Juniper Networks Expands Mobile Security and Management for Enterprises and Service Providers to Protect Today's Mobile

Juniper Networks Expands Mobile Security and Management for Enterprises and Service Providers to Protect Today's Mobile Workforce

from Juniper by Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks Expands Mobile Security and Management for Enterprises and Service Providers to Protect Today's Mobile Workforce

Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite Integrates Mobile Security and Management Controls, Easing Enterprise Support Burden for Personal Mobile Devices and Anytime, Anywhere Access

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 28, 2011 — Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) announced the availability of several new enhancements to its Junos® Pulse Mobile Security Suite, which provides integrated mobile security, secure connectivity and device management for a wide range of mobile devices. The latest version delivers new mobile device management and security controls, as well as an API to allow service providers and OEMs to integrate with the Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite management.

"Enterprises are being flooded with employee requests to support new mobile devices, especially as more companies are adopting a 'Bring Your Own Device' policy in response to employee demand for anywhere anytime access to corporate networks from their personal devices," said Sanjay Beri, vice president and general manager, Junos Pulse Business Unit, Juniper Networks. "The new mobile device configuration and management features in Junos Pulse are designed to enable enterprises and service providers to simply and cost effectively manage mobile devices, unburdening their IT teams while also granting employees the secure mobile productivity and flexibility they need."

With Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite, enterprises with Apple iPads, iPhones and iPod touch devices attempting to access their networks and resources can now enforce and set passcode policies, and provision and remove Microsoft Exchange profiles – also removing corporate-synched email, contacts and calendar events, provision VPN and Wi-Fi settings, and inventory and restrict applications that could introduce security risks. With the new functionality, IT departments can also locate and track lost or stolen Apple iOS-based devices through the Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite GPS locator, and then remotely lock the device and wipe its contents.

"It is becoming a reality that employees' consumer devices are going to be accessing the corporate network, with or without permission. IT organizations are thus looking for solutions that let them say YES," said Charles Kolodgy, research vice president for security products at IDC. "Enterprises require an integrated solution that can provide a broad range of capabilities, including secure connections, security protections and device management for a broad range of devices. Juniper Networks Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite is at the forefront of satisfying secure mobile connectivity."

Additionally, a policy-based user interface for Google Android devices is now available in the Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite, providing a near-zero touch antivirus client that only requires user interaction when malware, spyware and non-compliant applications are detected.

The Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite now increases support for automated registration to include BlackBerry and Apple iOS devices, in addition to the previously supported Google Android devices. The automated registration feature simplifies the registration process for a user, since it does not require them to enter any codes or information to register and authorize the Junos Pulse client.

Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite API for Service Provider and OEM Toolkit

Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite offers a scalable on-demand mobile security infrastructure, through a secure cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) allowing businesses to easily protect new user or corporate-owned mobile devices. Additionally, the Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite manages security features and policies quickly and seamlessly, without requiring huge upfront expense and ongoing maintenance for businesses deploying their own hardware and servers.

The new API and OEM Toolkit allows service providers and OEM partners to customize, integrate and co-brand their offerings, as well as add security features quickly and seamlessly, providing service providers with a range of value-added mobile security and management service offerings for consumer and enterprise customers.

In related Juniper news, read how Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite is part of Juniper Networks Simply Connected portfolio to enable the mobile workforce.

About Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks is in the business of network innovation. From devices to data centers, from consumers to cloud providers, Juniper Networks delivers the software, silicon and systems that transform the experience and economics of networking. Additional information can be found at Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net).

Juniper Networks and Junos are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The Juniper Networks and Junos logos are trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Microsoft and Samsung Broaden Smartphone Partnership

News Press Release
Microsoft and Samsung Broaden Smartphone Partnership
Agreements mark new initiatives to promote Windows Phone and share intellectual property.

REDMOND, Wash — Sept. 28, 2011 — Microsoft announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., to cross-license the patent portfolios of both companies, providing broad coverage for each company’s products. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive royalties for Samsung’s mobile phones and tablets running the Android mobile platform. In addition, the companies agreed to cooperate in the development and marketing of Windows Phone.

“Microsoft and Samsung see the opportunity for dramatic growth in Windows Phone and we’re investing to make that a reality,” said Andy Lees, president, Windows Phone Division, Microsoft. “Microsoft believes in a model where all our partners can grow and profit based on our platform.”

“Through the cross-licensing of our respective patent portfolios, Samsung and Microsoft can continue to bring the latest innovations to the mobile industry,” said Dr. Won-Pyo Hong, executive vice president of global product strategy at Samsung’s mobile communication division. “We are pleased to build upon our long history of working together to open a new chapter of collaboration beginning with our Windows Phone “Mango” launch this fall.”

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

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

Gartner Says Worldwide Semiconductor Capital Equipment Spending to Decline 19.2 Percent in 2012

Gartner Says Worldwide Semiconductor Capital Equipment Spending to Decline 19.2 Percent in 2012

Analysts Examine the Future of the Semiconductor Industry During the Gartner Semiconductor Briefing: New Business Opportunities Transcend Near-Term, November 3, in San Jose

STAMFORD, Conn., September 30, 2011— 

Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending is expected to total $35.2 billion in 2012, a 19.2 percent decline from projected 2011 spending of $43.5 billion, according to Gartner, Inc. Excess electronics inventory and poor demand as a result of the slowing macro economy are to blame for the declining spending.

"The slowdown appears to be across the board. While it appears the foundries will continue their capacity race at 28 nanometers (nm), spending on 45 to 90 nm technologies is slowing, and some equipment from those technology nodes is being used for 28 nm production to help increase capacity utilization," said Klaus Rinnen, managing vice president at Gartner. "Due to weaker-than-expected growth in the production units of media tablets, NAND spending has softened slightly, as well."

Gartner expects the slowdown to last for the remainder of 2011 and into the first half of 2012. By mid-2012 Gartner expects the supply and demand to be more in balance, so DRAM and foundry will need to begin to increase spending to meet an increase in demand as the PC market rebounds and consumers begin spending once the economy stabilizes a bit. The next growth year is expected to be 2013, when capital spending will increase by 18.4 percent (see Table 1).

Table 1
Worldwide Semiconductor Capital Equipment Spending Forecast, 2009-2015 (Millions of Dollars)

 

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Semiconductor Capital Spending ($M)

56,526.2

  61,832.1

  51,533.9

  61,026.4

  62,513.2

  59,325.6

Growth

118.4%

9.4%

-16.7%

18.4%

2.4%

-5.1%

Capital Equipment ($M)

40,639.1

43,520.0

35,168.5

42,772.6

43,885.1

40,927.1

Growth

142.7%

7.1%

-19.2%

21.6%

2.6%

-6.7%

Wafer Fab Equipment ($M)

31,624.7

34,582.9

27,811.5

33,580.8

35,011.3

32,032.4

Growth

145.5%

9.4%

-19.6%

20.7%

4.3%

-8.5%

Packaging and Assembly Equipment ($M)

6,154.6

6,066.2

5,005.8

6,122.3

5,959.0

5,875.6

Growth

127.2%

-1.4%

-17.5%

22.3%

-2.7%

-1.4%

Automated Test Equipment ($M)

2,859.8

2,871.0

2,351.2

3,069.5

2,914.8

3,019.1

Growth

148.7%

0.4%

-18.1%

30.6%

-5.0%

3.6%

Other Spending ($M)

15,887.0

18,312.1

16,365.3

18,253.8

18,628.1

18,398.5

Growth

73.9%

15.3%

-10.6%

11.5%

2.1%

-1.2%

Source: Gartner (September 2011)

Worldwide wafer fab equipment (WFE) revenue started slowing in the second quarter of 2011, and the decline will accelerate in the second half of 2011 with the added pressure of slowing device sales and excess inventory liquidation. WFE revenue is forecast to grow 9.4 percent in 2011, but decline 19.6 percent in 2012. The need for leading-edge equipment is benefiting immersion lithography, etch, certain segments in deposition involved in double patterning, and critical leading-edge logic processes. Leading edge is not the only benefactor of expanding mobile media markets. Analog and discrete devices needed for power management and energy management will drive the need for 200-millimeter (mm) equipment.

Worldwide packaging and assembly equipment (PAE) revenue is projected to decline 1.4 percent in 2011 and decrease 17.5 percent in 2012. Orders for PAE have softened more aggressively than previously expected as supply comes in line with expectations. For back-end process providers' capital expenditure (capex) purchases, 3D packaging and copper wire bonding for lower-cost solutions will still be the focus, but at a reduced pace. Most major tool segments will see slightly negative sales in 2011, but advanced tooling will once again be stronger than the general market this year. For 2012, traditional tooling segments will see a sizable decline in sales, while advanced packaging segments are expected to fall less than traditional when compared with 2011.

For 2011, the automated test equipment (ATE) market is expected to remain essentially flat with revenue growth at 0.4 percent. The market has been driven by the continued demand of system-on-chip and the advanced radio frequency segments of the market. Memory ATE will likely pull back in 2011 as DRAM capex softens. However, NAND testing platforms are expected to be stronger than the general memory test market this year. For 2012, analysts expect a significant decline in tester sales, though memory systems should hold up reasonably well compared with most cycles as DRAM capex returns.

Additional information is available in the Gartner report "Forecast Analysis: Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment, Worldwide, 2010-2015, 3Q11 Update." The report is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1801517.

Gartner analysts will provide more detailed analysis on the future of the semiconductor industry during the Gartner Semiconductor Briefing: New Business Opportunities Transcend Near-Term Uncertainty. The Local Briefing will take place November 3, 2011 at the Doubletree Hotel San Jose. To register for this complimentary briefing, please visit http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1793414.

This research is produced by Gartner's Semiconductor Manufacturing program. This research program, which is part of the overall semiconductor research group, provides a comprehensive view of the entire semiconductor industry, from manufacturing to device and application market trends. More information on Gartner's semiconductor research can be found in the Gartner Semiconductor Manufacturing Focus Area at http://www.gartner.com/technology/core/products/research/markets/semiconductorManufacturing.jsp.

Contacts:

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

Holly Stevens
Gartner
+44 0 1784 267412
holly.stevens@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.

The Herjavec Group (THG) Acquires Zentra

The Herjavec Group (THG) Acquires Zentra
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, Ontario September 27 – 2011 – The Herjavec Group ( THG ) ( www.HerjavecGroup.com ), Canada’s fastest growing technology Company ( Branham 300, Profit 100 ) has announced the acquisition of Zentra ( www.Zentra.com ), a $ 50 million data storage and virtualization integrator. Zentra is a privately held Company that was founded in 1991 and is based in Calgary – with a significant presence in Ottawa. Over the last 20 years Zentra has built an enviable reputation with Government and Enterprise as a specialist in data storage concepts and architecture, server and storage virtualization and high performance computing. With its staff of over 65 people in 5 offices, Zentra provides a full spectrum of solutions including security through its acquisition in 2010 of Calgary based security specialist Accuetrust (www.Accuetrust ). Accuetrust and Zentra will both be wholly integrated within THG and there will be a single, focused brand.

THG has acquired Zentra in an all cash transaction that is expected to close in a few weeks. Mr. Scott Wagner, founder and CEO of Zentra “there is tremendous integration opportunity and value to our employees and customers with this acquisition “. As a pioneer in the storage and virtualization space – Mr. Wagner has been at the forefront of the industry for many years. “Over 20 years our customers have come to expect a high degree of commitment and excellence. I am confident this will continue and grow with The Herjavec Group – which now becomes one of the largest integrators in Canada “. Mr. Wagner will work through the transition but will leave to pursue other passions.
“Scott has built a solid, professional company over the last 20 years! We thank him for that and are excited to integrate its capabilities with ours. On a combined basis we are now a $ 125 Million powerhouse integrator with over 175 employees. This acquisition will provide tremendous value and service to our customers in an area that requires solid solutions for a complex and ever changing world. THG’s world class integration and managed services ability will be a great addition to our client’s storage and virtualization needs.” says Robert Herjavec, founder and CEO of THG. The combined entity is one of the largest integrators in Canada with offices in Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and New York. THG’s continues its incredible growth rate. The Company was founded less than 10 years ago with first year sales of $ 400,000 – and now THG will surpass the $ 100 million mark. “This is an incredible milestone that very few Companies in Canada ever reach – especially in our timeframe. I am extremely proud of this achievement and the incredible team we have been able to build in order to get here “, says Robert Herjavec. “ While this is a great feeling we are already planning how we can continue our growth and provide even greater value to our customers “.

Founded in 2003, THG finished last year with sales of $ 65 million – placing it on the prestigious Profit 100 Ranking of Canada’s Fastest growing Companies for the 4th year in a row. THG provides complex solutions to some of the largest enterprise clientscots in Canada and the United States. This is the 5th acquisition for THG over the last 6 years. It has enjoyed an enviable reputation for integrating specialty companies in order to provide an overall cohesive enterprise technology solution in security, wan acceleration, infrastructure, storage, high performance computing and virtualization. THG’s capabilities extend to being able to support and manage all its solutions from its state of art, fully secure and bilingual SOC (Security Operations Center) in Toronto and its back up support center in Kanata. THG has been recently awarded Bluecoat partner of the year in Canada, is currently the largest Palo Alto solutions provider in North America, and one of the largest McAfee partners in North America – providing support to over 1 million nodes of McAfee to the Canadian Federal Government.


About The Herjavec Group ( THG ): One of Canada’s largest privately held IT integrators, The Herjavec Group, offer a comprehensive range of products, services and managed solutions to some of Canada’s largest enterprise clients as well as being the vendor of record for selected and highly regarded Provincial and Federal Government contracts. THG has been recognized by national media as well as Canadian Business on its Hot 50 and Profit 100 rankings for its fantastic growth rate. Mr. Herjavec, CEO and Founder, has been a leader in Canada’s technology industry for over 25 years, having built one of the first and at the time, largest security Companies in Canada– subsequently sold to AT&T. Mr. Herjavec is also the star of the wildly popular hit CBC TV show “ Dragon’s Den “ (http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/ ) – now entering its 6th Season and the Mark Burnett produced reality show called “ Shark Tank “ (http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank ) airing on ABC – as well as bestselling author ( Harper Collins ).
For Further Information please contact: Ms. Alena Oslopova (alena@herjavecgroup.com) or by phone at 905-306-9948 X 232.

Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital prescribes social networking to its patients

Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital prescribes social networking to its patients

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital introduces "Upopolis," Canada's first secure online community to keep kids in hospitals connected

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2011 /CNW/ - Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in partnership with TELUS, Kids' Health Links Foundation (KHLF) and Sheridan Nurseries today announced the launch of Upopolis, an innovative social networking tool that helps hospital inpatients stay connected to their families, friends and school.

Created by KHLF and powered by TELUS, Upopolis.com is the only private, secure and trusted online social network designed just for kids in hospital. Upopolis provides the best features of social networking, such as personal profiles, personal blogs, instant chat and child-friendly games. The site also provides unique features to kids in hospital, such as a homework site to stay up-to-date with their schoolwork, links to kid-friendly health and wellness information, and connections to other children with the same condition.

At Holland Bloorview, Upopolis will be championed by Child Life Specialists, who work with clients, their family and other caregivers to help manage stress, pain and anxiety associated with hospitalization.

Holland Bloorview is the only children's rehabilitation hospital in Canada to offer this innovative site to their patients. This program comes just in time for Thanksgiving, a vital time for kids in care to connect with their loved ones.

"The average hospital stay at Holland Bloorview is 61 days. For a young person, a stay that long can feel like a lifetime and can lead to feelings of isolation," says Sheila Jarvis, president and CEO Holland Bloorview. "Upopolis allows kids to stay connected to their friends and families which is extremely important for their healing."

Through a unique partnership with KHLF, TELUS provides the technology to develop and build Upopolis. TELUS continues to provide site expansion, ongoing access to Upopolis, managed web hosting, application support and maintenance services.

"At TELUS we take pride in finding new and innovative health care solutions for Canadians through the use of technology," said Paul Lepage, senior vice-president, TELUS Health Solutions. "Upopolis is a terrific example of technology that empowers children in care. It is often difficult for patients to travel outside hospital walls, but with this unique program patients can connect with their friends and families at anytime. We are proud to partner with Holland Bloorview, which will provide growth and expansion within this network to more young patients."

The generous donation KHLF received from Sheridan Nurseries has allowed them to bring Upopolis to Holland Bloorview. In turn, this donation will help with its initial implementation, oversight and also continue the program development for all connected hospitals across Canada.

"Working with Upopolis has given us the opportunity to keep children connected to their family and friends, during a time they often feel isolated and needing extra support," said Karl Stensson, president of Sheridan Nurseries. "We are proud to be involved with this innovative concept in children's health care."

The online support network was inspired by the hospital experiences of two teenaged friends, Christina Papaevangelou and Katy McDonald. In February 2002, Christina was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at McMaster Children's Hospital with a life-threatening illness. Shortly after, Katy was diagnosed with cancer and had to be hospitalized for a long period of time at SickKids. Sadly, Katy lost her battle with cancer. However, their friendship and common experiences inspired Christina to explore ways to help kids in care stay connected.

"Ten years ago Upopolis was only a dream, today it has connected many children in care across Canada, with each other and with their friends and loved ones," said Basile Papaevangelou, chairman and founder of Kids Health Links Foundation. "On behalf of Kids' Health Links and our partners, we are thrilled to launch Upopolis at yet another hospital in Canada and for the first time at a children's rehabilitation facility. Today's launch at Holland Bloorview means we are one step closer to bringing this program to every Canadian children's hospital."

KHLF and TELUS launched the first Upopolis program in 2007 at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton and since then it has expanded to other hospitals and health organizations across Canada, including B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver; IWK Health Centre in Halifax; CHEO in Ottawa; SickKids in Toronto, Ste. Justine in Montreal and Lutherwood in Waterloo. By adapting the TELUS technology, the Upopolis team has been able to meet the specific needs of each hospital, whether adding French language capabilities or information specific to mental health.

About Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.  We pioneer treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life. Every year, we see about 7,000 children with about 600 inpatient admissions and 58,000 outpatient visits.

About Kids' Health Links Foundation

Kids' Health Links was founded by Basile Papaevangelou and his daughter Christina to connect, through technology, children in health care facilities across Canada with friends and family, their teachers and schoolwork. Kids' Health Links Foundation created Upopolis - an innovative, private online community for children in care. The Kids' Health Links technology solutions help to alleviate stress, isolation and loneliness for children in medical care in order to help children heal faster and better to overcome traumatic medical experiences.

About Sheridan Nurseries

Sheridan Nurseries is the largest combined nursery and retail chain of garden centres in Canada, with eight retail locations in the GTA and one in Kitchener-Waterloo, as well as five Professional Supply Centres.  The third-generation Stensson business includes more than 900 acres of farm property growing over one million plants for sale annually, in varying container sizes. For more information, visit www.sheridannurseries.com or contact the Marketing department at 416-798-7970.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $10.1 billion of annual revenue and 12.4 million customer connections including 7.1 million wireless subscribers, 3.7 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and more than 400,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees will, by year-end 2011, have contributed $245 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 4.1 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Eleven TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

MaRS Awarded $1.3 Million By Rockefeller Foundation and J.W. McConnell Family Foundation to Launch Centre For Impact Investing

MaRS Awarded $1.3 Million By Rockefeller Foundation and J.W. McConnell Family Foundation to Launch Centre For Impact Investing

Leading national and global foundations announce their support for Canada's first Centre for Impact Investing

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2011 /CNW/ - MaRS Discovery District announced today that substantial funding support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation will be made available for the Centre for Impact Investing, to be housed at MaRS.

The Centre for Impact Investing will build upon the foundational work of MaRS and Social Innovation Generation (SiG), including the landmark report, Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good, by the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance. The Centre will be a national hub that will increase awareness for and effectiveness of social finance to catalyze new capital, talent, and initiatives dedicated to tackling social and environmental problems in Canada.  The Centre will act as a point of global connection for Canadian efforts into the emerging field of impact investing, delivering programs and initiatives focused on research and policy, market and product development, and education and engagement initiatives to build the collective ability to mobilize private capital towards public good.

The great promise of the Centre is to help move Canada's current nascent impact investing ecosystem from pockets of uncoordinated innovation through a process of marketplace-building, resulting in a robust investment hub.

With this contribution, both Rockefeller and McConnell have issued a call to action for Canadian investors to support the Centre and engage with this emerging market.

The Centre is expected to open for operation in early Winter 2011.

Quotes
"MaRS is proud to receive funding from The Rockefeller Foundation and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and to continue our role as a convener and collaboration hub. The Centre for Impact Investing will compound and centralize the already significant but widespread momentum for the development of impact investing in Canada. This is a terrific example of convergence innovation - linking a growing array of social entrepreneurs with investors seeking both a financial and social/environmental return."
Ilse Treurnicht, CEO of MaRS Discovery District and Chair of the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance

"The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the growth and development of an impact investing sector that benefits the world's poorest and most vulnerable. We are very pleased to support a national hub that will increase the impact of social finance for the benefit of these populations in Canada and hopefully create replicable innovations that can be expanded to other countries."
Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation

"The McConnell Family Foundation is committed to supporting those engaged in social purpose work, not only through our grant making, but through the investigation and practice of impact investing. We are so pleased to be supporting the Centre and we encourage others to join us in this work."
Stephen Huddart, President and CEO, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation

Quick Facts

  • Report by J.P. Morgan and the Rockefeller Foundation estimates that impact investing assets will grow to between $400 billion and $1 trillion; investment opportunities that have demonstrable social and/or environmental impact alongside financial return, from affordable housing to renewable energy.
  • A recent study of 250 social ventures in Ontario reported total capital demand of $170 million over the next two years.
  • The total Canadian impact investing market is $2B today; it is expected to grow to $30B in ten years.

Learn More

About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District is a large scale, mission driven innovation centre located in Toronto and networked across Ontario, focused on building Canada's next generation of technology companies. MaRS works closely with entrepreneurs to grow and scale their ventures into global market leaders in life sciences and health care, information, communications and entertainment technologies, cleantech, advanced materials and engineering, as well as innovative social purpose businesses.

For further information:

Chris Stevenson
Director, Communications
MaRS Discovery District
416.673.8100 x8104
cstevenson@marsdd.com

or

Geraldine Cahill
Communications Coordinator
Social Innovation Generation (SiG)
647.260.7844
416.566.5313
Geraldine@sigeneration.ca

Avnet Technology Solutions Unveils Data Center Lifecycle Services in North America

Sept. 28, 2011, 11:00 a.m. EDT

Avnet Technology Solutions Unveils Data Center Lifecycle Services in North America

Avnet broadens its data center services portfolio to provide value-added resellers and independent software vendors with offerings that span the full IT lifecycle from planning to asset disposal

TEMPE, Ariz., Sep 28, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- With a more than $1.5 billion IT services business globally, Avnet Technology Solutions today introduced Avnet Data Center Lifecycle Services for value-added reseller (VAR) and independent software vendor (ISV) partners in the U.S. and Canada. As the global IT solutions distribution leader and operating group of Avnet, Inc. /quotes/zigman/218726/quotes/nls/avt AVT -0.18% , Avnet Technology Solutions is investing in broadening its data center services portfolio to further enable its partners to provide holistic solutions offerings to their end-user customers for the entire data center. This portfolio is designed to complement partners' services offerings, enabling partners to easily expand their IT services capabilities and business.

Avnet Data Center Lifecycle Services brings together supplier-branded resold services, as well as managed, cloud and professional services formerly provided under the Avnet SolutionsPath(R) Services brand, into one strategic end-to-end data center services framework. These services span the entire IT lifecycle, including the planning, acquisition, integration, deployment, management and disposal of IT assets.

"Many CIOs have told me that services account for more than 75 percent of their data center budgets. To meet this high demand for services, Avnet continues to make significant investments to ensure our VAR and ISV partners can profitably expand their services capabilities," said Steve Kedzior, vice president and general manager of services, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. "Avnet has now combined our data center services into one strategic framework that aligns with how CIOs and their staffs think about the data center and how they consume IT services. Avnet Data Center Lifecycle Services provides resellers and ISVs with a single source for a broad range of data center services that they can bring to market and align to the business needs of their end-user customers."

The Avnet Data Center Lifecycle Services portfolio includes more than 80 Avnet service offerings sought after by resellers and ISVs in the U.S. and Canada. These services are complete offerings that can quickly and easily be integrated into data center solutions being developed by the partner and are designed to augment a partner's existing services capabilities. Key areas where Avnet has recently invested in broadening its data center services capabilities include:

Service Development Managers: Partners can now access a dedicated team of Avnet service development managers. These dedicated service experts work with partners throughout the sales process and help them close services opportunities. Additionally, partners can leverage Avnet's more than 250 technical service professionals in the U.S. and Canada to deliver IT data center services that expand their core areas of competence.

Avnet's service development managers also engage with best-of-breed independent service providers that expand partners' businesses from both the technical and geographic perspective. These service providers are thoroughly vetted by Avnet to ensure quality of service. Partners using these Avnet resources work with a single Avnet contact who is responsible for managing the sales and delivery process to ensure superior customer service.

IT Asset and Disposal Services: With IT organizations concerned about the proper disposal of IT equipment, Avnet invested in developing key IT asset and disposal services that partners can use to help their end-user customers overcome related security and compliance business risks. These services include asset disposal, data destruction and asset remarketing when IT assets reach end of life. By helping their customers resolve IT asset and disposal issues, partners are well positioned to participate in the next stage of the lifecycle -- the refresh of the end customer's data center, including new hardware, software and services.

Cloud Computing Services: For more than a year, Avnet has enabled and prepared partners to capitalize on cloud computing growth opportunities through CloudReady(TM), the cloud-specific component to its SolutionsPath(R) methodology. Recently, Avnet announced two new CloudReady consultative services -- cloud strategy workshops and cloud assessment services. Partners can build on these consultative service engagements to provide their customers with the quantitative and qualitative analysis they need to make informed decisions on how to incorporate cloud computing into their data centers. These tools assist Avnet partners with consultative tools around the cloud. These services are designed to create an opportunity for partners to work hand-in-hand with their customers to create strategies and migration paths to cloud computing. Additionally, Avnet offers a wide range of cloud services from Avnet and industry-leading cloud providers that is continually expanding as providers introduce new offerings for this market.

"We began working with Avnet around data center services more than a year ago. We wanted to capture the tremendous growth opportunities we were seeing in the market by augmenting our in-house resources to provide migration services," said Craig Rock, president of Paradigm Technology, an IT solutions provider and Avnet partner. "With Avnet's help, we can now provide a much wider range of services, including migration services, application re-engineering and thin client assessment and deployment, without a lot of additional investment on our part which accelerates our services strategy growth faster than we could have on our own. We think that Avnet's Data Center Lifecycle Services are a very smart approach because they align with exactly how our customers think about services and can easily be included in solutions sales. We're planning to explore virtual desktop assessment and implementation services to further broaden our portfolio and stay engaged with our customers as trusted advisors."

Partners can further develop their services capabilities by focusing on solutions sales in high-growth vertical markets through Avnet's SolutionsPath(R) practices focused on the energy, finance, government, healthcare and retail markets. Avnet can also help partners further increase their data center expertise in technology specialization areas related to cloud computing, mobility, networking, security, storage and virtualization through a variety of resources, including its inaugural Data Center University to be held October 18-20 in Phoenix, Ariz.

A list of Avnet Data Center Lifecycle Services is available at http://www.ats.avnet.com/services/datacenter/ .

Follow Avnet Technology Solutions, North America, on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AvnetAdvantage .

About Avnet Technology Solutions

As a global IT solutions distributor, Avnet Technology Solutions collaborates with its customers and suppliers to create and deliver services, software and hardware solutions that address the business needs of their end-user customers locally and around the world. For fiscal year 2011, the group served customers in more than 70 countries and generated US $11.5 billion in annual revenue. Avnet Technology Solutions ( www.ats.avnet.com ) is an operating group of Avnet, Inc.

About Avnet

Avnet, Inc. /quotes/zigman/218726/quotes/nls/avt AVT -0.18% , a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers in more than 70 countries worldwide. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000 customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended July 2, 2011, Avnet generated revenue of $26.5 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com .

SOURCE: Avnet Technology Solutions

PUSH A DEAL LAUNCHES FIRST MOBILE SERVICE THAT PUSHES OFFERS TO CONSUMERS AS THEY ENTER A STORE'S PROXIMITY


PUSH A DEAL LAUNCHES FIRST MOBILE SERVICE THAT PUSHES OFFERS TO CONSUMERS AS THEY ENTER A STORE'S PROXIMITY

"Right place at the right time" takes on new meaning as nearby offers find willing consumers where they are standing.

TORONTO, September 21, 2011 -- Mobile Fringe, a Toronto firm ranked by Business Insider as the number one mobile company to watch in 2011, has lived up to that billing by launching Push a Deal, the first service to use willing consumers' smart-phone GPS locations to send them deals when they cross the "geo-fence" and enter a participating store's immediate vicinity. For the smartphone savvy set, this app means immediate savings on things to buy, do and eat at close proximity.

Since its launch in late 2008, Mobile Fringe has built a robust mobile retail platform that has achieved over one million user impressions through retail shopping apps such as the Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre apps. Now the company is using that expertise and launching a mobile location-based service where deals are presented and pushed to users who are truly in the right place at the right time. Starting in Toronto, Push a Deal will be rolling out to Canadian cities over the ensuing months. In fact, willing consumers in Vancouver and Montreal can already download the app and have existing local group deals sent to them.

"Despite the success of the group buying model and deal-of-the-day websites, today's young consumers are on their phones, not their computers," said Steve Sorge, CEO of Mobile Fringe. "Push a Deal is an acknowledgment of that shift and is the first service dedicated to delivering deals based on where a person is standing. When you are close to the deal, you will get an alert."

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

A recent Microsoft study of 1,500 people in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Japan, and Germany found that 51 per cent had used a location-based service, and 62 per cent were aware of such services. Young men aged 18-34 are the primary drivers of adoption. Across all countries, a whopping 94 per cent of location-based services users said they found them valuable. Four-in-10 use location-based services once a week and perceived value increases with use as the services become ingrained in day-to-day life.

Push a Deal is not just for food, but all sorts of goods and services. It is a one-stop-shop for all of your deal needs. When on the app, members choose to view either exclusive deals, or one of the many group site deals that are close to their location.

Here is an example of a couple of pushes a consumer would receive:

·       Free Grande coffee at Starbucks in Robarts Library Cafe today and tomorrow. You are 500 meters from this deal. Get directions?
·       50% Off - Buy One Pair of Jeans and get the second free, today only! Right around the corner. Get directions?

RETAIL BUSINESSES SURVIVE (AND THRIVE) ON PRICING MODEL

"The financial model of the deal-of-the-day websites, where retailers only receive 25 per cent of a product or service's retail price is simply unsustainable for businesses," said Sorge. "Push a Deal offers a risk free, strategic marketing tool for retailers who want to actually increase traffic without decimating their bottom line."

To that end, Push a Deal is not putting a threshold on the level of discount a retailer offers and it only takes 25 per cent of the deal amount leaving the rest for the retailer. This is versus 50 per cent taken by the predominant group-buying websites. Moreover, a risk-free compensation model means companies only pay Push a Deal when someone actually redeems an offer, unlike deal-of-the-day websites who control all the cash.

Push a Deal has a link for stores where retailers can sign up, create an offer online in 60 seconds, and start pushing deals. Stores can choose when to send out deal alerts, based on inventory, or how busy they are and therefore drive foot traffic when they actually need it. Additionally, For the first two months all deal redemptions for new stores will be free.

Enter your own deal today http://www.pushadeal.com/stores/register

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About Push a Deal
Push a Deal is the first service that is dedicated to delivering deals based on a user's location, right in their neighbourhood and on their mobile phone.

Download Push a deal App (IPHONE, BLACKBERRY, ANDROID AND OTHER DEVICES): http://www.pushadeal.com

Visit Youtube site:

About Mobile Fringe
Mobile Fringe is the leader in mobile retail and shopping mobile solutions. The company collaborates with enterprise and marketing clients in order to leverage the mobile channel. Their award winning, proprietary software has been specifically designed to deliver solutions that not only integrate with, but also enhance existing business systems and marketing strategies. Mobile Fringe unlocks the potential of mobile for your organization - today and for the future.
www.mobilefringe.com


HP Canada announces new executive appointments within Imaging and Printing Group

 

 

HP Canada announces new executive appointments within Imaging and Printing Group

 

 

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO – September 29, 2011 – HP Canada announced today a series of new executive appointments within its Imaging and Printing Group (IPG). The changes will best position the business group to stay ahead of industry trends and to continue delivering innovative products, services and solutions that empower individuals and enable businesses. All appointments will take effect on November 1, 2011.

“We are excited to announce several changes in our IPG business management structure that will create multiple synergies for us to deliver printing innovations to the market” said Lloyd Bryant, Vice President and General Manager, Imaging and Printing Group.


New appointments are as follows:

Gary Drysdale assumes the role of Vice President, Managed Enterprise Services (MES), and will be responsible for HP Managed Print Services (MPS) and Enterprise Sales. Drysdale has held various senior positions with HP Canada over the past 15 years and will be moving over from the LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions Group. Drysdale replaces Janet LeMare, who will retire after a 22-year career with HP.

Serge Leger
replaces Drysdale and assumes the role of Vice President, LaserJet & Enterprise Solutions, with accountability for Category Marketing and Business Development. Responsibility for Wholesale and Distribution business also moves into his organization. Leger moves over from HP Consumer Sales where he was responsible for the management of the IPG business within the retail sector as well as for InkJet hardware and supplies.  Leger joined HP in 1988 and has held various sales positions across different regions in Canada.

Anita Grassl replaces Leger and assumes the role of Vice President, Inkjet and Web Solutions, with accountability for Category Marketing, Business Development, Retail Sales and Second Tier solutions. Grassl previously held the position of Vice President, IPG Canada Channel Sales and Aftermarket Supplies, focused on the Commercial VAR Channel and Supplies Distribution Partners. Prior to joining HP Canada, she held senior executive roles in the IT and telecommunication sectors.

Patrick Harrison
assumes the lead of a newly created team as Vice President, Commercial Sales. He will be responsible for overseeing all commercial outbound and inside sales nationally. The commercial channel business previously led by Grassl moves into his organization. Harrison is an HP veteran with more than 20 years tenure with the company. Prior to assuming his new role, Harrison acted as National Sales Manager for IPG.

Focusing on HP Canada’s Graphic Solutions Market, Mark Lehmann, Vice President, Large Format Printing Business, will now be responsible for management of both Designjet and Scitex building on the synergies across the two segments. Lehmann has 23 years of sales and management experience in the IT industry, with more than nine years at HP Canada.

Danny Ionescu, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Graphic Arts, will now be exclusively focused on managing HP Canada’s growing Webpress and Indigo business.

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 at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, creating seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

 

 

Editorial Contacts

Hill & Knowlton for HP Canada

Natasha Parnanzone

416-4134740

natasha.parnanzone@hillandknowlton.ca

 

Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co.

5150 Spectrum Way

Mississauga, ON

L4W 5G1

www.hp.ca

© 2011 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.

 

 

 

 


 

 

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Hill & Knowlton Canada

 

 

Direct Line: +1 416 413 4740

 

 

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New High-Profile Security Breaches Spotlight Emerging Threats

IBM X-Force Report Reveals Mobile Security Exploits to Double in 2011

New High-Profile Breaches Spotlight Emerging Threats; IBM Opens New Institute for Advanced Security in Asia Pacific


ARMONK, N.Y., September 29, 2011 – IBM (NYSE: IBM) today released the results of its X-Force 2011 Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report, which demonstrates the rapidly changing security landscape characterized by high-profile attacks, growing mobile vulnerabilities and more sophisticated threats such as “whaling.” To help clients combat these and other security issues, IBM is opening the Institute for Advanced Security for Asia Pacific, which joins the IBM Institutes in North America and Europe.

Poised at the frontline of security, the IBM X-Force team serves as the eyes and ears for thousands of IBM clients – studying security attack techniques and creating defenses before many vulnerabilities are even announced.  The X-Force Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report is based on intelligence gathered through IBM’s research of public vulnerability disclosures as well as the monitoring and analysis of an average of 12 billion security events daily since the beginning of 2011.

Mobile Exploits on Track to Double
Adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets in the enterprise, including the “Bring Your Own Device” approach, which allows personal devices to access the corporate network, is raising new security concerns. IBM X-Force has documented a steady rise in the disclosure of security vulnerabilities affecting these devices.  X-Force research recommends that IT teams consistently employ anti-malware and patch management software for phones in enterprise environments. Key findings include:  

 

·         X-Force is projecting that the year 2011 will see twice the number of mobile exploit releases that occurred in 2010. X-Force has observed that many mobile phone vendors do not rapidly push out security updates for their devices;

 

·         Malicious software targeting mobile phones is often distributed through third-party app markets. Mobile phones are an increasingly attractive platform for malware developers as the sheer size of the user base is growing rapidly, and there is an easy way to monetize mobile phone infections. Malware distributors can set up premium texting (SMS messaging) services that charge users that text to a specific number. Malware then sends text messages to those premium numbers from infected phones; and  

 

·         Some mobile malware is designed to collect end user’s personal information. This data could then be used in phishing attacks or for identity theft. Mobile malware is often capable of spying on victim's personal communications as well as monitoring and tracking their physical movements via the GPS capabilities common in these phones.

 

"For years, observers have been wondering when malware would become a real problem for the latest generation of mobile devices," said Tom Cross, manager of Threat Intelligence and Strategy for IBM X-Force. "It appears that the wait is over."
 
Critical Vulnerabilities Triple in 2011  

The X-Force team reports that the percentage of critical vulnerabilities has tripled thus far in 2011. X-Force is declaring 2011 the “Year of the Security Breach” due to the large number of high-profile attacks and network compromises that have occurred this year. There is a cadre of notable emerging threats from this year’s breaches:

  • Teams of professional attackers motivated by a desire to collect strategic intelligence have been able to gain and maintain access to critical computer networks through a combination of stealth, sophisticated technical capabilities and careful planning. These attackers are often referred to as Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs);
  • The success of APTs has raised the profile of “whaling,” a type of spear phishing which targets ”big fish,” or those positioned in high levels of an organization with access to critical data. These targeted attacks are often launched after careful study of a person’s online profiles has armed an attacker with the information needed to create a compelling phishing email that the victim will be fooled into clicking on;
  • Attacks from ‘hacktivist’ groups, who targeted web sites and computer networks for political ends rather than just financial gain. Hacktivist groups have been successful in using well known, off-the-shelf attack techniques such as SQL Injection, which is one of the most common attack techniques seen in the Internet; and
  • Anonymous proxies have more than quadrupled in number compared to three years earlier. Anonymous proxies are a critical type of website to track, because they allow people to hide potentially malicious intent.

“The rash of high-profile breaches this year highlights the challenges organizations often face in executing their security strategy,” said Cross. “Although we understand how to defend against many of these attacks on a technical level, organizations don't always have the cross-company operational practices in place to protect themselves.”

Advances in Security Highlighted
Although the X-Force team declared 2011 as a watershed in high-profile security breaches, the report also uncovered some improvements in areas of computer security that show headway in the fight against crime on the Internet.

  • The first half of 2011 saw an unexpected decrease in web application vulnerabilities, from 49 percent of all vulnerability disclosures down to 37 percent.  This is the first time in five years X-Force has seen a decrease;
  • High and critical vulnerabilities in web browsers were also at their lowest point since 2007, despite an increasingly complex browser market. These improvements in web browser and application security are important as many attacks are targeted against those categories of software;
  • As major botnet operators are taken down and off-line by law enforcement officials, the report shows a trend in the decline of spam and more traditional phishing tactics;
  • After years of consistent spam growth until the middle of 2010, there has been a significant decline in spam volumes in the first half of this year; and
  • In the first half of 2011, the percentage of spam that is phishing on a weekly basis was less than 0.01 percent. Traditional phishing has greatly declined from the levels X-Force was seeing prior to the middle of 2010.

   
Also of note, the SQL Slammer Worm has been one of the most common sources of malicious packets on the Internet since its appearance and naming by the IBM X-Force team in 2003, but it has fallen down the list after a dramatic disappearance observed in March 2011.  The most recent analysis strongly suggested that the SQL Slammer Worm's disappearance is due to an unknown source or actor. The analysis showed that a time-based trigger using a Slammer’s server clock was used to shut it down, proving that it was disabled by a single cause.

Traditional Vulnerabilities Still a Problem
The X-Force report uncovered numerous attacks that target traditional security vulnerabilities. According to the report, attacks on weak passwords are commonplace on the Internet, as are attacks that leverage SQL Injection vulnerabilities in web applications to compromise backend databases. Databases have become an important target for attackers. Critical data used to run organizations—including financial/ERP, customer, employee, and intellectual property information such as new product designs—is stored in relational databases. IBM researchers tested almost 700 web sites—from the Fortune 500 and other most popular sites—to uncover that 40 percent of these contain a class of security issues referred to as client-side JavaScript vulnerabilities. The existence of vulnerabilities like these in so many corporate web sites is indicative of the security blindspots in many organizations.

IBM Launches Institute for Advanced Security in Asia Pacific
To help combat security risks and to foster collaboration amongst security industry leaders, IBM is launching the IBM Institute for Advanced Security in Asia Pacific in order to combat growing security threats in the region. The IBM Mid-Year X-Force report states that top countries originating spam have shifted to Asia Pacific, with India sending out roughly 10 percent of all spam registered today, and South Korea and Indonesia also making the top five list. This Institute joins its predecessors in Brussels, Belgium and Washington, D.C., focused on European and U.S. clients respectively.

About the IBM X-Force Team and the Trend and Risk Report
This report comes from IBM's X-Force team, the premier security research organization within IBM that has catalogued, analyzed and researched more than 50,000 vulnerability disclosures since 1997. 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.  It is the result of the work done in IBM's nine global Security Operations Centers, which is provided as a managed security service to clients. The report gathers facts from numerous intelligence sources, including its database of computer security vulnerabilities, global web crawler, international spam collectors, and the real-time monitoring of an average of 12 billion security events every day for nearly 4,000 clients in more than 130 countries.  

With nearly 50 years of security development and innovation, IBM is the only company with the breadth and depth of research, products, services, consulting and global business partners to deliver end-to-end security.

To access the report, visit here.

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



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