Global Retailer Expands Ottawa's March Networks Footprint in $1 Million Deal

Global Retailer Expands March Networks Footprint in $1 Million Deal

OTTAWA, Jan. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - March Networks® (TSX: MN), a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions, announced today that a major retail customer has selected its retail solution to replace analog-based CCTV technology in select U.S. stores. The order expands the customer's existing March Networks digital video network, which currently includes more than 30,000 recording systems and software and is thought to be one of the largest video surveillance installations worldwide. March Networks will complete delivery of the solution, valued at $1 million, by January 31, 2012.

"We are pleased to have one of the world's largest corporations demonstrate continued confidence in our company and our ability to deliver on large, complex projects," said Peter Strom, President and CEO, March Networks. "We look forward to continuing to partner with this customer to meet future expansion plans and develop innovative, industry-leading retail solutions."

The new deployment is in addition to a previously announced $16 million network video recorder (NVR) order from the retailer as part of a continuing surveillance upgrade program across its U.S. stores and membership warehouses.

The retailer's March Networks solution includes powerful Visual Intelligence software and hybrid 4000 C Series NVRs. The software supports key features, such as consolidated live monitoring and archive searching, and rapid access to high-quality video evidence from any networked location. Incorporating an innovative docking station design (watch the video), the NVRs are easy to install and service - ultimately saving the retailer substantial maintenance costs. The popularity of the hybrid recorders was recently confirmed by IMS Research, which recognized March Networks as the #1 supplier of enterprise digital video recorders in the Americas.

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 visit www.marchnetworks.com.

Gartner Executive Programs' Worldwide Survey of More Than 2,300 CIOs Shows Flat IT Budgets in 2012, but IT Organizations Must Deliver on Multiple Priorities

Gartner Executive Programs' Worldwide Survey of More Than 2,300 CIOs Shows Flat IT Budgets in 2012, but IT Organizations Must Deliver on Multiple Priorities

Survey Shows CIOs are Using Technology to "Amplify" the Enterprise

STAMFORD, Conn., January 18, 2012—              IT organizations will have to deliver on multiple priorities without an increase in their IT budget, as CIO IT budgets are expected to be flat, increasing just 0.5 percent, with declining IT budgets in North America and Europe, according to a global survey of CIOs by Gartner, Inc.'s Executive Programs. 

The worldwide CIO survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2011, and it included 2,335 CIOs, representing more than $321 billion in CIO IT budgets and covering 37 industries in 45 countries. The Gartner Executive Programs report, "Amplifying the Enterprise: The 2012 CIO Agenda" represents the world's most comprehensive examination of business priorities and CIO strategies.

"Technology's role in the enterprise is increasing. This does not mean, however, that the role of the IT organization is increasing," said Mark McDonald, group vice president for Gartner Executive Programs and Gartner Fellow. "CIOs concentrating on IT as a force of operational automation, integration and control are losing ground to executives who see technology as a business amplifier and source of innovation. Effective leaders use technology, which includes IT, to strengthen the customer experience and eliminate costly internal distortions. They are using technology to 'amplify' the enterprise."

"In the face of continued economic uncertainty and government austerity, business strategies call for a combination of growth and operational efficiency. As reflected in the 2012 CIO Agenda survey findings, effective leaders see customers as the key factor in both of these strategic components, with the customer experience their focal point in reconciling potentially conflicting goals," Mr. McDonald said. "Present economic conditions may tempt CIOs to force IT back into cost-cutting mode, but senior executives expect technology — and this includes IT — to address the tough challenges by amplifying enterprise strategies and operations."

CIO's increasingly see technologies such as analytics/business intelligence, mobility, cloud and social in combination rather than isolation to address business priorities. Changing the customer experience requires changing the way the company interacts externally rather than operates internally.

Analytics/business intelligence was the top-ranked technology for 2012 (see Table 1) as CIOs are combining analytics with other technologies to create new capabilities. For example, analytics plus supply chain for process management and improvement, analytics plus mobility for field sales and operations, and analytics plus social for customer engagement and acquisition.

Table 1
Top 10 CIO Business and Technology Priorities in 2012

Top 10 Business Priorities

Ranking

Top 10 Technology Priorities

Ranking

Increasing enterprise growth

1

Analytics and business intelligence

1

Attracting and retaining new customers

2

Mobile technologies

2

Reducing enterprise costs

3

Cloud computing (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS)

3

Creating new products and services (innovation)

4

Collaboration technologies (workflow)

4

Delivering operational results

5

Virtualization

5

Improving efficiency

6

Legacy Modernization

6

Improving profitability (margins)

7

IT Management

7

Attracting and retaining the workforce

8

CRM

8

Improving marketing and sales effectiveness

9

ERP Applications

9

Expanding into new markets and geographies

10

Security

10

Source: Gartner Executive Programs (January 2012)

Sixty-one percent of enterprises responding to the survey say they will be improving their mobile capability over the next three years. The majority have a mobility strategy that calls for becoming a market leader in their industry — so there will be significant competition as everyone seeks to be "above average" in its industry.

Overall, CIOs rank growth as their top priority — despite tough economic conditions and future uncertainties. They are particularly attentive to attracting and retaining customers and to creating products and services.

Meeting business expectations for increased growth, reduced cost or a transformed customer experience normally involves a significant increase in IT resources. Forty-six percent of CIOs reported that their CIO IT budget would increase from 2011 to 2012 in terms of actual spending. The average firm in this year's survey will see a modest budget increase of between 2 and 3 percent.

On a global weighted average basis, CIO IT budgets are anticipated to be essentially flat for 2012. These investments are strongest among enterprises in Latin America (with a 12.7 percent IT budget increase) and the Asia/Pacific region (with a 3.4 percent increase), while investments are weakest among the largest enterprises in North America (decreasing 0.6 percent) and Europe (down 0.7 percent). Larger organizations, those with IT budgets more than $500 million, have continued to cut their IT expenditures, offsetting modest growth in the rest of the survey population.

"The 2012 Gartner CIO Agenda survey results show that CIOs believe that the customer experience is the greatest opportunity for IT-enabled innovation," said Dave Aron, vice president and Gartner Fellow. "As business executives see the potential of technology to transform customer channels and the customer experience, their view of technology has leapfrogged conventional ideas of IT."

Technology is playing an increasing role in enterprise growth, innovation and operational performance while technology's definition now incorporates new combinations of traditional IT systems, consumer devices and their respective services.

"Applying technology as part of amplifying the enterprise reflects both the changing nature of business strategies, and executive expectations about the role of technology in realizing those strategies. Amplifying products, services and operations requires an enterprise to strengthen the customer experience and send clearer market signals," Mr. McDonald said. "Mobility, social media, information and analytics can be used to re-imagine the customer experience, as well as sales and service channels. These technologies do more than automate or administer processes; they are the processes and the sources of value."

About Gartner Executive Programs
More than 4,000 CIOs and senior IT executives are members of Gartner Executive Programs, an exclusive organization combining the shared intelligence of the largest IT executive community in the world with customized access to Gartner insight and resources. Executive Programs help IT executives and their teams grow their enterprises, fuel competitive advantage and operate more efficiently. Additional information about Gartner Executive Programs can be found on Gartner's website at www.gartner.com/exp.

Mark McDonald will provide additional insight into the role of the CIO at the Gartner CIO Leadership Forums taking place March 5-7 in London and March 25-27 in Scottsdale, Arizona.  For more information on the London Forum, please visit http://www.gartner.com/technology/summits/emea/cio-forum/index.jsp.  For more information on the Scottsdale Forum, please visit http://www.gartner.com/technology/summits/na/cio/index.jsp.

Contacts:

Christy Pettey
Gartner
+1 408 468 8312
christy.pettey@gartner.com

Laurence Goasduff
Gartner
+ 44 1784 267 195
laurence.goasduff@gartner.com


About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is a valuable partner to 60,000 clients in 11,500 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 4,500 associates, including 1,250 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.

D-Link Expands Professional IP Surveillance Solutions with High-Definition Dome and Box Cameras


D-Link Expands Professional IP Surveillance Solutions with High-Definition Dome and Box Cameras


Four new cameras offer rich features and greater flexibility for businesses at an affordable price

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Jan. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - D-Link, the cost-effective, standards-based unified networking solutions provider for small business and medium enterprise IT environments, today announced the expansion of its professional surveillance offerings with four new high definition (HD) IP cameras. The D-Link® DCS-6113/6112 dome cameras feature full HD two-megapixel resolution and flexible mounting options, making them ideal for indoor retail locations. The DCS-3710/3112 box cameras offer greater lens flexibility, high resolution and flexible connectivity, making them excellent megapixel cameras for businesses looking to upgrade their current surveillance solutions. All four cameras are available now through all D-Link distribution partners.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110706/SF30992LOGO)

"The D-Link DCS-6113/6112 dome cameras offer excellent value, a small footprint and full HD resolution, perfect for customer-facing interior locations such as stores, hotels and hospitals," said Vance Kozik, director of product marketing, IP Surveillance for D-Link. "The D-Link DCS-3710/3112 box cameras feature Sony Exmor image sensors, which offer sharp megapixel resolution while still maintaining low noise performance in low light scenes."

As a leader in IP networking[1], D-Link is the only company to offer small- to medium-sized businesses a complete end-to-end IP surveillance solution, and the DCS-6113/6112 and DCS-3710/3112 cameras are the newest products in the company's line of industry-leading camera technology. All four cameras include D-ViewCAM™ video management software (VMS), a comprehensive surveillance system designed to centrally manage multiple IP cameras. The cameras are also ONVIF-compliant, the leading industry standard for the interface of IP-based physical security products, making them interoperable with a wide range of third-party VMS solutions.

Stress-Free Integration with Professional Services

Facility and IT managers currently using analog CCTV surveillance solutions require ease-of-integration and scalability as they transition to IP technology. D-Link's unique Professional Services program provides a wealth of high-value presale, installation and post-sale support services, including access to experts who are uniquely qualified to assess a customer's application requirements and assist with simple and complex installations, including multi-location IP surveillance installations. Security integrators can leverage Professional Services for added profitability as they develop their own IP practice.

About the DCS-6113 Day/Night and DCS-6112 Full HD Fixed Dome Network Cameras

The DCS-6113 and DCS-6112 Full HD Fixed Dome Cameras feature two megapixel, full 1080p HD resolution and H.264 compression, enabling high-quality video footage to be recorded and stored via the network, Internet or the built-in micro SD card slot. Ideal for interior locations, both cameras are equipped with a three-axis gimbal for flexible observation area adjustment, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). The DCS-6113 and DCS-6112 both support multiple video streams, each with its own independent resolution, frame rate and compression (H.264, MPEG-4 or MJPEG). The cameras also have an electronic tamper detection system that can sense whenever the camera has been redirected, defocused, blocked or spray-painted, and respond promptly with a notification. The DCS-6113 also includes built-in IR LEDs and a mechanical IR-cut filter, allowing for video capture in both dark and light environments.

About the DCS-3710 (Wide Dynamic Range) and DCS-3112 HD Day and Night Network Cameras

The DCS-3710 and DCS-3112 HD Day and Night Network Cameras are megapixel box cameras ideal for CCTV system integrators and IT professionals looking to upgrade their current surveillance solution, supporting analog out and video motion detection. Both cameras capture HD video at resolutions of up to 1280 x 720/1280 x 1024 with frame rates up to 30 fps, and allow for multiple independent video streams, including H.264, MPEG-4 and MJPEG video. Further, both cameras incorporate Sony Exmor CMOS sensors[2] for enhanced low light performance, as well as a mechanical IR-cut filter for day and night functionality. The DCS-3710 and DCS-3112 also allow for flexible connectivity with the inclusion of input and output ports, enabling connectivity to external devices such as IR sensors, switches and alarm relays. In addition, both cameras include SD card slots and an RS-485 interface, which provide connectivity to an optional pan/tilt enclosure, as well as a 12V interface offering power for an optional LED illuminator.

The DCS-3710 HD Day and Night WDR network camera is designed to capture clear video even under backlit conditions, making this the ideal camera for extreme high-contrast environments, such as lobbies, entryways and shipping docks.

Pricing & Availability

The DCS-6112 ($472), DCS-6113 ($514), DCS-3710 ($787), and DCS-3112 ($577)[3] are now available. All of D-Link's IP surveillance cameras, network switches and IP storage products are sold through D-Link's vast network of channel partners, including value-added resellers, solution providers and distributors.

Detailed specifications for the DCS-3710, DCS-3112, DCS-6113 and DCS-6112 IP surveillance cameras are available at http://ipsurveillance.dlink.com/.

About D-Link

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2011, D-Link is the global leader in connectivity for home, small business, mid- to large-sized enterprise environments, and service providers. An award-winning designer, developer, and manufacturer, D-Link implements and supports unified network solutions that integrate capabilities in switching, wireless, broadband, storage, IP Surveillance, and cloud-based network management. For more information visit www.dlink.com, www.dlink.ca or connect with D-Link on Facebook (www.facebook.com/dlink) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/dlink).

D-ViewCam, D-Link and the D-Link logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of D-Link Corporation or its subsidiaries. All other third-party marks mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright © 2012.D-Link. All Rights Reserved.


[1]Gartner Market Share: Enterprise Ethernet Switches Worldwide, 2010, March 2011 Research Report

[2] DCS-3710: equipped with 1/3" Megapixel WDR Progressive Scan CMOS sensor and a 2.9-8.2 mm DC auto iris lens; the DCS-3112 is equipped with a 1/4" 1.3 Megapixel Progressive Scan CMOS sensor and a 3.5-8 mm DC auto iris lens

[3] All prices CAD

SOURCE D-Link

For further information:

CONTACT: Denise Keddy of D-Link Systems, Inc., +1-714-885-6318, denise.keddy@dlink.com; Becki Gervin of Walt & Company, +1-408-369-7200, ext. 1070, bgervin@walt.com, for D-Link

http://www.dlink.com

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110706/SF30992LOGO

PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com


Tangoe, Inc. Acquires Anomalous Networks


Tangoe, Inc. Acquires Anomalous Networks

Enhances real-time expense management offering with bill shock prevention and extends partner distribution channels

Orange, Conn., January 10, 2012 — Tangoe, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGO), a leading global provider of on-demand Communications Lifecycle Management (CLM) software and related services, announced that it has acquired privately held Anomalous Networks, a leading provider of Real-Time Telecom Expense Management (rTEM) software solutions.

rTEM is a critical cost containment capability that enhances both mobile Telecom Expense Management (TEM) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions. For TEM solutions, rTEM shifts the expense management focus from post bill receipt to the actual point of consumption, reducing or proactively preventing the cost impacts of unnecessary overages. For MDM solutions, rTEM provides a rapidly deployed, easily configurable cost management capability that goes beyond traditional device security and control, enabling a more effective and complete solution. Based on its immediate and predictive cost containment nature, rTEM is an essential component in the elimination of “bill shock” or the unexpected receipt of large mobile services bills by individuals and organizations of all sizes.

Anomalous Networks delivers rTEM solutions for a wide array of communication devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, and modem-enabled equipment. The company’s solutions are complementary to Tangoe’s existing offerings by providing additional capabilities such as predictive cost intelligence, “bill shock” prevention, user alert acknowledgement tracking, usage anomaly detection, and enhanced policy enforcement. The combined offering will provide solutions with deeper, more expansive real-time usage visibility and control, enabling our customers with further opportunities to reduce their communication expenses.

“Managing the costs and security risks associated with the deployment of mobile technologies is an increasing challenge for global organizations as a result of the rapid growth and proliferation of connected devices. The acquisition of Anomalous Networks will enhance Tangoe’s ability to address this challenge by adding additional best-in-class, real-time expense management capabilities to our industry leading CLM platform,” said Al Subbloie, President and CEO of Tangoe. “Anomalous Networks’ cloud-based rTEM technology is highly complementary to our existing solutions, and we believe its compelling value proposition will provide Tangoe with an attractive cross-selling opportunity across our large and growing customer base as well as our business partners.”

Anomalous Networks has strategic alliances with key carriers, as well as additional partnerships with vendors in the managed service, OEM, machine-to-machine (M2M), and standalone MDM solution spaces. Its rTEM products were specifically designed for easy integration and branding allowing Tangoe to expand these channels, and offer rTEM as a critical value-added cost avoidance capability through third-parties.

In addition, this acquisition also broadens Tangoe’s CLM coverage to include M2M communication endpoints, extending expense management, asset tracking, and usage control to all types of wireless devices.

Tangoe does not expect the transaction to have a material impact on revenue or non-GAAP profitability for 2012, and it will provide first quarter and full year 2012 guidance when it announces fourth quarter and full year 2011 financial results during February.

 

About Tangoe

Tangoe is a leading global provider of Communications Lifecycle Management (CLM) software and services to a wide range of global enterprises. CLM encompasses the entire lifecycle of an enterprise’s communications assets and services, including planning and sourcing, procurement and provisioning, inventory and usage management, invoice processing, expense allocation and accounting and asset decommissioning and disposal. Tangoe’s Communications Management Platform (CMP) is an on-demand suite of software designed to manage and optimize the complex processes and expenses associated with this lifecycle for both fixed and mobile communications assets and services. Tangoe’s customers can also manage their communications assets and services by engaging Tangoe’s client service group.

Additional information about Tangoe can be found at www.tangoe.com. Tangoe is a registered trademark of Tangoe, Inc.

 

About Anomalous Networks

Anomalous Networks is the pioneer and leading provider of Real-Time Telecom Expense Management software solutions that allow small to large businesses to better manage the cost and security risks of deploying carrier-based mobile technologies and eliminate “bill shock.” The company’s Telicost, Telicost-Mobile, and Telicost-Lite solutions support leading mobile device platforms such as BlackBerry, BlackBerry PlayBook, iPhone, iPad, Windows Mobile, Android, 3G Modems, M2M solutions from companies and embedded devices such as laptops containing the Qualcomm GOBI chipset among others. Anomalous Networks was recently certified by AT&T, and its Telicost solution is currently Bell Canada’s best-selling mobile solution.

5 Trends That Will Shape Enterprise Software in 2012

 Macadamian Reveals 5 Trends That Will Shape Enterprise Software in 2012; Focus on Usability Underpins a Seismic Shift in Delivering Enterprise Software Value

 

Ottawa (January 18, 2012) - Macadamian, a global leader in user research based software development, today released five key predictions about the future of enterprise software. These projections, drawn from experience on hundreds of projects with clients, are of strategic importance to enterprise software vendors and web-based service providers.

 

“As we enter 2012, the battleground in enterprise software is shifting from features to usability”, said Scott Plewes, Macadamian VP of User Experience.  “Enterprise users are no longer sitting at their desks working from 9 - 5.  Enterprise software vendors must adapt the user experience of their products to deliver bottom line value in new user contexts.”    

 Macadamian’s top five predictions for enterprise software are:

 

1.       Redesigning for the cloud: As enterprise software vendors race to build Software as a Service (SaaS) versions of their flagship products, they must take the opportunity to renew both the workflow and user design.  Many will struggle to keep their solutions comfortably familiar for current users while luring customers to their new service.  The key to success will be striking the delicate design balance between “fresh” and “familiar”.

 

2.       Mobile use: Enterprise software vendors will continue to respond to the increasing need to access applications using smartphones and tablets.  These smaller screen devices present physical challenges to entering and presenting data as well as technical challenges specific to the mobile operating systems targeted.  Successfully porting complex enterprise software to a wide range of mobile devices that will be used in non-traditional contexts remains an ongoing project for software vendors.

 

3.       Effective presentation of complex data analytics: While the volume of information within enterprises continues to grow, and the feature sets of data analytics software swell, enterprise software vendors must take new approaches to effectively organize and present the right data, at the right time, for the right task.  Designs that elevate the actionable trends from within the analytical noise will distinguish the best solutions.

 

4.       Context-awareness: Enterprise software vendors must plan how their applications should work given a user’s unique state, social environment and tasks. Vendors must create software that is smarter about its users rather than relying on expert users to be smart about software.  This includes the integration of social networks, presence and collaboration tools. 

 

5.       Vertical market specialization: Vendors that have historically provided general-purpose applications must move towards vertical specialization of their software as the number of deployments in specific vertical markets such as healthcare, legal and accounting creates a critical mass of users.  This will demand domain knowledge, familiarity with usability guidelines and expertise in relevant technical standards.

 

“Usability in enterprise software has lagged behind consumer software, slowing its adoption and reducing its anticipated ROI”, continued Mr. Plewes, “Closing this gap must be a competitive priority in 2012 for both enterprise software market leaders and their challengers.”

 

Based on its experience, Macadamian has prepared a series of whitepapers on usability strategies for enterprise software.

 

About Macadamian

Macadamian is a global leader in software product creation providing a complete range of product strategy, user experience design and software engineering services to clients around the world, including industry leaders like Sage, Microsoft, IBM, EMC, and Adobe. For established and emerging technologies and platforms, Macadamian has a track record of helping clients create successful products on a complete range of desktop, web and mobile platforms. Additional information is available at www.macadamian.com or by following Macadamian on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Press Inquires

Doug Michaelides, VP Marketing

dmichaelides@macadamian.com

(613) 355 4181

 

Heather McCulligh, Media Relations

hmcculligh@rogers.com

(613) 797 8949

 

 

The Associated Press Sets the Bar for HD Video with EMC Isilon


The Associated Press Sets the Bar for HD Video with EMC Isilon

News Giant Gains Competitive Advantage by Speeding Access to HD Video
with “No Compromise” Scale-out NAS

SEATTLE – January 18, 2012 – EMC Corporation (http://www.emc.com/)
(NYSE: EMC) today announced that The Associated Press (AP), one of the
world’s largest sources of independent newsgathering, has deployed EMC®
Isilon® scale-out NAS ( http://www.isilon.com/products/index.php ) to
support the Big Data demands of its high-definition video production and
archive workflows. By implementing a single EMC Isilon system and
software, AP has boosted the performance of copy and transfer rates,
streamlined storage management, improved reliability, and lowered its
video archive storage costs, without compromising on any of these
dimensions. Although EMC Isilon was initially deployed specifically for
AP’s video editing workflow, the news organization soon began using
Isilon to archive content as well, realizing significant cost savings.

Customer Benefits:

* Simplified IT management – EMC Isilon allows AP to aggregate all
storage assets into one pool, assign users appropriate levels of
service, and easily perform other storage management tasks. EMC Isilon
is also enabling AP’s transition from four storage tiers to two
(object-level and block-level)
* Accelerated content access – EMC Isilon delivers a 6X video copy
and transfer rate performance increase over AP’s previous tape
archival system
* Increased reliability – EMC Isilon provides 99 per cent reliability
vs. AP’s legacy tape-based system, which failed 10 to 15 per cent of
the time
* Easy scalability – EMC Isilon scale-out architecture and management
software will enable AP to seamlessly and effortlessly scale from about
800 terabytes today to about 2.5 petabytes by mid-2013 and add capacity
and boost performance as needed
* Lower storage and IT costs – AP is realizing savings of up to 45
per cent per terabyte of HD video content with EMC Isilon, compared to
the tape-based archival system it had been using
* Ease of use – IT staff required no training to deploy and configure
EMC Isilon

Customer Challenges and Solution:

As newsgathering organizations continued transitioning to HD video in
2011, AP needed to upgrade its standard-definition video content
offerings. However, the tape-based video archival system AP had deployed
for standard-definition video was not up to the task of handling more
performance-intensive HD content. The tape system had a high
per-terabyte cost, sluggish access and transfer rates, and failed 10 to
15 per cent of the time. In addition, every few years tape technology
changes, requiring organizations to convert existing tapes to make them
compatible with the latest standards.

Having previously implemented Isilon for its video editing workflow, AP
expanded its use of Isilon into video archiving as part of a complete
video infrastructure revamp to support the HD video upgrade, from
camcorders to servers to storage. AP deployed EMC Isilon NL-Series
(http://www.isilon.com/nl-series) and X-Series
(http://www.isilon.com/x-series)platform nodes in its New Jersey and
London data centres to support its video production and archival system.
The Isilon OneFS® (http://www.isilon.com/onefs-operating-system)
operating system, and SmartPools (http://www.isilon.com/smartpools) and
SmartConnect (http://www.isilon.com/smartconnect) software enable AP to
aggregate all storage assets into one pool, assign appropriate levels of
service to individual users, and easily perform other storage management
tasks. EMC Isilon enabled AP to transition from four storage tiers to
two (object-level and block-level), and to unify multiple content
archives in one infrastructure, further simplifying IT management and
reducing storage costs.

Customer Quote:

Don Merrick, Storage and Backup Services Manager, Associated P
ress

“As part of its multimillion-dollar upgrade, the AP is transforming
its video business by switching its entire newsgathering, production and
distribution systems to HD, forming the largest rollout of HD by any
news agency globally. As part of a complete production environment
transformation, we deployed EMC Isilon to take our video storage
capabilities into the next generation. Now we don’t have to compromise
capacity for performance – we can grow both at the same time. With EMC
Isilon we’ve made content access much faster for our clients, and
we’re gaining a competitive advantage over other content
providers.”

EMC Quote:

Sam Grocott, Vice President of Marketing, EMC Isilon

“Media organizations around the world depend on the Associated Press
for timely content, whether it’s video, still images, or news
articles. Every second counts in the newsgathering process, and EMC
Isilon is helping AP deliver the fastest possible video content access
to its customers while also helping AP reduce storage costs and simplify
IT management.”

About Isilon

Isilon, a division of EMC, is the global leader in scale-out NAS. We
deliver powerful yet simple solutions for enterprises that want to
manage their data, not their storage. Isilon’s products are simple to
install, manage and scale, at any size. And, unlike traditional
enterprise storage, Isilon stays simple no matter how much storage is
added, how much performance is required or how business needs change in
the future. We're challenging enterprises to think differently about
their storage, because when they do, they'll recognize there’s a
better, simpler way. Learn what we mean at http://www.isilon.com.

About EMC

EMC Corporation is a global leader in enabling businesses and service
providers to transform their operations and deliver IT as a service.
Fundamental to this transformation is cloud computing. Through
innovative products and services, EMC accelerates the journey to cloud
computing, helping IT departments to store, manage, protect and analyze
their most valuable asset – information – in a more agile, trusted
and cost-efficient way. Additional information about EMC can be found at
www.EMC.com.

EMC Canada (www.EMC2.ca), headquartered in Toronto with nine offices
from coast to coast, is a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation.

- 30 -

For more information contact:
Mike Martin/Michelle Chang
StrategicAmpersand
416-961-5595
mike@stratamp.com
michelle@stratamp.com
 

Microsoft Brings the Cloud Down to Earth for Enterprises

Microsoft Brings the Cloud Down to Earth for Enterprises

System Center 2012 is a true "private cloud builder."

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - In an online broadcast today from Microsoft Corp. headquarters, Satya Nadella, president of Microsoft Server and Tools Business, laid out how Microsoft's private cloud solution will help businesses move faster, save money and better compete in 2012. He highlighted how companies, such as webcast participants Lufthansa Systems, T. Rowe Price and Unilever, can use Microsoft System Center 2012 to build and operate private clouds for the delivery of business applications across both private and public cloud platforms. System Center 2012 is available today in a Release Candidate as a single, integrated private cloud management solution for the first time.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

"IT leaders tell me that private cloud computing promises to help them focus on innovation over maintenance, to streamline costs and to respond to the need for IT speed," Nadella said. "We are delivering on that promise today. With System Center 2012, customers can move beyond the industry hype and speculation, and progress into the here and now of private cloud."

All Together Now: Private Cloud Simplicity and Best Economics

New advances in System Center 2012 demonstrate Microsoft's commitment to easing the acquisition, deployment and economics of private cloud computing.

"A private cloud is our answer to corralling our server infrastructure into a single entity we can use to more rapidly deliver services that really matter to our business," said Peter Daniels, vice president of IT at T. Rowe Price. "System Center 2012 is truly a game changer."

System Center 2012 integrates eight separate component products into one unified solution, streamlining installation and reducing the time it takes to deploy from days down to hours. The number of product versions has also been simplified, so customers will be able to choose between the Standard and Datacenter editions of the product, based on their virtualization requirements. And because System Center 2012 Datacenter edition licensing covers unlimited virtual machines, customers can continually grow their private clouds without additional licensing costs for virtualizing their infrastructure and applications.

The Microsoft Private Cloud: Built for the Future. Ready Now

Lufthansa Systems and Unilever are also relying on System Center 2012 and the Microsoft private cloud.

"We are making the move to cloud computing across our company, and after looking at our options, Microsoft offers the right solutions for us," said Holger Berndt, head of Microsoft Servers at Lufthansa Systems. "With the integrated approach and technology, we can use the people and skills we have in place now to build the private cloud services we need to meet the complex IT requirements of our customers. Microsoft brings it all together, including the clear path to public cloud on Windows Azure."

"Our private cloud will help us meet our goal of doubling Unilever's business without increasing our environmental footprint," said Mike Royle, enterprise services IT director at Unilever. "Working with Avanade, we are betting on System Center 2012 as the management platform to extend our investments in virtualization toward private cloud, to automate processes, and to ensure the reliability of our infrastructure and application services."

More information is available here, including the on-demand broadcast, links to the Microsoft private cloud evaluation software and more. The conversation on Twitter can be followed at #MSFTprivatecloud.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

Mobile Banking Service Adoption to Reach over Half a Billion Users by 2013 Despite Economic Downturn

Mobile Banking Service Adoption to Reach over Half a Billion Users by 2013 Despite Economic Downturn

Hampshire, UK – 17th January 2012: Despite the challenging economic climate and threat of further global recession, a new report from Juniper Research finds that mobile banking users worldwide will reach 530 million by 2013, up from just over 300 million in 2011. Indeed, Juniper finds that mobile services are becoming a fundamental component of banks’ business strategies as they respond to the current financial crisis.

The 5th Channel

The report found that as banks migrate from traditional bricks-and-mortar approaches and seek competitive differentiation, mBanking offers an opportunity for all banks to improve operational efficiencies and customer retention and acquisition as a cost-effective communication channel.

24/7 Connectivity and Smart Apps

As consumer smartphone adoption becomes more prevalent, mBanking will gain impetus particularly in Western markets, with consumers seeking tighter control on finances given uncertain economic conditions. Juniper observes that Financial Institutions are anticipating consumer demand by developing native smartphone and tablet applications for iPhones, iPads and Android devices. However, the report cautions that the most successful deployments adopt a triple-play solution utilising not only apps, but SMS and Browser-based delivery channels.

According to report author Sonia Lalli: “Mobile Banking will be one of the greatest success stories of the mobile commerce industry over the next five years, as consumers observe the benefits of accessing banking services on the move. As customers become comfortable with undertaking basic banking functions on their mobiles, an increasing number will adopt transactional-based banking enabled by the enhanced functionality afforded by smart devices, exposed to an all-immersive consumer experience.”

Other key findings from the report include:

·         MNOs and banks have a mutually beneficial opportunity to collaborate to improve customer acquisition and retention, whilst reducing operational costs;

·         Transactional mBanking usage will reflect similarly aggressive growth rates to SMS with over 550 million subscribers worldwide by the end of 2016;

·         The developed markets of North America, Western Europe and the Far East & China will have the highest penetration of users in 2016.

The Mobile Banking whitepaper is available to download from the Juniper website together with further details of the full study.

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

Jess Hanslip

Juniper Research

T: +44(0)1256 830 001

E: jess.hanslip@juniperresearch.com

Clear Bright Spots Amongst Mixed IT Hiring Projections


Clear Bright Spots Amongst Mixed IT Hiring Projections


Randstad Technologies/IBM Study reveals Canadian businesses have a similar intent to hire for IT professionals in 2012, compared to the previous year.

TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - According to a recent survey of Canadian business decision-makers commissioned by Randstad Technologies and IBM Canada, the IT staffing outlook for 2012, while featuring many areas of strong demand for top technology talent, is decidedly mixed. But there are some evident areas of strength for information technology professionals in search of opportunity.

Employers say they will continue to bring on IT Pros in 2012.

Since 2009, IT staff projections have continued to increase and according to the results of the survey, this trend is expected to continue into 2012. Nearly half (41%) of the survey respondents say they plan to keep their IT staffing levels constant in the near and long-term, similar to what was reported in 2011. In addition, 49 per cent of those surveyed plan to grow their current staffing levels this year, while only 10 per cent expect to decrease.

According to Mike Winterfield, President of Randstad Technologies, contrary to much of what is being reported, Randstad is seeing active hiring within the ICT sector in Canada. "Our data shows that the ICT Sector has remained very strong throughout the course of 2011. In fact, permanent job orders and contract placements were higher in 2011 than they were in 2010, year-to-date," he says. 

"The markets that we've seen the most upswings in recently are the financial services and banking sector, as well as government. In terms of the types of roles that are in high-demand right now, we have seen a notable increase in companies looking to hire business analysts, web developers, and different infrastructure support type roles," says Winterfield.

The demand is driven by a number of positive developments.

CIOs and VPs that were surveyed say they will continue to plan to hire more IT staff in 2012, and hiring plans overall are in line with expectations expressed in 2010.

New applications and increased IT workloads are said to be driving job prospects for Canadian technology professionals. Upgrades and refreshes are currently ranked as the biggest drivers for increasing IT staff in 2012 (47%), followed by internal company integration (37%) and IT/Data Security (29%), Collaboration (26%) and Cloud (24%) .

"Finding skilled IT people to address resource gaps is challenging, particularly as technologies converge and skills in enterprise architecture, collaboration, security and cloud technologies continue to be in demand. Companies spent considerable time in 2011 understanding the various aspects of cloud and assessing the impacts on their IT strategy,  service delivery, and skill/resourcing  gaps, but they need to be better prepared to look at creative approaches to filling those gaps, including leveraging global resources, " said Robert Wylie, Vice President of Integrated Technology Services, IBM.

Strong need for management and business roles.

The results show that for large and small companies, Project Management and Business Analysis continue to be the talent requirements most in demand within the IT industry. Although these two skills sets have remained in demand since 2009, the overall need has decreased to 42% (its highest peak reached 50% in 2010). The continued growth in the demand for these roles reinforces the move to a more specialized workforce with skills in business and IT.

Applications development skills in high demand.

Nearly half (48%) of respondents expecting IT staff increases cite applications development as a skill they will be looking for over the next 12 months. The application development skills that will continue to attract the most attention include .Net (33 per cent) and Java (31 per cent). These needs are similar across all regions, with the exception of SAP which is more highly in demand in the West.

According to Winterfield, "Professional SAP skills are particularly marketable in most industrial sectors of the economy. In this case, the oil and gas industry is directly contributing to the increase in demand for SAP in the West."

Infrastructure implementation and support skills also in high demand. 

Over 60 per cent of respondents indicated they will also be looking for infrastructure skills in 2012. Technical Project Managers (35 per cent), Server Virtualization Specialists (33 per cent) and Network Architects & Specialists (29 per cent) are among the Infrastructure skills that will be in high demand.

The use of global resourcing is increasing.

Almost half of the survey respondents currently use global resourcing, in contrast with approximately one-third in 2009 and 2010. Reducing cost is the primary reason for using global resourcing, although access to skill bases and 24/7 services are also important.

About the Randstad Technologies/IBM Canadian IT Staffing Outlook
The study is the third annual survey and covered over 200 top-level business decision makers, from organizations of all sizes, for information regarding IT staffing trends and projections. The study was conducted between October 4, 2011 and November 18, 2011.

About Randstad Technologies: Specializing in delivering tailored IT recruitment solutions to specific business areas, Randstad Technologies provides short-term contractors with specific skills or permanent staff to bring a refreshed focus to IT divisions.  Our teams are experts in their local labor markets. They are skilled at marrying talent and business — matching talented IT professionals with the culture and business goals of Canada's leading IT organizations. Visit randstadtechnologies.ca.

About Randstad Canada: Randstad Canada is the Canadian leader for staffing, recruitment and HR Services. As the only fully integrated staffing company in the country, we understand the recruitment needs and demands of employers and job seekers across all levels and industries. Through our insightful knowledge of local markets, employment trends and global network of recruitment experts, we are shaping the Canadian world of work. Visit randstad.ca 

About IBM: For more on IBM please visit www.ibm.com/ca

For further information:

Dayana Moreno
Marie-Noelle Morency

Telephone
416.962.9578 x2317
514.350.5309 x233


Leading Chief Security Officers Outline Roadmap to Combat Advanced Threats

Leading Chief Security Officers Outline Roadmap to Combat Advanced Threats

RSA-Sponsored CISO Panel Highlights Intelligence-Driven Security as Strategic Game Changer in Battling Cyber Foes

BEDFORD, MA – January 17, 2012 – RSA, The Security Division of EMC
(NYSE:EMC), released new insights from a group of the world’s leading
chief security officers, designed to help corporations and governments
dramatically improve visibility into advanced threats ranging from
industrial espionage and disruption of business and financial operations
to sabotage of corporate infrastructure.

The research report is the ninth in a series from the Security for
Business Innovation Council (SBIC), and provides both business and
technology executives with specific recommendations on how to develop an
intelligence-driven approach to counter advanced threats. Based on the
real-world experiences of 17 top global information security leaders,
the report provides a playbook for enterprise security executives who
wish to leverage the universe of intelligence data available to help
detect, predict and mitigate cyber attacks.

“The day-to-day use of cyber risk intelligence is no longer just for
government agencies – it’s a required competency for corporate
survival,” said Art Coviello, Executive Chairman of RSA. “The tempo
and serious nature of recent attacks calls for urgent and bold
countermeasures that position organizations not only to detect advanced
threats, but also to predict how attacks may occur so they can take
steps to help mitigate risk and impact. Combating advanced threats
requires a new security mindset and vastly improved practices for
gathering, sharing and acting on cyber risk intelligence.”

Intelligence-Driven Security: a New Defense Doctrine for Advanced
Threats

The SBIC is a group of top security leaders from Global 1000
enterprises convened by RSA to discuss top-of-mind security concerns and
opportunities. In the group’s latest report, “Getting Ahead of
Advanced Threats: Achieving Intelligence-Driven Information Security,”
the Council advocates for a new defense doctrine for combating advanced
threats. Called “intelligence-driven information security,” this
collaborative, big data approach includes:

* The consistent collection of reliable and actionable cyber risk data
from a range of government, industry, commercial and internal sources to
gain a more complete understanding of risks and potential exposures
* Ongoing research on prospective cyber adversaries to develop
knowledge of attack motivations, favoured techniques and known
activities
* The growth of new skills within the information security team focused
on the production of intelligence
* A process for efficient analysis, fusion and management of cyber risk
data from multiple sources to develop actionable intelligence
* Full visibility into actual conditions within IT environments,
including insight that can identify normal versus abnormal system and
end user behaviour
* Informed risk decisions and defensive strategies based on
comprehensive knowledge of the threats and the organization’s own
security posture
* Best practices to share useful threat information such as attack
indicators with other organizations

“It can be hard to digest having to develop a multi-year plan to
learn who your adversaries are and how they’re going to steal from
you,” said Tim McKnight, Vice President and Chief Information Security
Officer, Northrop Grumman. “Quarter-by-quarter, you may not see any
losses. It could be years until you see the losses – when all of a
sudden, out of the blue, a company in another part of the world becomes
the leader in your space, having subsidized itself with your R&D
investments.”

The Council’s new report lays out a six-step roadmap to achieving
intelligence-driven information security:

* Step 1: Start with the Basics
I
nventory strategic assets, strengthen incident-response processes and
perform comprehensive risk assessments.
* Step 2: Make the Case
Communicate the benefits of an intelligence-driven security program to
executive management and key stakeholders. Identifying “quick wins”
to prove value out of the gate is essential for gaining broad
organizational support, including funding.
* Step 3: Find the Right People
Look for professionals who can blend technical security acumen with
analytical thinking and relationship-building skills.
* Step 4: Build Sources
Determine what data from external or internal sources would help
detect, predict or lessen the chances for a targeted attack; evaluate
sources on an ongoing basis.
* Step 5: Define a Process
Codify a standardized methodology to produce actionable intelligence,
ensure an appropriate and timely response and develop attack
countermeasures.
* Step 6: Implement Automation
Find opportunities to automate the analysis and management of large
volumes of data from multiple sources.

PDF copies of “Getting Ahead of Advanced Threats: Achieving
Intelligence-driven Information Security,” are available for download
from the Security for Business Innovation Council website at
http://www.RSA.com/securityforinnovation.

About the Security for Business Innovation Council

The Security for Business Innovation Council
(http://www.rsa.com/node.aspx?id=3151) is a group of Global 1000
security executives committed to advancing information security
worldwide by sharing their diverse professional experiences and
insights.

Council members contributing to this report include:

* Marene N. Allison, Worldwide Vice President of Information Security,
Johnson & Johnson
* Anish Bhimani, Chief Information Risk Officer, JPMorgan Chase
* William Boni, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer,
Corporate Information Security, T-Mobile USA
* Roland Cloutier, Vice President, Chief Security Officer, Automatic
Data Processing, Inc.
* Dave Cullinane, Chief Information Security Officer and Vice
President, Global Fraud, Risk & Security, eBay
* Dr. Martijn Dekker, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security
Officer, ABN Amro
* Professor Paul Dorey, Founder and Director, CSO Confidential and
Former Chief Information Security Officer, BP
* Renee Guttmann, Chief Information Security Officer, The Coca-Cola
Company
* David Kent, Vice President, Global Risk and Business Resources,
Genzyme
* Petri Kuivala, Chief Information Security Officer, Nokia
* Dave Martin, Chief Security Officer, EMC Corporation
* Timothy McKnight, Vice President and Chief Information Security
Officer, Northrop Grumman
* Felix Mohan, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security
Officer, Airtel
* Robert Rodger, Group Head of Infrastructure Security, HSBC Holdings
Plc.
* Ralph Salomon, Vice President, IT Security & Risk Office, Global IT,
SAP AG
* Vishal Salvi, Chief Information Security Officer and Senior Vice
President, HDFC Bank Limited

This report also includes expertise from guest contributor William
Pelgrin, President and CEO, Center for Internet Security; Chair,
Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC); and
Chair, National Council of ISACs (NCI).

About RSA

RSA, The Security Division of EMC, is the premier provider of security,
risk and compliance management solutions for business acceleration. RSA
helps the world’s leading organizations solve their most complex and
sensitive security challenges. These challenges include managing
organizational risk, safeguarding mobile access and collaboration,
proving compliance and securing virtual and cloud environments.

Combining business-critical controls in identity assurance, encryption
& key management
(http://www.rsasecurity.com/glossary/default.asp?id=1111), SIEM, Data
Loss Prevention, Continuous Network Monitoring, and Fraud Protection
with industry leading eGRC capabilities and robust consulting services,
RSA brings visibility and t
rust to millions of user identities, the
transactions that they perform and the data that is generated. For more
information, please visit www.RSA.com and www.EMC.com.

About EMC

EMC Corporation is a global leader in enabling businesses and service
providers to transform their operations and deliver IT as a service.
Fundamental to this transformation is cloud computing. Through
innovative products and services, EMC accelerates the journey to cloud
computing, helping IT departments to store, manage, protect and analyze
their most valuable asset – information – in a more agile, trusted
and cost-efficient way. Additional information about EMC can be found at
www.EMC.com.

EMC Canada (www.EMC2.ca), headquartered in Toronto with nine offices
from coast to coast, is a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation.

- 30 -

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StrategicAmpersand
416-961-5595
mike@stratamp.com
michelle@stratamp.com


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