Countdown to Rural Transformation Has Started

Countdown to Rural Transformation Has Started

Proton Rocket Carrying Xplornet's Next-Generation Broadband Satellite to Launch in Late October

Photo_Asset_1

MARKHAM, ON, Sept. 21, 2011 /CNW/ - The construction of ViaSat-1, North America's first 4G broadband satellite, is complete.  A game-changer in terms of ubiquitous broadband access in Canada, ViaSat-1 will allow for previously unavailable speed and bandwidth economics, and will provide Canadians in its footprint, which includes many remote areas, the opportunity to get a broadband connection that is truly fast and affordable.

ViaSat-1 can support customer download speeds of up to 25 Mbps, and its capacity is greater than the capacity of all current North American broadband satellites combined, with the ability to provide broadband service to 1.5 million customers in North America.  Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada's leading provider of rural broadband, has purchased 100% of the Canadian Ka-band capacity on the satellite, and will use that capacity entirely for rural broadband. Together with the planned launch of a second, similar 4G satellite in 2012 and with its national fixed-wireless 4G network, Xplornet will effectively end Canada's urban/rural digital-divide.

With the deployment of this satellite, Canada joins a group of other countries, including France, Germany, the UK, Australia and India, that have endorsed 4G satellite broadband as the solution for ensuring 100% access to affordable broadband.  With their capacity to exploit the full potential of the Ka spectrum-band, these next generation satellites deliver more than ten times the speed and capacity of current systems at a much lower cost per customer.

The satellite will be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the world's first and largest operational space launch facility, and the site of the historic launch of the first manned-spacecraft which propelled Yuri Gagarin into orbit fifty years ago this year.  The satellite will be stationed in geosynchronous orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km - high enough to get a clear view of the vast Canadian geography it will be serving.

The rocket launch is scheduled for October 18th, 2011.  However, weather conditions can delay launches from time to time. Updates on launch status are available at our launch status website at www.4GSatellite.ca. To facilitate coverage of the launch, Xplornet will capture HD video, offer a live stream of the launch and is pleased to work with editors to create interview opportunities before, during and after launch.  Xplornet executives will be at the launch site to provide real-time comment. Xplornet expects the satellite service to be available to Canadians late this year.

About Xplornet Communications Inc.
Headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Xplornet Communications Inc. (formerly Barrett Xplore Inc.) is Canada's leading rural broadband provider, with customers and dealers in every province and territory. Xplornet aims to bridge the urban/rural digital divide by ensuring that every Canadian, regardless of where they live, has access to broadband, thereby enabling them to compete effectively in the global economy and gain access to essential government and educational services.

Image with caption: "On October 18th, a Proton-M rocket will launch a new 4G satellite to be used by Xplornet. Photo courtesy of International Launch Services (ILS). (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)". Image available at:

Media_httpphotosnewsw_firds

For further information:

Media Enquiries: please contact:
Jeff Hecker, Director, Marketing Communications and Public Relations
(905) 944-7969


Photo

On October 18th, a Proton-M rocket will launch a new 4G satellite to be used by Xplornet. Photo courtesy of International Launch Services (ILS). (CNW Group/Xplornet Communications Inc.)

D-Link Announces New Plenum-Rated, Cloud-Managed Solution with Comprehensive Wireless Features for Small and Medium-Sized Business Environments

D-Link Announces New Plenum-Rated, Cloud-Managed Solution with Comprehensive Wireless Features for Small and Medium-Sized Business Environments

D-Link® DAP-2565 Wi-Fi Access Point Designed for Indoor Plenum Deployment Offers Secure Network Management for Businesses with Limited IT Resources

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Sept. 21, 2011 /CNW/ -- D-Link, the cost-effective, standards-based unified networking solutions provider for small business and medium enterprise IT environments, today announced the D-Link® DAP-2565 AirPremier® N Dual Band PoE Access Point with Plenum-Rated Chassis powered by CloudCommand(TM), designed for indoor plenum deployment in above-ceiling airspace installations. The new Cloud-Managed solution provides small and medium-sized businesses, as well as K-12 and hospitality environments, with a secure, reliable and affordable way to manage their networks.

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

As a new member of the D-Link Cloud-Managed Access Point family, the DAP-2565 delivers business-grade features at a lower cost than other enterprise solutions, including flexible IEEE 802.11n performance(1), Power Over Ethernet (PoE) support(2) for installation in areas where power outlets are not readily available, and secure guest access and control privileges for individual users. The DAP-2565 also utilizes CloudCommand, which allows end users and value-added resellers (VARs) and managed service providers (MSPs) to easily and quickly set up, secure and remotely manage high-performance wireless networks with multiple access points through a Cloud portal, saving significant time and resources. In addition, the DAP-2565's plenum-rated metal chassis meets specific requirements to be flame retardant and have low smoke production for placement in air passageways.

"Purchasing and managing a secure enterprise-class Cloud solution can often be a daunting task for small and medium-sized businesses due to limited IT resources," said Joe Melfi, product manager, Cloud Business Solutions, D-Link Systems, Inc. "However, the DAP-2565 Access Point, along with D-Link's entire family of Cloud-Managed solutions, meets the needs of these small business environments, offering unsurpassed performance, robust security and central management capabilities at an affordable price."

Key features and benefits of the DAP-2565 Access Point include: -- Plenum-rated for above-ceiling airspace installation -- Selectable dual band 2.4/5Ghz for flexible IEEE 802.11n performance up to 300Mbps(1) -- Integrated 802.3af PoE(2) support -- Secure, segregated guest access and control privileges for each user -- Central management capabilities to improve uptime and cost-effectiveness -- Includes one-year subscription to CloudCommand Cloud service

D-Link Delivers on Flexibility and AffordabilityD-Link unified networking solutions offer a range of capabilities to satisfy small and medium-sized business requirements for scalability, reliability, and performance with lower initial and ongoing costs. D-Link solutions also support industry standards for interoperability in multi-vendor environments. As such, through D-Link's superior economic model, businesses can take advantage of affordable Cloud-based solutions that deliver high-end features without being locked into expensive and proprietary hardware, software or service requirements.

Pricing & AvailabilityThe DAP-2565 is available for $646.99 MSRP with a one-year Cloud Service subscription and renewal price of $99.99 MSRP per year for each Access Point. D-Link's Cloud Managed solutions are currently available in the U.S. and are sold through D-Link's vast network, including value-added resellers, solutions providers and distributors.

Detailed specifications for D-Link's Cloud Solutions are available at www.dlink.ca.

About D-LinkCelebrating 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.ca or connect with D-Link on Facebook (www.facebook.com/dlink) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/dlink).

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 © 2011 D-Link. All Rights Reserved.

(1) Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, buildings materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate. Environmental factors will adversely affect wireless signal range. Wireless range and speed rates are D-Link RELATIVE performance measurements based on the wireless range and speed rates of a standard Wireless G product from D-Link. Maximum throughput based on D-Link Wireless N devices.

(2) Requires 802.3af compliant switch port.

Gartner Says Industrialized Low-Cost IT Services to Transform the IT Services Market

Gartner Says Industrialized Low-Cost IT Services to Transform the IT Services Market

By 2015, Industrialized Services Will Represent More Than 30 Percent of the IT Services Market

Egham, UK, September 26, 2011— 

Chief information officers (CIOs) should consider adopting industrialized, low-cost IT services (ILCS) to reduce the cost of “running the business”, while controlling the risk, integration and customisation issues, to increase the business value of IT and enhance its perception by the business, according to Gartner, Inc. CIOs said that delivering differentiation and additional business value, while reducing the cost of IT will be their business and IT priorities in 2011, according to the Gartner Executive Program (EXP) 2011 CIO agenda survey*.

“While there are multiple ways to reduce the cost of IT delivery, as well as to increase the value of IT, the trend towards ILCS will become paramount for end users to trade nonessential customisation for better and less expensive services,” said Claudio Da Rold, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. Gartner predicts that despite being an embryonic market, by 2015 industrialised services will represent more than 30 percent of the IT services market and cloud services are expected to become a $177 billion market by 2015, of which $77 billion is based on advertising business models.

ILCS as managed, multitenant, ready-to-use IT services (infrastructure, applications or business processes). They are designed and offered as no-frills services with optional add-ons. Implemented as standardised, automated, configurable and scalable services, their entry-level price — expressed as price per user per month or price per unit per month (PUPM) — is very low and attracts a high number of prospects. The combination of industrialisation and cloud computing has significant potential to deliver ILCS.

A historical analysis of IT services pricing showed that organisations tolerate high IT usage costs, for an activity, capability, deliverable or outcome, only if there are no alternatives. Now, thanks to new delivery models, industrialised services and cloud computing, Gartner analysts see increasing numbers of low-cost offerings in which the price of specific unit of function (such as email or software as a service) is instead measured in PUPM (per user or per unit, per month).

Gartner has evaluated clients’ cost levels and estimated prices for industrialised low-cost services. It found that an email configured as ILCS should realistically be about $6 PUPM and is today approximately $8 to $10 PUPM, and entry-level offerings are advertised today at $3 to $4. With the email market in flux and the price of traditional in-house/hosted/outsourced mail under pressure by the lower price of cloud email available in the market, the email service is an area in which clear signals of industrialization and low price points are emerging. Another example includes the use of the infrastructure utility for SAP (IU4SAP). IU4SAP is an outsourced platform that runs often highly customised clients in SAP application environments. Built on industrial principles (standardisation, virtualisation, automation) these offerings provide good service quality at low price points as companies like Areva, Oxea, Keiper, Rio Tinto and around 500 others have already discovered. This represents one of the earlier, and, so far, the most important cases of ILCS for business-critical and core functions and should realistically be delivered for around $17 PUPM.

Infrastructure utility services (IUS) are one aspect of the evolution toward industrialized services, which Gartner predicts will have a compound growth rate of more than 30 percent for the next three years.

While the price of ILCS offerings be can much lower than internal costs, the total cost of ownership of ILCS can be higher, depending on retained costs such as transition, customization, integration and risk management. Despite this, there are some early IUS and cloud-based solutions that were successfully evaluated, selected and implemented and promise much for the future of ILCS solutions.

EasyJet is a good example of an end-user company that is using cloud computing first as a way to minimize costs and then exploiting cloud services to extend and complement its internal systems. EasyJet wanted to extend its existing reservation and departure control system to agents using mobile devices and built cloud-based solutions using Microsoft Azure. Azure managed the connectivity to the myriad endpoint devices in a manner that was less expensive and less complex than what would be required if EasyJet created it in its existing internal systems.

“Not all corporate IT will be delivered through ILCS and many “good-enough” services will remain in-house,” said Frank Ridder, research vice president at Gartner. “However, industrialized services represent the destiny of the IT services industry. They are, in fact, the next step in outsourcing and managed-service provision, and they span all layers of the IT services value chain: infrastructure, applications and business processes. Overall, we believe that, from a pricing perspective, the IT services industry is where the airline industry was in 2000. It is ready to be transformed — and disrupted — by an ILCS model.”

For additional information, see the Gartner Special report "Riding the Wave of Industrialized Low-Cost IT Services (ILCS)" available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1801014

Gartner analysts will discuss the impact of industrialised low-cost IT services at the Gartner Outsourcing & IT Services Summit 2011, 26-27 September in London. For more information about the Summit in London, please visit www.europe.gartner.com/outsourcing. Members of the media can register by contacting Laurence Goasduff at laurence.goasduff@gartner.com.

Additional information from the event will be shared on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Gartner_inc using #GartnerOut.

*Notes to Editors:
The worldwide CIO survey was conducted by Gartner EXP from September to December 2010 and represents CIO budget plans reported at that time. The survey includes responses from 2,014 CIOs representing over $160 billion in corporate and public-sector IT spending across 50 countries and 38 industries.

Avaya Opens New Office in Shenzhen, China

Avaya Opens New Office in Shenzhen, China

For Immediate Release:19 Sep 2011

  • Staff at the new office focused on sales, marketing and customer service
  • New office brings Avaya closer to local customers and channel partners
BEIJING, China — Avaya, a global provider of business communications and collaboration solutions and services, announced today it has opened a new office in the city of Shenzhen in the Guangdong Province of China. This new office will help Avaya support local customers and channel partners, and effectively manage business in the city and nearby areas.
 
The new office, located in Kerry Plaza, Shenzhen, is the sixth Avaya office in China, following Dalian, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. Its major functions will include sales, marketing, as well as customer services.
 
Shenzhen, which now has a population of over 10 million, has been one of the forerunners in China's economic reform. It is one of the most dynamic cities of China, and ranks number four in the country in terms of economic size. Shenzhen is also the headquarters of many large multinational and domestic companies. 
 
Quotes:
John Wang, Managing Director, Greater China, Avaya
"The new office in Shenzhen gives us a local presence for this important and dynamic city. We look forward to working closely with enterprises of all sizes in this region, with solutions designed to help them enhance productivity and customers service through the latest enterprise collaboration and communications tools. We continue to work closely with local channel partners and a broad channel ecosystem to serve this growing market."
 
Tags: Contact center, call center, customer service, unified communications, Avaya, Shenzhen Office
 
About Avaya
Avaya is a global provider of business collaboration and communications solutions, providing unified communications, contact centers, data solutions and related services to companies of all sizes around the world. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.
 
Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or other similar terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to Avaya's filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov . Avaya disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Gartner Says Apple Will Have a Free Run in Tablet Market Holiday Season as Competitors Continue to Lag

Gartner Says Apple Will Have a Free Run in Tablet Market Holiday Season as Competitors Continue to Lag

Gartner Special Report Examines How Media Tablet Market Will Continue to Evolve

STAMFORD, Conn., September 22, 2011—                 Worldwide media tablet sales to end users are on pace to total 63.6 million units, a 261.4 percent increase from 2010 sales of 17.6 million units, according to Gartner, Inc. Media tablet sales will continue to experience strong growth through 2015 when sales are forecast to reach 326.3 million units.

Apple’s iPad is projected to account for 73.4 percent of worldwide media tablet sales in 2011, down from 83 percent share in 2010. Beyond Apple iOS and the Android operating system (OS), Gartner does not expect any other platforms to have more than 5 percent share of the tablet market in 2011.

“We expect Apple to maintain a market share lead throughout our forecast period by commanding more than 50 percent of the market until 2014,” Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. “This is because Apple delivers a superior and unified user experience across its hardware, software and services. Unless competitors can respond with a similar approach, challenges to Apple’s position will be minimal. Apple had the foresight to create this market and in doing that planned for it as far as component supplies such as memory and screen. This allowed Apple to bring the iPad out at a very competitive price and no compromise in experience among the different models that offer storage and connectivity options.”

Android tablets are on pace to ship 11 million units in 2011 (see Table 1), accounting for 17.3 percent of media tablet sales. This is up only slightly from Android’s 2010 market share of 14.3 percent. Gartner’s forecast for the Android OS has been lowered by 28 percent from last quarter’s projection. The reduction would have been greater had it not been for the success of lower-end tablets in Asia, and the expectations around the launch of Amazon's tablet.

“So far, Android’s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications” Ms. Milanesi said. “Google will address the fragmentation of Android across smartphone and tablet form factors within the next Android release, known as ‘Ice Cream Sandwich,’ which we expect to see in the fourth quarter of 2011. Android can count on strong support from key OEMs, has a sizeable developer community, and its smartphones application ecosystem is second only to Apple’s.”

Table 1
Worldwide Sales of Media Tablets to End Users by OS (Thousands of Units)

 OS

2010

2011

2012

2015

Android

2,512

11,020

22,875

116,444

iOS

14,685

46,697

69,025

148,674

MeeGo

179

476

490

197

Microsoft

0

0

4,348

34,435

QNX

0

3,016

6,274

26,123

WebOS

0

2,053

0

0

Other Operating Systems

235

375

467

431

Total Market

17,610

63,637

103,479

326,304

Source: Gartner (September 2011)

Gartner analysts said Research In Motion’s QNX OS is a promising platform, but it is still in the early stages of development. RIM’s main challenge will be to attract more support from application developers as the company is going through a tough period, with considerable pressure on its smartphone business.

The current buzz around Windows 8 driven by the demonstrations seen at the Build conference might be short-lived if Microsoft’s push to use the new OS across devices comes at a compromise in usability. Moreover, the late arrival might limit its appeal, especially to consumers, as Apple and Android will be more entrenched by then. Microsoft’s platform will find its biggest opportunities in the enterprise segment, where IT departments could benefit from smoother integration with existing Microsoft software.

As more vendors will arrive in 2012, Gartner analysts said it’s important they concentrate on delivering a rich user experience based on a strong tie between smartphones and tablets, a good set of apps, an intuitive user interface, and the ability to share content easily between devices.

“Most of Apple's competitors are struggling to meet Apple's prices without considerably sacrificing margins. Screen quality and processing power are the two hardware features that vendors cannot afford to compromise on,” said Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner. “They should consider everything else ‘nice to have,’ rather than essential, in order to keep bills-of-materials costs competitive with those of the iPad.”

Additional information is in the Gartner report “Competitive Landscape: Media Tablets” at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1793120, and “Forecast: Media Tablets by Operating System, Worldwide, 2008-2015, 3Q11 Update” at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1794315.

Gartner’s Special Report, “iPad and Beyond: The Future of the Tablet Market,” provides insight into what consumers, enterprises and vendors can expect as the market continues to unfold. More than 20 reports examine the tablet marketplace, as well as video commentary. The Special Report is available at http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/ipad-media-tablet/future-of-tablet-market.jsp.

Ms. Milanesi and David Willis, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, discuss the outlook for the market in the Gartner Webinar on Demand “iPad and Beyond: The Future of the Media Tablet Market” at http://my.gartner.com/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=202&mode=2&PageID=5553&resId=1743724&ref=Webinar-Calendar.

 

CHECK POINT SURVEY REVEALS NEARLY HALF OF ENTERPRISES ARE VICTIMS OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING

CHECK POINT SURVEY REVEALS NEARLY HALF OF ENTERPRISES ARE VICTIMS OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING

Social engineering attacks can cost businesses more than $100,000 per incident, emphasizing the importance of better security and user awareness

 

CALGARY, AB – September 22, 2011…Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP), the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, recently announced the results of a new report revealing 48 per cent of enterprises surveyed have been victims of social engineering, experiencing 25 or more attacks in the past two years, costing businesses anywhere from $25,000 to over $100,000 per security incident. The report, The Risk of Social Engineering on Information Security, shows phishing and social networking tools as the most common sources of socially-engineering threats – encouraging businesses to implement a strong combination of technology and user awareness to minimize the frequency and cost of attacks.

Socially-engineered attacks traditionally target people with an implied knowledge or access to sensitive information. Hackers today leverage a variety of techniques and social networking applications to gather personal and professional information about an individual in order to find the weakest link in the organization. According to the global survey of over 850 IT and security professionals, 86 per cent of businesses recognize social engineering as a growing concern, with the majority of respondents (51 per cent) citing financial gain as the primary motivation of attacks, followed by competitive advantage and revenge.

“The survey results show that nearly half of enterprises surveyed know they have experienced social engineering attacks. Knowing that many of these attacks go unnoticed, suggests that this is a very wide and dangerous attack vector that must not be ignored,” said Paul Comessotti, Check Point’s Canadian Regional Director.

While social engineering techniques rely on taking advantage of a person’s vulnerability, the prevalence of Web 2.0 and mobile computing has also made it easier to obtain information about individuals and has created new entry points to execute socially-engineered attacks.

New employees (60 per cent) and contractors (44 per cent) who may be less familiar with corporate security policies were considered to be the most susceptible to social engineering techniques, in addition to contractors, assistants, human resources and IT personnel.

“People are a critical part of the security process as they can be misled by criminals and make mistakes that lead to malware infections or unintentional data loss. Many organizations do not pay enough attention to the involvement of users, when, in fact, employees should be the first line of defense,” added Comessotti. “A good way to raise security awareness among users is to involve them in the security process and empower them to prevent and remediate security incidents in real time.”

To achieve the level of protection needed in modern day IT environments, security needs to grow from a collection of disparate technologies to an effective business process. Check Point 3D Security helps companies implement a blueprint for security that goes beyond technology and can educate employees by involving them in the process. “Just as employees can make mistakes and cause breaches or threats within the organization, they can also play a large role in mitigating risks,” added Comessotti. With Check Point’s unique UserCheck™ technology, businesses can alert and educate employees about corporate policies when accessing the corporate network, data and applications – helping companies minimize the frequency, risk and costs associated with social engineering techniques.

Key Findings from the Report:

• The Threat of Social Engineering is Real – 86 per cent of IT and security professional are aware or highly aware of the risks associated with social engineering. Approximately 48 per cent of enterprises surveyed admitted they have been victims of social engineering more than 25 times in the last two years.

• Social Engineering Attacks Are Costly – Survey participants estimated each security incident costing anywhere from $25,000 to over $100,000, including costs associated with business disruptions, customer outlays, revenue loss and brand damage.

• Most Common Sources of Social Engineering – Phishing emails were ranked the most common source of social engineering techniques (47 per cent), followed by social networking sites that can expose personal and professional information (39 per cent) and insecure mobile devices (12 per cent).

• Financial Gains are the Primary Motivation of Social Engineering - Financial gain was cited as the most frequent reason for social engineered attacks, followed by access to proprietary information (46 per cent), competitive advantage (40 per cent) and revenge (14 per cent).

• New Employees are Most Susceptible to Social Engineering Techniques – Survey participants believe new employees are at high risk to social engineering risks, followed by contractors (44 per cent), executive assistants (38 per cent), human resources (33 per cent), business leaders (32 per cent) and IT personnel (23 per cent). Regardless of an employee’s role within an organization, implementing proper training and user awareness is critical component of any security policy.

• Lack of Proactive Training to Prevent Social Engineering Attacks – 34 per cent of businesses do not have any employee training or security policies in place to prevent social engineering techniques, although 19 per cent have plans to.

The survey, The Risk of Social Engineering on Information Security, was conducted in July and August 2011, surveying over 850 IT and security professionals located in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, Australia and New Zealand. The survey sample represents organizations of all sizes and across multiple industries, including financial, industrial, defense, retail, healthcare and education. Interested in learning more about social engineering and want to add your input? Access the full report and take the online survey here:

http://www.checkpoint.com/surveys/socialeng1509/socialeng.htm.


“Security is not just a problem for IT administrators; it must be part of every professional’s role. As the industry faces a rise in sophisticated and targeted threats, user involvement makes security technology smarter and more effective,” said Comessotti. 

-30-

About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com), the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, provides customers with uncompromised protection against all types of threats, reduces security complexity and lowers total cost of ownership. Check Point first pioneered the industry with FireWall-1 and its patented stateful inspection technology. Today, Check Point continues to develop new innovations based on the Software Blade Architecture, providing customers with flexible and simple solutions that can be fully customized to meet the exact security needs of any organization. Check Point is the only vendor to go beyond technology and define security as a business process. Check Point 3D Security uniquely combines policy, people and enforcement for greater protection of information assets and helps organizations implement a blueprint for security that aligns with business needs. Customers include tens of thousands of organizations of all sizes, including all Fortune and Global 100 companies. Check Point's award-winning ZoneAlarm solutions protect millions of consumers from hackers, spyware and identity theft.  

 

©2011 Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.


CONTACTS:  David Eisenstadt                                                       

                        The Communications Group Inc.

                        416-696-9900 ext 36

                        deisenstadt@tcgpr.com



(download)

AQT Survey: the Quebec ICT industry is a growing one

MONTREAL, Sept. 21, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec Technology Association (AQT) presented the results of its survey last night. More than 650 Quebec ICT businesses were surveyed. The data collected from 495 businesses with between 4 and 500 employees was analyzed. The AQT Survey produced interesting information about ICT business practices and conditions in Quebec.

67% of the businesses surveyed indicated that their revenues had increased during the most recent fiscal year, as compared with the previous year. In addition, the vast majority of businesses, or 86% of them, expect revenues to increase again during the current fiscal year, as compared with the previous year.

"The results of this survey of Quebec ICT businesses are very important in terms of putting new tools in place to encourage growth in our industry, which is vital for Quebec's economic growth", said Nicole Martel, Chief Executive Officer of the AQT.

The survey also produced some other interesting results: on average, 18% of employees work in sales & marketing, 14% hold administrative positions and 33% work in research and development. The businesses surveyed also indicated that an average of 62% of their sales are made in Quebec, while 41% of them have sales in the United States and 29% in Europe.

"Sales & Marketing and exports are clearly the performance indicators that are inherent to the development and growth of our businesses," according to Ms. Martel, CEO, AQT. "For that reason, we will be offering our members training sessions and seminars on both of those topics in the near future." The AQT also plans to produce information theme sheets with statistics and highlights relative to four performance indexes: revenue, human resources, marketing and innovation. The goal is to help AQT members meet the challenges that they face.

The survey also showed that of the businesses that indicated that they have a documented or informal strategic plan, 88% intend to develop new products and services while 63% plan to expand geographically.

Obstacles to growth and investment

As part of the survey, different constraints or obstacles related to growth and investment were submitted to the respondents who were asked to choose the two that were most likely to have a negative impact on the growth of their business. 52 of the businesses identified market conditions, while fear of a skilled labour shortage was mentioned by 39%. Consequently, challenges are real for the ICT companies especially in a global market.

The AQT Survey, conducted by the survey firm SOM, queried the chief executives of information and communications technology (ICT) companies in Quebec. The survey participants will receive a personalized report to enable them to compare their own company to other similar Quebec companies, based on more than 30 indicators. The complete survey results are available, on request, to media representatives. The AQT would like to thank Canada Economic Development for making the survey possible, as well as McCarthy Tétrault who made it possible to publish the results.

The Quebec Technology Association (AQT) www.aqt.ca

The Quebec Technology Association has over 500 corporate members and affiliated members. It represents information and communications technology companies in Quebec and brings together ICT executives. It supports them in achieving their growth-related goals. Through its growth Accelerator, it also provides them with a wide array of services and business networking activities in addition to facilitating access to best management and marketing practices.

For further information:
Source:   AQT
Information:   Mathieu Beaudoin / Thomas Bastien
Morin Relations Publiques
514-289-8688, ext. 225 / 237
mathieu@morinrp.comthomas@morinrp.com

LEADING UNIVERSITIES TAKE HIGHER EDUCATION TO THE CLOUD WITH NETSUITE

LEADING UNIVERSITIES TAKE HIGHER EDUCATION TO THE CLOUD WITH NETSUITE

Thirteen Leading University Accounting Programs in North America Opted Out of On-Premise Software to Teach NetSuite

Thousands of Students Learn Real-World Business Operation Skills on NetSuite Cloud

SAN MATEO, Calif.—Sept. 13, 2011—NetSuite Inc. (NYSE: N), the industry's leading provider of cloud-based financials / ERP software suites, today announced that thirteen North American university accounting programs have made the move to the cloud by adopting NetSuite as a key component of their degree curricula. Purdue University; University of California, Los Angeles; University of Toronto; Arizona State University; Indiana University; Marietta College; University of Hawaii at Manoa; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Santa Barbara City College; The Citadel; Bellevue University; Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and North Georgia College & State University are among the institutions that have embraced NetSuite for many of the same reasons thousands of companies worldwide have switched from on-premise software to the NetSuite cloud—to keep pace with 21st century business and computing trends, avoid integration hassles, and escape the vicious cycle of software upgrade and maintenance costs caused by on-premise software such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains and QuickBooks. The NetSuite cloud business solution is predominantly introduced in the third and fourth year of degree programs, meaning that the next generation of managers, entrepreneurs, and business professionals can come to the job market with a stronger understanding of business operations and a clear understanding of the power of cloud computing.

Higher education accounting programs are increasingly recognizing that the same trends affecting the global business community are reflected in the classroom environment. As the demand for cloud-based business management solutions grows, tomorrow's business leaders must be ready to hit the ground running with an understanding of the cloud computing revolution. "Cloud-based business systems like NetSuite are the future of business, and we are excited that so many universities interested in preparing their students for a modern workplace have moved their curriculum to NetSuite,” said Marty Réaume, NetSuite Chief People Officer. "Equally important, universities can also reduce their cost of educating students, as NetSuite removes the enormous costs of managing, upgrading and refreshing the on-premise systems used in the past.”

Feedback from universities that have already included NetSuite in coursework indicates that the world's leading cloud business solution has enhanced the learning experience for students by providing more practical experience and a better understanding of process flows and revenue cycles throughout an entire organization. Because NetSuite is delivered through the cloud, it can be accessed from anywhere on campus, rather than tied to a crowded computer lab which requires special IT attention.

"There is no substitute for hands-on experience. NetSuite is a great software service. Utilizing it for sharing with the higher education community provides a great opportunity for effective teaching and student learning,” said Professor Robert Sorensen, Purdue University. “My students can now go to job interviews and say they have experience using NetSuite.”

“The NetSuite service provides students hands-on experience with an ERP system they can access outside the class lab. The cloud-based service allows students to work on NetSuite as much or as little as they choose, at times convenient for them, rather than being constrained by lab availability,” said Professor Jerald M. Savin, FIMC, CMC, CPA, University of California, Los Angeles.

With these recent adoptions, thousands of university students now learn NetSuite skills as part of their college curriculum.

Today, more than 10,000 companies and subsidiaries depend on NetSuite to run complex, mission-critical business processes globally in the cloud. Since its inception in 1998, NetSuite has established itself as the leading provider of enterprise-class cloud ERP solutions for divisions of large enterprises and mid-sized organizations seeking to upgrade their antiquated client/server ERP systems. As the leading provider of cloud-based solutions, NetSuite excels at streamlining business operations. As demonstrated by the 2011 CODiE Award for Best Financial Management Solution, as well as a recent Gartner study naming NetSuite as the fastest growing financial management systems vendor in the world, NetSuite has continued its success in delivering the best cloud business solutions to businesses around the world, enabling them to lower IT costs significantly while increasing productivity, as the global adoption of the cloud is accelerating.

Follow NetSuite's Cloud blog, NetSuite's Facebook page and @NetSuite Twitter handle for real-time updates.

For more information about NetSuite, please visit www.netsuite.com. For information on how to include NetSuite in your educational programs, please contact Mark Bidwell at mbidwell@netsuite.com.

NOTE: NetSuite and the NetSuite logo and where business is going are service marks of NetSuite Inc.

March Networks Launches Newest Fraud Detection and Case Management Applications for Banks

March Networks Launches Newest Fraud Detection and Case Management Applications for Banks

Searchlight software links suspicious transaction data with facial images and license plates to help reduce losses dramatically

OTTAWA, Sept. 19, 2011 /CNW/ - March Networks® (TSX: MN), a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions and the #1 supplier of financial video surveillance systems in the Americas*, today announced new additions to its comprehensive Financial Solutions to help banks and credit unions improve security and dramatically reduce losses from fraudulent activity. March Networks Searchlight Image Tracker and License Plate Tracker (LPT) enable banks to quickly associate facial images and vehicle license plates with customer transactions. The additional layer of valuable data speeds investigations and strengthens case evidence significantly, allowing banks and law enforcement to zero-in on the criminals responsible for an estimated $1 billion in losses annually.

Image Tracker provides banks with a powerful enhancement to March Networks' Searchlight Skimming Detection (SD) portfolio. Image Tracker automatically associates facial images with ATM or teller transaction details, video clips and other relevant evidence. Using standard or custom search criteria, such as time, date, or bank card number, investigators can immediately access images and transaction details from any banking location via an easy-to-use interface. They can then drill down to review video from all associated cameras to gather the most complete case evidence possible. Watch the Searchlight application video to learn more.

Also new to the portfolio is Searchlight LPT. The application enables financial institutions to easily capture, archive and search for license plate data, and correlate it with high-quality video and transaction data using March Networks' Financial Transaction Investigation (FTI) software. Investigators can search on a specific license plate, or program a number into the system to trigger an alert when a matching license plate is captured at a drive-thru ATM or banking premises. Searchlight LPT supports domestic, vanity and international plates, as well as partial plate searches. And unlike competitive license plate recognition offerings, the software requires no additional database infrastructure or management software, and works with a bank's existing IP or analog cameras to ensure a rapid and cost-efficient deployment. Watch the Searchlight LPT video to learn more.

"Banks today are looking for more than just reliable, scalable video surveillance. They want to leverage the investments they've already made in their video and data systems to gather better business intelligence and maximize returns," said Net Payne, Chief Marketing Officer, March Networks. "Our comprehensive Financial Solutions offer industry-leading hardware, powerful management software and a growing portfolio of intelligent applications developed specifically to help banking customers worldwide reduce losses and operate more efficiently."

March Networks Financial Solutions are proven in more than 450 banks worldwide. The company will demonstrate the complete portfolio, including its new Searchlight LPT and Image Tracker applications, in Booth 569 at the 57th annual ASIS International Seminar and Exhibits, September 19-21, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Visit www.marchnetworks.com/asis to learn more.

*IMS Research: Vertical Insights, Video Surveillance and Security in Banking and Finance - 2011 Edition.

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.

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

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

For further information:
MEDIA INQUIRIES: 
Erica Miskew March Networks
+1 613.591.8228 x5760
emiskew@marchnetworks.com
        INVESTOR INQUIRIES: 
Ken Taylor March Networks
+1 613.591.8181
ktaylor@marchnetworks.com

Air, Food, Water, Internet -- Cisco Study Reveals Just How Important Internet and Networks Have Become as Fundamental Resources in Daily Life

press release

Sept. 21, 2011, 8:01 a.m. EDT

Air, Food, Water, Internet -- Cisco Study Reveals Just How Important Internet and Networks Have Become as Fundamental Resources in Daily Life

Global Report Examines Focus on Next Generation of World's Workforce, Spotlights Impact on Future Demands and Behavior Involving Network and Information Access in Work Environments

SAN JOSE, CA, Sep 21, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Demonstrating the increasing role of the network in people's lives, an international workforce study announced today by Cisco /quotes/zigman/20039/quotes/nls/csco CSCO +0.06% revealed that one in three college students and young professionals considers the Internet to be as important as fundamental human resources like air, water, food and shelter. The 2011 Cisco Connected World Technology Report also found that more than half of the study's respondents say they could not live without the Internet and cite it as an "integral part of their lives" -- in some cases more integral than cars, dating, and partying.

These and numerous other findings provide insight into the mindset, expectations, and behavior of the world's next generation of workers and how they will influence everything from business communications and mobile lifestyles to hiring, corporate security, and companies' abilities to compete.

The findings will be presented today by Cisco executives during a free Internet TV broadcast at www.cisco.com/go/connectedreport .

Overview

-- The second annual Cisco Connected World Technology Report examines the relationship between human behavior, the Internet, and networking's pervasiveness. It uses this relationship to provoke thoughts around how companies will remain competitive amid the influence of technology lifestyle trends. The global report, based on surveys of college students and professionals 30 years old and younger in 14 countries, provides insight into present-day challenges that companies face as they strive to balance current and future employee and business needs amid increasing mobility capabilities, security risks, and technologies that can deliver information more ubiquitously -- from virtualized data centers and cloud computing to traditional wired and wireless networks.

Key Findings

Internet as One of Life's Fundamental Resources

-- Air, Water, Internet: One of every three college students and employees surveyed globally (33%) believes the Internet is a fundamental resource for the human race -- as important as air, water, food and shelter. About half (49% of college students and 47% of employees) believe it is "pretty close" to that level of importance. Combined, four of every five college students and young employees believe the Internet is vitally important as part of their daily life's sustenance.   -- Life's Daily Sustenance: More than half of the respondents (55% of college students and 62% of employees) said they could not live without the Internet and cite it as an "integral part of their lives."   -- The New Way to Get Around: If forced to make a choice between one or the other, the majority of college students globally -- about two of three (64%) -- would choose an Internet connection instead of a car.

The New Social Life: Internet over Love and Friendship?

-- First Love: Two of five college students surveyed globally (40%) said the Internet is more important to them than dating, going out with friends, or listening to music.   -- Social Life 2.0: Whereas previous generations preferred socializing in person, the next generation is indicating a shift toward online interaction. More than one in four college students globally (27%) said staying updated on Facebook was more important than partying, dating, listening to music, or hanging out with friends.

The Use of Mobile Devices for Accessing Information...and the End of TV and Newspapers?

-- Importance of Mobile Devices: Two-thirds of students (66%) and more than half of employees (58%) cite a mobile device (laptop, smartphone, tablet) as "the most important technology in their lives."   -- Continued Rise of Smartphones and Mobility: Smartphones are poised to surpass desktops as the most prevalent tool from a global perspective, as 19% of college students consider smartphones as their "most important" device used on a daily basis, compared to 20% for desktops -- an indication of the growing trend of smartphone prominence and expected rise in usage by the next generation of college graduates upon entering the workforce. This finding fans the debate over the necessity of offices compared to the ability to connect to the Internet and work anywhere, such as at home or in public settings. In the 2010 edition of the study, three of five employees globally (60%) said offices are unnecessary for being productive.   -- TV's Decline: Both surveys indicate that the TV's prominence is decreasing among college students and young employees in favor of mobile devices like laptops and smartphones. Globally, fewer than one in 10 college students (6%) and employees (8%) said the TV is the most important technology device in their daily lives. As TV programming and movies become available on mobile devices, this downward trend is expected to continue.   -- Paper Route's Dead End? Only one of 25 college students and employees (4%) surveyed globally said the newspaper is their most important tool for accessing information.   -- Saving Trees: One of five students (21%) have not bought a physical book (excluding textbooks required for class) in a bookstore in more than two years -- or never at all.

Influence of Social Media -- And Distractions in Daily Life

-- Facebook Interaction: About nine of 10 (91%) college students and employees (88%) globally said they have a Facebook account -- of those, 81 percent of college students and 73% of employees check their Facebook page at least once a day. One of those three (33%) said they check at least five times a day.   -- Online Interruption or Disruption? College students reported constant online interruptions while doing projects or homework, such as instant messaging, social media updates and phone calls. In a given hour, more than four out of five (84%) college students said they are interrupted at least once. About one in five students (19%) said they are interrupted six times or more -- an average of at least once every 10 minutes. One of 10 (12%) said they lose count of how many times they are interrupted while they are trying to focus on a project.   -- Work Is Life: In a sign that the boundary between work and personal life is becoming thinner, seven of 10 employees "friended" their managers and/or co-workers on Facebook, indicating the dissolution of boundaries separating work and private life. Culturally, the United States featured lower percentages of employees friending managers and co-workers -- only about one in four (23%) -- although two of five friended their co-workers (40%).   -- The Work Grapevine: Of employees who use Twitter, more than two of every three (68%) follow the Twitter activity of either their manager or colleagues; 42% follow both, while one-third (32%) prefer to keep their personal lives private.

About the Study

-- The study was commissioned by Cisco and conducted by InsightExpress, a third-party market research firm based in the United States.   -- The global study consists of two surveys -- one involving college students, the other on young professionals in their 20s. Each survey includes 100 respondents from each of 14 countries, resulting in a pool of 2,800 respondents.   -- The 14 countries: The United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Russia, India, China, Japan, and Australia