at www.marchnetworks.com/GetCommandLite.

March Networks will also demonstrate Command Lite and the Command 1.3 software platform in Booth 24075 at the ISC West International Security Conference and Exposition, March 28 to 30, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, please visit www.marchnetworks.com/iscwest.

About March Networks
March Networks® (TSX:MN) is a leading provider of intelligent IP video solutions. For more than a decade, the company has helped some of the world's largest commercial and government organizations transition from traditional CCTV to advanced surveillance technologies used for security, loss prevention, risk mitigation and operational efficiency. Its highly scalable and easy to use Command video management platform incorporates a web-based client interface to enable rapid system deployment and complete system control. It is complemented by the company's portfolio of high-definition IP cameras, encoders, video analytics and hybrid recorders, as well as outstanding professional and managed services. March Networks systems are delivered through an extensive distribution and partner network in more than 50 countries. For more information, please visitwww.marchnetworks.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain forward-looking information, including expectations of future business. This information is based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and that may be beyond March Networks' control. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements due to factors such as customer demand and timing of purchasing decisions, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party manufacturers, risks relating to intellectual property infringement claims, and other risks and factors identified in March Networks' public filings with regulatory authorities in Canada. March Networks assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

*MARCH NETWORKS, March Networks Command and the MARCH NETWORKS logo are trademarks of March Networks Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For further information:

MEDIA INQUIRIES: 
Erica Miskew
March Networks
+1 613.591.8228 x5760
emiskew@marchnetworks.com

Cisco Unveils Visual Collaboration Solutions in the Post-PC Era

PRESS RELEASE

Cisco Unveils Visual Collaboration Solutions in the Post-PC Era, Extending the Reach of TelePresence with New Mobile-to-Immersive Offerings

New Immersive Room System Transforms How TelePresence Can be Used in High-Impact Meetings; Integrates with New Jabber Releases for iPad, Windows

ORLANDO, FL – March 27, 2012 – At the Enterprise Connect trade show, Cisco today introduced new people-centric innovations aimed at making it easier for people to collaborate anywhere, anytime in the post-PC era. The innovations, ranging from new desktop and mobile Cisco Jabber™  collaboration applications to Cisco TelePresence® systems, make it easy for users to move from one collaboration solution to the next based on how they work and their immediate task at hand (for example, moving from instant messaging to voice to video with the click of a button). The new Jabber and TelePresence offerings, which include a new immersive TelePresence system with optimized collaboration capabilities, are completely integrated, giving customers more mobility options while also extending the reach of their telepresence investments. Cisco specifically announced:

  • Powerful tools to extend the reach of TelePresence. Cisco is extending Cisco Jabber to iPad and Windows, building on its extensive Jabber portfolio for Android, iOS, Mac, BlackBerry and Cisco Cius™ tablets. With this development, Cisco is enabling Jabber customers to collaborate from anywhere and across the most popular operating systems utilizing high definition video, voice, presence, instant messaging, desktop sharing, conferencing and visual voicemail. Cisco is also expanding native integration between Jabber and TelePresence, giving mobile users a way to initiate and connect into a TelePresence session whether in the office or on the go. 
  • A new three-screen immersive TelePresence platform. The Cisco TelePresence TX9000 Series delivers the highest quality video experience along with advanced collaboration capabilities*, further building on Cisco's wide array of TelePresence endpoints for customers of all sizes. The TX9000 integrates with collaboration tools like Cisco WebEx with One-Touch simplicity and is also designed to be interoperable with all standards-based endpoints from other vendors.
  • Numerous customer and partner use cases for visual collaboration. A variety of customers and partners across healthcare, financial services, and oil and gas industries are deploying Cisco collaboration solutions to increase productivity and enable their employees to work on their own terms.

These developments come at a time when people increasingly expect freedom of choice in how and where they work, and that includes having access to a variety of integrated collaboration solutions and interoperable endpoints–both hardware and software based. As a result, IT managers are looking to provide highly secure, enterprise-class options that enable employees to interact across a broad range of tools whether collaborating in dedicated immersive telepresence rooms or via PCs, Macs, tablets, or smart phones – and any standards-based endpoint within and between organizations.

These innovations also are occurring as the need for rich video solutions and mobility is burgeoning. According to Cisco's latest Visual Networking Index, globally, 3 trillion minutes or 6 million years of video content will cross the Internet each month in 2015 and by 2016, global mobile data traffic will reach 10.8 exabytes per month (130 exabytes annually); growing 18-fold from 2011 to 2016. By 2016, mobile video will represent 71 percent of all mobile data traffic.

Additional Announcement Details:

Extending the Reach of TelePresence from the Boardroom to the Desktop and Beyond

A little more than five years ago, Cisco drove the creation of TelePresence with the introduction of the first truly intuitive and lifelike, in-person video experience. Cisco is continuing to innovate with the newly designed three-screen TX9000 immersive system that is intended to combine the highest quality TelePresence experience with advanced collaboration and content sharing capabilities. The TX9000 builds on Cisco's broad portfolio of endpoints that extends from the boardroom to the desktop and beyond.

  • From Immersive Video to High-Intensity Collaboration
    • As the pace of business becomes more complex, the meetings that drive decisions are becoming more dynamic and data-centric, requiring multiple inputs for quick turns. These types of business-critical meetings range from brainstorming sessions to product engineering and design, acquisition integration, and crisis communication planning for globally distributed teams, require high-intensity collaboration capabilities that allow people to easily share and interact with content in TelePresence meetings in ways not previously possible. These advanced collaboration capabilities include sharing content on the main TelePresence screens, point and highlight capabilities, white boarding, moving content from screen to screen, and introducing data from multiple content sources*.
    • Advanced Cisco WebEx® integration enables one-button-to-push simplicity for scheduling and starting WebEx® and TelePresence integrated meetings with future capabilities to support adding WebEx ad hoc to any TelePresence call using the Cisco TelePresence Touch interface.

 

  • New Immersive TelePresence Benchmark
    • TX9000 boasts a new state of the art, sleek industrial design with modern look and premium finish.
    • Innovative camera configuration enhances eye-contact among participants while the technology and cameras blend seamlessly into the background.
    • The system is capable of supporting 1080p, 60 frames per second (fps) while data sharing capabilities support 1080p 30 fps.*
    • Easily start and manage meetings using the Cisco TelePresence Touch user interface with "one button to push" simplicity that provides a consistent experience across the entire Cisco collaboration product portfolio.
    • TX9000 can accommodate six users and the TX9200 comes with a second table that can seat up to 18 users.
    • Provides native interoperability support for SIP, BFCP, H.264 and Telepresence Interoperability Protocol (TIP).
  • Reduced Cost of Ownership and Ease of Set Up
    • TX9000 requires 20 percent less bandwidth than its Cisco predecessor.
    • Significant improvements in ease of partner installation allowing start up in as quickly as two days
    • System does not require any additional specialized lighting or audio.
    • Deployment flexibility options for wall-mounted or free-standing light reflector.
  • Pricing and Availability
    • The TX9000 is targeted to begin shipping in the second quarter of calendar year 2012 with the advanced collaboration and content sharing features targeted for availability later in the calendar year.* List pricing in the United States starts at $299,000. Regional variations may apply.

Extending Cisco Jabber to iPad and Windows and More TelePresence Users

People require a work experience that travels with them, across location, device, and platform. Cisco Jabber releases for iPad and Windows deliver advanced collaboration capabilities to your preferred device.

  • Jabber for iPad:
    • Allows users to access high-quality video, voice, presence, instant messaging, conferencing, and visual voicemail capabilities on the iPad.
    • Jabber for iPad delivers a complete collaboration experience for mobile workers who need instant access to information and decision makers and want to choose when, where, and how they work.
    • Jabber for iPad delivers a standards-based experience built on the same high-quality video engine as Jabber Video for TelePresence and Jabber desktop applications. Jabber for iPad uses H264, XMPP and SIP.
  • Jabber for Windows:
    • A unified client – meaning an end user has one place to go to be able to access a range of communication and collaboration tools including high-definition video, voice, presence, IM (point to point, group, persistent chat) desktop sharing and web conferencing, and visual voicemail access.
    • Cisco Jabber for Windows features a highly intuitive user experience, allowing for point and click access to multiple forms of communication and seamless integration into Microsoft Office.
    • Cisco Jabber for Windows integrates an advanced engine to deliver HD video to the desktop. This technology uses extremely efficient, industry leading codecs and enables customers to use standards-based H.264 HD quality video with common dual-core processor computers while improving performance over lower bandwidth networks.
    • Jabber for Windows uses also XMPP, SIP and BFCP standards.

Cisco Jabber releases for Windows and iPad can be used with on-premises and cloud-based deployment options. Target availability for Jabber for Windows and Jabber for iPad is in the second quarter of calendar year 2012. Cisco Jabber for iPad, Jabber for Windows and related server software are included as part of Cisco Unified Workspace Licensing.

Supporting Quotes: 

William Moore, executive vice president / chief technology officer, CareCore National

With Cisco's video solutions, disparate groups – anybody in the organization as well as truly anybody external – can interact with us face-to-face through TelePresence or using WebEx conference, allowing for more efficient communication and improved collaboration from any location.  Cisco Jabber gives the flexibility in the method of communication, starting with presence and IM, extending its reach to a higher level of communication via desktop sharing, conferencing, and TelePresence sessions.  With these tools, we are able to provide an in-person experience internally as well as with customers and vendors, saving time and improving customer interaction."

Andy Dignan, senior manager unified communications, CDW

"Cisco Jabber is an effective tool for addressing the rapid proliferation of mobile devices in workplaces. Today, several of our solution architects use the Cisco Jabber client on Windows, Mac, Cius, and iPhone devices, and are excited about the new iPad client with HD video.  The Jabber Web plug-in augments the client offering letting us embed real-time unified communications and collaboration into our web-based portal to find product experts, see presence, and click to make voice and video calls in real-time. By embedding UC into our workflow, we're increasing productivity which helps us better serve our customers."

Mike Fitzgerald, managing director and head of information systems, Eagle Investment Systems

"Eagle has a highly mobile workforce across the globe. We are pioneering a high performance workplace that provides flexibility by enabling communications from laptops, tablets, and smart phones. With the Cisco Jabber and TelePresence operating from a common architecture, employees can use any of these devices and any operating systems for collaboration, which includes real-time communication methods to improve their productivity."

Steve Moloney, global network and security manager, McDermott

"McDermott uses Cisco Jabber to provide a unified experience across the company's desktops, tablets, and smart phones, to extend the reach of our TelePresence suite. We believe the adoption of Cisco TelePresence and UC technologies will improve the telecommunication facets to support our complex offshore oil and gas engineering, procurement, construction, and installation projects."

Emrah Aygun, IT infrastructure manager, Turkiye Is Bankasi

"We strive to provide our employees and customers with consistent communications capabilities and a uniform user experience, regardless of what device they are using. In the coming months, we intend to deploy Cisco Jabber to all our 23,000 bank employees—on PCs, Cisco Cius, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry--to provide them with presence, instant messaging, voice, single number reach to mobile devices, unified messaging, WebEx meetings and TelePresence at their desk and on the go. This Cisco UC client deployment will be part of our "one vision" initiative for Turkiye Is Bankasi's future where our customers can communicate with their bank using different channels and locations, with the same service level throughout the nation."

Keld Jersild Olsen, chief executive officer, NetDesign

"As a long-time Cisco partner and early field trial account for the new Cisco TelePresence TX9000, we are excited to offer our customers the next generation immersive telepresence experience.  From the onset of immersive telepresence five years ago, it was about delivering the best face-to-face meeting experience in a controlled room environment where meeting participants felt as if they were in the same room, around the same table.  With the TX9000, Cisco is not only carrying the same robust feature set forward, but they are also delivering advanced collaboration tools which will provide the ultimate in-person meeting experience.  With its streamlined design, easier installation and innovative collaborative platform, the new TX9000 will strengthen our overall immersive telepresence portfolio and enable us to deliver a more compelling business transformation experience to our customers."
 

Torben Bonde chief information officer, Vestas

"We use TelePresence heavily, with two areas especially benefitting by it – our Turbines R&D department and our people development process. Vestas' Turbines R&D is the world´s biggest research and development department in the wind industry, and we use TelePresence for activities like product development, quality assurance and follow up, thus supporting a faster product to market strategy and a higher quality product.  We also use telepresence largely in our People and Culture area: doing job interviews and early Performance and Development Dialogue – thus saving a lot of cost and time on travelling."

OJ Winge, senior vice president and general manager, Collaboration Endpoints Technology Group, Cisco

"In a world that is increasingly mobile, social, visual and virtual, individuals are dictating how, when and where they communicate and collaborate inside and outside of the workplace. With today's TelePresence and mobility announcements, Cisco is continuing to make "any device to any device" a reality, while helping customers collaborate on their own terms on a range of devices that provide a rich and consistent user experience."

Cisco will showcase these new offerings along with other collaboration innovations during a keynote presentation and demonstration on March 27 at Enterprise Connect in Orlando, and additionally to virtual audiences through the March 2012 Cisco Collaboration Virtual Experience.

Additional Resources:

Technorati Tags:

Cisco, video, TelePresence, high quality video, collaboration, interoperability, endpoints, post PC era, Jabber, Enterprise Connect, unified conferencing, mobile, iPad, Windows, Android, Cius,

*Enabled in future software release

About Cisco Collaboration

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go tohttp://newsroom.cisco.com.

# # #

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

Availability Disclaimer: Many of the products and features described herein remain in varying stages of development and will be offered on a when-and-if-available basis. This products and features are subject to change at the sole discretion of Cisco, and Cisco will have no liability for delay in the delivery or failure to deliver any of the products or features set forth in this document.

Press Contacts

  • Robyn Jenkins-Blum
Cisco Systems, Inc.408 853-9848

Investor Relations Contacts

Industry Analyst Relations

  • Steve CannyCisco408-853-1856

HP Eases Unifed Communications Deployment for Enterprises

 

HP Eases Unified Communications Deployment for Enterprises

 

 

 

ORLANDO, Fla., March 26, 2012 – HP today announced two new offerings that facilitate the rapid adoption of unified communications (UC) solutions, helping clients more quickly realize enhanced productivity and improved responsiveness to customers through UC.

The new offerings include HP AppSystem for Microsoft® Lync, a turnkey platform designed to expedite UC deployments, and a customizable HP and Polycom® Rich Media Communications (RMC) solution for greater visual collaboration.

To meet the growing demand for immediate, reliable access to resources and information, HP recognizes that organizations need unified mobile and virtual workplace solutions that enable employees to efficiently communicate.

To help organizations quickly embrace UC, HP is enabling clients to quickly and cost-effectively deploy Polycom RealPresence® video solutions and Microsoft Lync, a UC solution that offers audio, video, web and instant messaging capabilities. 

Simplifying UC integration for faster results

HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync is an integrated UC platform built on HP Converged Infrastructure. The solution is preconfigured for rapid deployment of Microsoft Lync, allowing clients to quickly realize greater collaboration between employees, partners and customers. The offering also includes assessment, deployment and support services to help ensure the platform is quickly up and running.

This integrated, scalable solution is designed to reduce implementation time and costs by offering extensive testing that ensures multivendor interoperability. Combined with HP services expertise, HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync enables clients to achieve faster time to value, as well as:

   Achieve enhanced collaboration with the Polycom RealPresence video solutions and Polycom RealPresence Collaboration Server to provide presence-based virtual meeting rooms.

   Reduce costs with comprehensive public switched telephone network connectivity options, eliminating the need for costly rate interfaces. Options include state-of-the-art SIP Trunks from solutions provider ACME Packet, which allow external communication via IP, as well as an Audiocodes Mediant gateway that offers time-division multiplexing connectivity with a client’s existing legacy infrastructure.

Top-line support streamlines UC adoption

To help clients rapidly respond to changing market demands and improve the user experience, HP offers a portfolio of support and consulting services.  These services help enable clients to rapidly deploy UC solutions, as well as optimize and secure their network. HP expertise aligns IT with business or government goals to create a clear transformation path for clients while ensuring pervasive user adoption through comprehensive training.

“Unified communications is an attractive option to help increase collaboration and productivity, but not all companies have the IT support to manage deployment and integration with their present IT environments,” said Giovanni Mezgec, general manager, Lync, Microsoft Corp. “HP’s solution helps to support these organizations.”

Amplifying existing UC solutions with video collaboration

The HP and Polycom RMC solution combines HP Networking products based on the HP FlexNetwork architecture with Polycom RealPresence video solutions built on the Polycom RealPresence Platform, which provides comprehensive software infrastructure for universal video collaboration. Clients can easily prepare and install network video capabilities from desktop to conference room and immersive suites.

HP and Polycom RMC is an open standards based, interoperable and extensible offering that enables easy integration into an organization’s existing multivendor environment. In addition, it has built-in multilayer security to protect users’ video streams and applications.  

“Like any corporate, international organization, we can become more efficient in terms of time and travel costs if we use videoconferencing and improve communication technology,” said Steve Grive, director, Information Communications Technology, University of the West of England. “HP consultants are helping us to achieve that.”

Availability

   HP AppSystem for Microsoft Lync will be available in select countries in May.

   The HP and Polycom Rich Media Communications solution is available worldwide through HP Technology Services and HP and Polycom channel partners.

   HP integration, deployment and support services are available globally.

HP’s premier client event, HP Discover, takes place June 4-7 in Las Vegas. 

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

 

Editorial Contacts

Laura Startzenbach, HP

+1 508 797 2508

laura.startzenbach@hp.com

 

Erin Hall

Burson-Marsteller for HP

+1 312 596 3457

erin.hall@bm.com 

 

www.hp.com/go/newsroom

 

 

Microsoft is a U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

 

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including execution of cost reduction programs and restructuring and integration plans; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the competitive pressures faced by HP’s businesses; the development and transition of new products and services (and the enhancement of existing products and services) to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the protection of HP’s intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the hiring and retention of key employees; expectations and assumptions relating to the execution and timing of cost reduction programs and restructuring and integration plans; the resolution of pending investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2012 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

 

© 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

 

 

 

NEC Announces Agreement to Acquire Convergys' Global Information Management (IM) Business

NEC Announces Agreement to Acquire Convergys' Global Information Management (IM) Business, a Leader in Business Support Systems (BSS) - Strategic Acquisition Reinforces NEC's Continued Commitment to Offering Innovative Telecom Solutions to Service Providers Around the Globe -


*** For immediate use March 22, 2012

TOKYO, WALTHAM, March 22, 2012 ― NEC Corporation today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Convergys Corporation's Information Management (IM) business, which is recognized for its industry-leading record of delivering Business Support Systems (BSS) transformations to communications service providers around the world. The transaction is valued at US$449 million and covers all of IM's business, including Smart Suite Products, across different verticals including communications, utilities and logistics.

The acquisition underscores NEC Corporation's long-standing commitment to offering innovative solutions to the communications industry, enabling service providers to transform their business and successfully compete in a rapidly changing environment. The IM business has enabled service providers around the world to transform their BSS and create the foundation for next-generation billing, customer-care and revenue management.

Following the acquisition, the IM business and organization will be integrated into NetCracker Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of NEC. NetCracker will be responsible for all business operations of the combined entity. With this acquisition, NetCracker will add key BSS software and services to its market-leading Telecom Operations and Management Solutions (TOMS) suite. The combination of IM's BSS products and NetCracker's TOMS solutions will create a compelling end-to-end portfolio that will bring experience and innovation to service providers and other industry verticals ― whether they access BSS/OSS (Operational Support Systems) solutions through the cloud, as a managed service, or as an in-premise system.

The combined resources and assets of NEC, NetCracker, and IM ― including software, services, data centers and R&D investment ― will create a Telecom software-focused business that is unprecedented in its scale and size, and will give service providers the industry's most comprehensive set of TOMS solutions and services anywhere in the world.

"Convergys' IM business has distinguished itself with a record of successful BSS implementations and exceptional professional services for leading international communications carriers," said Dr. Nobuhiro Endo, President of NEC. "The acquisition of the IM business will enable NEC to bring even greater value and benefits to the service provider industry."

"Innovative BSS is the foundation of differentiation and long-term success, as service providers increasingly compete by offering new, unique services and customer experience as opposed to connectivity alone," said Andrew Feinberg, President and CEO of NetCracker. "With over 2,500 skilled and experienced industry experts and more than 150 customers around the globe, the IM business is at the leading edge of innovation in revenue management and customer experience. We are excited to have this end-to-end offering as a part of NetCracker's portfolio and look forward to bringing it to service providers and other industry verticals."

NEC's communications carrier business features a superior lineup of software, services and network infrastructure that helps service providers rapidly deploy and monetize LTE (Long Term Evolution) infrastructure, Mobile Backhaul, Carrier Cloud Computing, undersea cable systems and more. These systems enable service providers to create globally competitive and distinctive business models. The continued success of NEC's carrier business has contributed substantially to NEC's total net sales of 3,115 billion yen (US $ 37.535 billion) in the financial year which ended March 2011. NEC's carrier business spearheads NEC's mid-range goals to further expand its international markets and software services.

The acquisition is scheduled to be completed by late second quarter of 2012. UBS Investment Bank acted as exclusive financial advisor to NEC/NetCracker.

***

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross-utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society. For more information, visit NEC at  http://www.nec.com.

NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. (C)2012 NEC Corporation.

About NetCracker Corporation

NetCracker Technology, a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, is the leading provider of Telecom Operations and Management Systems to Communications Service Providers worldwide.  www.NetCracker.com

NetCracker is a registered trademark of NetCracker Technology Corp. All other company or product names mentioned in this press release may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

About Convergys

Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is a global leader in relationship management. We provide solutions that drive more value from the relationships our clients have with their customers. Convergys turns these everyday interactions into a source of profit and strategic advantage for our clients.

For more than 30 years, our unique combination of domain expertise, operational excellence, and innovative technologies has delivered process improvement and actionable business insight to marquee clients all over the world.

Convergys has approximately 70,000 employees in 69 customer contact centers and other facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and our global headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit  www.convergys.com

(Convergys and the Convergys logo are registered trademarks of Convergys Corporation.)

New Tools from Xerox Help Calgary Transit Pinpoint Bus Flow, Improve Passenger Service

New Tools from Xerox Help Calgary Transit Pinpoint Bus Flow, Improve Passenger Service

TORONTO, ON, March 21, 2012 – Bus schedules in the Canadian city of Calgary will be more accurate and predictable as Xerox (NYSE: XRX), installs a new intelligent transportation system made up of computer-aided dispatch and vehicle location technologies.
 
As part of a two and a half year, $14.5 million contract, the computer-aided dispatch and automatic vehicle location (CAD/AVL) system will help Calgary Transit improve fleet management and on-time arrivals. With more reliable information, Calgary Transit passengers can have confidence that bus schedules will be accurate.
 
Xerox will install a new system so Calgary Transit can track and dispatch all 986 buses and report on all 100 million annual passenger trips. The new hardware and software will automatically generate exact operational data instead of relying on manual processes.
 
“Xerox will give us the information we need to make intelligent improvements in our transit system so we can use that knowledge to give our customers better service,” said Akmal Rafiq, Project Manager, Calgary Transit. “Making better planning decisions will improve customer satisfaction and increase ridership.”
 
The new dispatch and tracking system will create computerized maps for dispatchers to see precise locations of vehicles. Dispatchers will be able to make real-time adjustments such as adding additional bus service and create detours when necessary by clicking on maps and notifying drivers. Supervisors in the field will also be able to access the complete system. The system will allow all the vehicles to communicate and share information in real time.
 
“Accurate information is essential to provide the rider with a good experience and enable the transit agency to enhance its record keeping,” said Mark Talbot, group president of Local Government – Americas, Xerox. “This system is designed to grow with Calgary and serve as a model for agencies of all sizes to improve service.”
 
Xerox systems and services are used by more than 1,000 municipal, regional and national operators in 400 cities worldwide to run more than 150,000 pieces of equipment that enables 50 million passengers per day to use buses, trolleys, tramways and trains. Xerox-deployed solutions include more than 50,000 smart card readers on buses, faregates, turnstiles, and other fare collection devices. Xerox is the largest provider of transportation services to governments worldwide, with projects in 35 countries.

Avaya Unleashes the Power of Business Collaboration at Enterprise Connect 2012

Avaya Unleashes the Power of Business Collaboration at Enterprise Connect 2012

For Immediate Release:22 Mar 2012

  • Keynote by Senior Vice President Brett Shockley to highlight the next frontier of the collaborative experience and how companies can mine current systems as part of their roadmap
  • Avaya booth showcases simple, affordable communications solutions and services to address mobile and video collaboration, customer experience and virtualization
  • Avaya executives share expertise on federation, interoperability and more during conference sessions
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Avaya today announced it will spotlight how companies can take a cost-effective approach to enabling faster collaboration, smarter decisions and better business results and capture the Power of We at Enterprise Connect 2012. Enterprise Connect, a leading enterprise communications conference and exhibition, will be held March 26-29 at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida.
 
During his keynote address, Brett Shockley, senior vice president and general manager, Avaya Communications Applications and Emerging Technologies, will discuss how enterprises can put powerful, yet easy-to-use communications and collaboration capabilities in the hands of users and make the most of the new Collaboration frontier for their company and its customers.
 
In Booth 801 on the exhibit floor, Avaya will showcase innovative solutions that address challenges companies face as they move to a more productive level of collaboration and strive to differentiate the customer experience. From mobility, consumerization and BYOD to network simplification and virtualization, Avaya’s latest products and services will take center stage as part of holistic solutions to drive faster, smarter and better business results.

In addition to the keynote, Avaya experts will participate in the following sessions:

Monday 3/26

  • Summit: Has the Post-PBX Era Begun? --  Chris McGugan, Vice President, Emerging Products and Technology, 11:00 am-12:00 noon
  • Emerging Video Technologies: What’s Next? --  David Chavez, Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
  • Enterprise Communications Platform: IP Telephony/UC RFP-- Rob McMaher, Consulting Systems Engineer, 2:00 pm-5:00 pm
  • Social Networking's Role in the Contact Center – Laura Bassett, Director, Emerging Products and Technology, 3:15 pm-4:00 pm
Tuesday, 3/27
  • UC Federation: When Will We Get There?--  David Chavez, Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, 8:00 am-8:45 am
  • Avaya Keynote – Brett Shockley, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Avaya Applications and  Emerging Technologies, 11:15 am-12:00 noon
  • UC Interoperability: How Real, How Much? – Allan Mendelsohn, Director, Unified Communications, 2:30 pm-3:30 pm
  • Cloud-Based UC Services RFP – Lee Koelbl, U.S. Offer Management, 2:30 pm-5:30 pm
Wednesday 3/28
  • Contact Center market Update – Christine Viera, Vice President, Contact Center Management, 8:00 am-8:45 am
  • Avaya – Faster Collaboration and Smarter Decisions – Lawrence Byrd, Director, Collaboration Solutions, 2:00 pm-2:20 pm
  • RFP: UC Without Buying a New PBX – Allan Mendelsohn, Director, Unified Communications, 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
  • Tablet Tactics: What We’ve Learned About Tablets in the Enterprise – Laura Bassett, Director, Emerging Products and Technologies 3:45 pm-4:30 pm
Thursday 3/29
  • Personal Video in the Age of Mobility – Bill Zakowski, Senior Manager, Unified Communications
Visit Avaya's special Enterprise Connect page at http://www.avaya.com/usa/industry-events/Enterprise-Connect-2012 to see new announcements, whitepapers and supporting materials, as well as view Shockley’s keynote on-demand after the show.
 
Supporting Quotes:
"Avaya is bringing the future of collaboration to Enterprise Connect, but unlike many 'flying car' scenarios, we've created a future that exists now. Every company can get onboard today with Avaya to build very practical, flexible strategies to deliver extraordinary collaboration and customer experience capabilities."
Brett Shockley, senior vice president and general manager, Applications, Emerging Products and Technologies, Avaya 
 
Additional Resources
Enterprise Connect www.enterpriseconnect.com
 
Tags: Avaya, unified communications, enterprise communications, contact center, enterprise collaboration,
 
About Avaya:
Avaya is a global provider of business collaboration and communications solutions, providing unified communications, contact centers, networking and related services to companies of all sizes around the world. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.

Fluke Networks' New OptiFiber Pro OTDR Redefines Enterprise Fiber Testing


Fluke Networks’ New OptiFiber Pro OTDR Redefines Enterprise Fiber Testing

 

Features of the new fiber tool include the industry’s fastest trace times, the only smartphone interface and auto datacenter configuration

 

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario – Fluke Networks today announced the OptiFiber™ Pro OTDR, the first handheld OTDR (optical time-domain reflectometer) built from the ground up for enterprise fiber testing.  Performance breakthroughs of the OptiFiber Pro OTDR allow users to reduce costs associated with premise fiber testing, while enhancing productivity and improving network reliability.

 

The OptiFiber Pro OTDR creates a new standard for usability with a smartphone interface that supports gesture-based commands, and technology enhancements that simplify testing in datacenter environments.

 

“This tester changes the game for fiber troubleshooting,” said Doug Swalec, senior fiber application engineer at Panduit Corp. “The OptiFiber Pro OTDR’s new multi-touch, smartphone-like interface dramatically reduces the learning curve associated with using an OTDR. The simplified Datacenter Mode and project management tools will help industry technicians immediately deliver accurate test results and quickly archive and access data.”

 

Key new features include:

 

·         The first OTDR with a smartphone user-interface: Minimizes the learning curve typically associated with older OTDRs by greatly reducing complexity – helping any technician quickly become a fiber expert.

·         A simplified “Datacenter” Mode: Automates the process of setting test parameters, like wavelength or end-detection algorithms, significantly reducing set-up time and the complexity of learning how to troubleshoot datacenter problems.

·         The industry’s shortest event and attenuation dead zones: Tests connectors and patch cords as short as 0.5 meters.  This is critical in virtualized server environments, where connections are often less than one meter and hidden performance issues can severely decrease the reliability of datacenters and storage area networks (SANs).

·         Visual presentation of faults: Shows all fiber events graphically allowing any user to quickly and easily interpret OTDR trace results.

·         Built-in project management tools: Facilitates the assignment and tracking of all fiber testing projects for multiple users, increasing efficiency, enhancing project tracking visibility and enabling cost-effective device sharing.

·         Upgraded LinkWare™ management software: Eases the burden of workflow management, integrates test results, and keeps the OTDR up-to-date with the latest software.

 

“Enterprise fiber use is growing at 57 percent a year,* which increases the frequency and importance of fiber testing necessary to minimize issues that can be devastating to network operations,” said Jason Wilbur, vice president of datacom cabling and installation tools at Fluke Networks.  “Our new OptiFiber PRO is aimed squarely at the challenges our enterprise customers are facing today.  The tester’s new smartphone interface dramatically reduces the learning curve associated with using an OTDR, and the simplified Datacenter Mode will help industry technicians immediately solve problems in mission critical datacenter environments.”

 

For more information on the Fluke Networks’ OptiFiber Pro OTDR or Fluke Networks’ industry leading suite of solutions visit www.flukecanada.ca, call 800-363-5853 or e-mail canada@fluke.com.   

 

About Fluke Networks

Fluke Networks is the world-leading provider of network test and monitoring solutions to speed the deployment and improve the performance of networks and applications. Leading enterprises and service providers trust Fluke Networks’ products and expertise to help solve today’s toughest issues and emerging challenges in WLAN security, mobility, unified communications and datacenters. Based in Everett, Wash., the company distributes products in more than 50 countries.

 

* Dell'Oro Group, 2011

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IBM X-Force Report: Improvements in Internet security but attackers adapt

 

IBM X-Force Report: 2011 Shows Progress Against Security Threats But Attackers Adapt


Emerging Attack Trends include Mobile Exploits, Automated Password Guessing, a Surge in Phishing and Shell Command Injection Attacks


ARMONK, N.Y. – 22 March 2012: IBM [NYSE:IBM] today released the results of its X-Force 2011 Trend and Risk Report, which shows surprising improvements in several areas of Internet security such as a reduction in application security vulnerabilities, exploit code and spam. As a result, the report suggests attackers today are being forced to rethink their tactics by targeting more niche IT loopholes and emerging technologies such as social networks and mobile devices.

The X-Force 2011 Trend and Risk Report revealed a 50 percent decline in spam email compared to 2010; more diligent patching of security vulnerabilities by software vendors, with only 36 percent of software vulnerabilities remaining unpatched in 2011 compared to 43 percent in 2010; and higher quality of software application code, as seen in web-application vulnerabilities called cross site scripting half as likely to exist in clients’ software as they were four years ago.  

In light of these improvements, it seems attackers are adapting their techniques. The report uncovers a rise in emerging attack trends including mobile exploits, automated password guessing, and a surge in phishing attacks. An increase in automated shell command injection attacks against web servers may be a response to successful efforts to close off other kinds of web application vulnerabilities.
 
The IBM X-Force 2011 Trend and Risk Report is based on intelligence gathered by one of the industry’s leading security research teams through its research of public vulnerability disclosures findings from more than 4,000 clients, and the monitoring and analysis of an average of 13 billion events daily in 2011.

“In 2011, we’ve seen surprisingly good progress in the fight against attacks through the IT industry’s efforts to improve the quality of software,” said Tom Cross, manager of Threat Intelligence and Strategy for IBM X-Force. "In response, attackers continue to evolve their techniques to find new avenues into an organization. As long as attackers profit from cyber crime, organizations should remain diligent in prioritizing and addressing their vulnerabilities."

According to the report, there are positive trends as it appears companies implemented better security practices in 2011:

·        Thirty percent decline in the availability of exploit code – When security vulnerabilities are disclosed, exploit code is sometimes released that attackers can download and use to break into computers.  Approximately 30 percent fewer exploits were released in 2011 than were seen on average over the past four years.  This improvement can be attributed to architectural and procedural changes made by software developers that help make it more difficult for attackers to successfully exploit vulnerabilities.

·        Decrease in unpatched security vulnerabilities – When security vulnerabilities are publicly disclosed, it is important that the responsible software vendor provide a patch or fix in a timely fashion. Some security vulnerabilities are never patched, but the percentage of unpatched vulnerabilities has been decreasing steadily over the past few years. In 2011 this number was down to 36 percent from 43 percent in 2010.

·        Fifty percent reduction in cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities due to improvements in software quality - The IBM X-Force team is seeing significant improvement in the quality of software produced by organizations that use tools like IBM AppScan OnDemand service to analyze, find, and fix vulnerabilities in their code.  IBM found XSS vulnerabilities are half as likely to exist in customers' software as they were four years ago. However, XSS vulnerabilities still appear in about 40 percent of the applications IBM scans. This is still high for something well understood and able to be addressed.

·        Decline in spam – IBM’s global spam email monitoring network has seen about half the volume of spam email in 2011 that was seen in 2010. Some of this decline can be attributed to the take-down of several large spam botnets, which likely hindered spammers’ ability to send emails. The IBM X-Force team witnessed spam evolve through several generations over the past seven years as spam filtering technology has improved and spammers have adapted their techniques in  order to successfully reach readers.

Attackers Adapt Their Techniques in 2011
Even with these improvements, there has been a rise in new attack trends and an array of significant, widely reported external network and security breaches.   As malicious attackers become increasingly savvy, the IBM X-Force documented increases in three key areas of attack activity:

·        Attacks targeting shell command injection vulnerabilities more than double - For years, SQL injection attacks against web applications have been a popular vector for attackers of all types. SQL injection vulnerabilities allow an attacker to manipulate the database behind a website. As progress has been made to close those vulnerabilities – the number of SQL injection vulnerabilities in publicly maintained web applications dropped by 46 percent in 2011– some attackers have now started to target shell command injection vulnerabilities instead. These vulnerabilities allow the attacker to execute commands directly on a web server. Shell command injection attacks rose by two to three times over the course of 2011. Web application developers should pay close attention to this increasingly popular attack vector.

·        Spike in automated password guessing – Poor passwords and password policies have played a role in a number of high-profile breaches during 2011. There is also a lot of automated attack activity on the Internet in which attacks scan the net for systems with weak login passwords. IBM observed a large spike in this sort of password guessing activity directed at secure shell servers (SSH) in the later half of 2011.

·        Increase in phishing attacks that impersonate social networking sites and mail parcel services – The volume of email attributed to phishing was relatively small over the course of 2010 and the first half of 2011, but phishing came back with a vengeance in the second half, reaching volumes that haven’t been seen since 2008. Many of these emails impersonate popular social networking sites and mail parcel services, and entice victims to click on links to web pages that may try to infect their PCs with malware. Some of this activity can also be attributed to advertising click fraud, where spammers use misleading emails to drive traffic to retail websites.

Emerging Technologies Create New Avenues for Attacks
New technologies such as mobile and cloud computing continue to create challenges for enterprise security.

·        Publicly released mobile exploits rise 19 percent in 2011 – This year’s IBM X-Force report focused on a number of emerging trends and best practices to manage the growing trend of “Bring your Own Device,” or BYOD, in the enterprise. IBM X-Force reported a 19 percent increase over the prior year in the number of exploits publicly released that can be used to target mobile devices. There are many mobile devices in consumers' hands that have unpatched vulnerabilities to publicly released exploits, creating an opportunity for attackers.  IT managers should be prepared to address this growing risk.

·        Attacks increasingly relate to social media - With the widespread adoption of social media platforms and social technologies, this area has become a target of attacker activity. IBM X-Force observed a surge in phishing emails impersonating social media sites. More sophisticated attackers have also taken notice. The amount of information people are offering in social networks about their personal and professional lives has begun to play a role in pre-attack intelligence gathering for the infiltration of public and private sector computing networks.

·        Cloud computing presents new challenges - Cloud computing is moving rapidly from emerging to mainstream technology, and rapid growth is anticipated through the end of 2013.  In 2011, there were many high profile cloud breaches affecting well-known organizations and large populations of their customers. IT security staff should carefully consider which  workloads are sent to third-party cloud providers and what should be kept in-house due to the sensitivity of data. Cloud security requires foresight on the part of the customer as well as flexibility and skills on the part of the cloud provider. The IBM X-Force report notes that the most effective means for managing security in the cloud may be through Service Level Agreements (SLAs) because of the limited impact that an organization can realistically exercise over the cloud computing service.  Therefore, careful consideration should be given to ownership, access management, governance and termination when crafting SLAs. The IBM X-Force report encourages cloud customers to take a lifecycle view of the cloud deployment and fully consider the impact to their overall information security posture.  

"Many cloud customers using a service worry about the security of the technology. Depending upon the type of cloud deployment, most, if not all, of the technology is outside of the customer's control,” said Ryan Berg, IBM Security Cloud Strategist. “They should focus on information security requirements of the data destined for the cloud, and through due diligence, make certain their cloud provider has the capability to adequately secure the workload."

IBM continues to work with its clients to step up security to address these new areas. Recommendations for helping clients improve the security of their IT department in light of these new threats include: performing regular security assessments; segmenting sensitive systems and information; training end users about phishing and spear phishing and secure computing principals in general, as well as examining the policies of business partners.

To view the full X-Force 2011 Trend and Risk Report and watch a highlight video please visit www.ibm.com/security/xforce
     
About the IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report
The IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report is an annual assessment of the security landscape, designed to help clients better understand the latest security risks, and stay ahead of these threats. The report gathers facts from numerous intelligence sources, including its database of more than 50,000 computer security vulnerabilities, its global Web crawler and its international spam collectors, and the real-time monitoring of 13 billion events every day for nearly 4,000 clients in more than 130 countries. These 13-billion events monitored each day – more than 150,000 per second – are a result of the work done in IBM's nine global Security Operations Centers, which is provided as a managed security service to clients.

About IBM Security
With more than 40 years of security development and innovation, IBM has breadth and depth in security research, products, services and consulting. IBM has nine worldwide research labs innovating security technology and nine security operations centers around the world to help global clients maintain an appropriate security posture. IBM Managed Security Services delivers the expertise, tools and infrastructure clients need to secure their information assets from constant Internet attacks, often at a fraction of the cost of in-house security resources. The Institute for Advanced Security is IBM’s global initiative the help organizations better understand and respond to the security threats to their business. Visit the Institute community at www.instituteforadvancedsecurity.com

For more information on IBM Security Solutions, please visit: www.ibm.com/security
###

Carleton and RIM Partner for Student Success

Carleton and RIM Partner for Student Success

Carleton University opened the RIM Teaching and Collaborative Research Centre today in a move that will keep Carleton engineering and industrial design students at the forefront of smartphone technology and design.

Thanks to support from Research In Motion (RIM), the centre will be used for research, teaching, outreach activities, technology demonstrations and short courses such as application development seminars for students and researchers working on mobile technology and wireless communication. RIM will equip the centre with software, BlackBerry® smartphones and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets on which students can experiment and develop apps.

“Carleton is pleased to be working with RIM, one of the world’s leading technology companies,” said Rafik Goubran, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design. “This partnership further connects RIM to our world-class researchers and provides our students with the opportunity to experience and explore new possibilities in wireless communications and application development. Together we will train the next generation of leaders in this exciting field.” 

Mobile technology is increasingly in focus at Carleton. Through innovative research projects and academic programs like those that will be conducted at the RIM Centre, students and researchers will expand the applications for mobile computing and wireless communication. For example, the work of Carleton researchers is enabling the use of smartphones for more efficient delivery of health-care services. RIM has partnered with Carleton in a number of research projects in recent years.

“The RIM Teaching and Collaborative Research Centre continues the mutually beneficial relationship established between Carleton and RIM,” said Dave Dietz, director of University Relations at RIM. “By working with Carleton’s outstanding students and researchers, we are finding important new opportunities, including innovations in industrial design, speech and audio processing, health-care applications and much more. We look forward to the opportunities ahead in this new centre.”

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For more information:
Chris Cline
Media Relations
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 1391
christopher_cline@carleton.ca

Adobe Study Shows Social Media Impact Undervalued by Nearly 100 Percent

Adobe Study Shows Social Media Impact Undervalued by Nearly 100 Percent

Evaluation of 1.7 Billion Web Visits Suggests Marketers Need to Consider New Attribution Models

Adobe Digital Marketing Summit 2012

SALT LAKE CITY--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:ADBE) today announced findings from its second Adobe® Digital Index report, which provides marketing, e-commerce and retail executives with critical digital marketing insights. The study evaluated how marketers measure the impact of website traffic from major social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Blogger, YouTube and Yelp. Adobe analyzed more than 1.7 billion visits to more than 225 U.S. companies’ websites in the retail, travel and media industries, concluding that marketers significantly underestimate the value of social traffic.

Key Report Findings

  • The use of last-click attribution, the most common attribution model used by marketers, may cause marketers to undervalue social media’s website impact by up to 94 percent
  • First-click attribution models more accurately capture the benefits of social media in engaging customers earlier in the buying process
  • Significant differences in the results of first-click vs. last-click attribution data for various social media sites may cause marketers to change how they allocate the budgets across social and other digital channels

Why First-Click Attribution is Better for Social

Last-click attribution assumes that the marketing channel most responsible for a consumer’s behavior is the channel the consumer last touched before a visit or purchase. First-click places responsibility on the channel the consumer first touched. Social media creates an environment in which brands can build awareness and engage with prospective and existing customers early in the purchase process. By ignoring the value of these earlier interactions, last-click attribution gives disproportionate credit to the marketing channels customers use late in the purchase process, potentially undervaluing the role of other channels in building awareness, engagement, and ongoing relationships between customers and brands. In contrast, first-click attribution gives social media more credit for these earlier interactions. The difference between last-click and first-click is significant and has the potential to change the way companies allocate social media budgets.

Supporting Quote

Aseem Chandra, vice president, product and industry marketing, Digital Marketing Business, Adobe

  • “As an industry, digital marketers have been quick to add social media to the marketing mix, but have perhaps not considered new and better ways to measure this complex channel. This study shows that marketers tend to default to traditional direct measurement models. Better measurement of social marketing will lead to better ROI.”

Adobe Digital Index Report

Full details of the Adobe Digital Index report on social media are available for download here or at CMO.com.

About the Adobe Digital Marketing Suite

The Adobe® Digital Marketing Suite offers an integrated and open platform for online business optimization, a strategy for using customer insight to drive innovation throughout the business and enhance marketing efficiency. The Suite consists of integrated applications to collect and unleash the power of customer insight to optimize customer acquisition, conversion and retention efforts as well as the creation and distribution of content. For example, using the Suite, marketers can identify the most effective marketing strategies and ad placements as well as create relevant, personalized and consistent customer experiences across digital marketing channels, such as onsite, display, e-mail, social, video and mobile. The Suite enables marketers to make quick adjustments, automate certain customer interactions and better maximize marketing ROI, which, ultimately, can positively impact the bottom line.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

© 2012 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe and the Adobe logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts

Adobe Systems Incorporated
David Olsen, 385-221-1600
davolsen@adobe.com
or
Hill & Knowlton for Adobe Digital Marketing
Laura Perez, 210-862-7376
laura.perez@hillandknowlton.com