Android™-powered handsets proving to be a strong consideration for business smartphones, according to Canadian company decision makers

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Android™-powered handsets proving to be a strong consideration for business smartphones, according to Canadian company decision makers 

 

Criteria such as ease of use and enhanced security features are hallmarks of Motorola devices such as ATRIX 4G, the Android™ 2.3 mobile powerhouse

 

TORONTO – August 30, 2011 – Companies looking for the best mobile experience for their employees are making the shift to Android™-powered devices. According to third party research commissioned by Motorola Mobility, close to 40 per cent of Canadian company decision makers across all company sizes are considering Android smartphones for business use. This is in line with research by Gartner who has stated Android market share will climb to nearly 50 per cent by 20121. Motorola has responded to this need by integrating the latest Android 2.3 platform into the Motorola ATRIX 4G and building in additional Motorola software experiences for the ultimate in security and productivity – offering companies in Canada a more robust solution than the leading business handset on the market today.

“We are clearly seeing a shift to the Android platform for corporate use as companies of all sizes look to provide a workable mobile culture for their employees”, said Sheldon Hebert, senior director, global enterprise sales, Motorola Mobility. “Motorola Android devices offer an unmatched productivity suite relative to any handset on the market and more robust security features. This means the IT department retains control and business users get their jobs done more efficiently.”

 

Business culture has evolved with the mobile generation and companies who want to provide the best options for their employees for work and life-at-large need to up the ante with relevant devices. Motorola ATRIX 4G gives business users what they want - a smartphone that lets them conduct day-to-day tasks easily and efficiently. Ease of use, especially for e-mail, calendaring and synching, was cited in the top five importance criteria by business decision makers - 34 per cent of small, 55 per cent of medium, 65 per cent of large and 56 per cent of very large companies.  Motorola ATRIX 4G, with its fast dual-core processing speed that ensures work efficiency, includes calendar and group conferencing enhancements and allows for easy document download, manipulation and sharing.

 

Business decision makers at large and very large companies state that key features including password recovery/enforcement, phone autolock, remote track/wipe and sandboxing range in importance from 35 per cent to 50 per cent as ‘must have’ and ‘highly appealing’ requirements. Motorola ATRIX 4G ensures the IT department can deliver on access and control, with new password recovery and SD card encryption functions, among other security features.

 

From an employee perspective, smartphone business users listed apps in the top five important criteria, showcasing the desire to use their mobile devices for business and pleasure. Motorola ATRIX 4G’s updated, dynamic user interface and rich browsing experience make this easier while the Android Market™ brings choice and personalization to the forefront.  All e-mail, messages and social networking updates are delivered to live customizable widgets on the homescreen while all contacts from social accounts, work and personal phonebooks are aggregated and merged throughout the device. Motorola ATRIX 4G satisfies these business and personal requirements and makes the best Android smartphone choice.

 

The Full Package

Smartphones offered on other operating systems do not compete. Business users get a complete solution from the Motorola ATRIX 4G, with its fast processing speed and applications and accessories that create a productive office, anywhere.  In addition to the full suite of office productivity and email applications, users can also access a number of web applications such as Salesforce.com, Google Docs, and any HTML application or service from a full desktop browser. Motorola’s webtop application and optional Motorola Lapdock™ offer a larger screen, full-size keyboard and trackpad so that business users can create, edit and share documents, media and content easily.  The Vehicle Dock for Motorola ATRIX 4G helps those on the road turn the car into an office and the smartphone into a GPS device. The Motorola HD Multimedia dock’s three USB ports and HDMI port enable connections to a keyboard, monitor, mouse, speakers or HDMI monitor, to take presentations from the Motorola ATRIX 4G to the screen.  And, a variety of Motorola Bluetooth headsets and accessories complete the mobile package.

 

Ready for Business

The shift to Android is easy. Companies have access to a priority Motorola call centre to assist with set up and training so that the device is optimized for their specific business needs. As companies have a range of business and employee priorities, Motorola offers a range of products to suit.  The new Motorola XT860 4G™, available exclusively at Bell, and the ultra-tough Motorola DEFY, available exclusively at TELUS, also offer seamless Android experiences for business users.

 

Motorola ATRIX 4G Key Features and Specifications:

§  Dual Core 1 GHz lightning fast processing

§  1GB RAM for efficient multi-tasking

§  Vibrant 4” qHD display

§  5MP camera & front-facing webcam with HD video capture and playback

  • Up to 48GB of storage (16GB internal and optional 32GB MicroSD card) – enough to store thousands of songs, photos and as many as 15 full-length movies

·         Motorola’s Webtop – A Motorola app that makes you and your smartphone more productive while you’re on the go via full firefox browser on any screen2

  • View and edit Microsoft Office documents with Quickoffice®

·         Comprehensive business features including Virtual Citrix Windows PC access and complex security, password and data encryption

·         Access to Google Maps™ 5.0 with 3D maps and Navigation, Google Talk™, and web-browsing

·         Exchange Integration - for access to corporate email/calendar

·         Biometric fingerprint reader for easily unlocking your phone while providing extra security

·         Under 11mm thin, with an extra-large 1930 mAh battery for extended standby and talk time

·         Keep up to date on social networks with automatic delivery of messages through MOTOBLUR™, including the ability to locate, wipe and restore data if the device is lost or stolen

·         Mobile Hotspot service for connecting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices

 

Availability

Motorola ATRIX 4G is available at Bell Mobility for $49.99. For more information visit Motorola.ca/atrix.

 

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, please visit: www.motorola.com/mobility.

 

Media Contacts:

 

Kathryn Hanley

Hill & Knowlton for Motorola Mobility Canada

416.413.4754 or 416.452.0563

kathryn.hanley@hillandknowlton.ca

 

Alanna Glicksman
Hill & Knowlton for Motorola Mobility Canada
416.413.4743 or 416.562-3029

alanna.glicksman@hillandknowlton.ca

 

1.     Gartner news release - Gartner Says Android to Command Nearly Half of Worldwide Smartphone Operating System Market by Year-End 2012 – April 7, 2011; http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1622614

2.     Users must have a compatible Motorola Lapdock™ or Motorola HD Multimedia dock to launch the Motorola Webtop application.

 

Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Contact your service provider for details. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation. 4G refers to Bell's next generation wireless network.  See http://best.bell.ca/en/fastest/ for details.

 

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC.  Android, Android Market, Google Maps and Google Talk are trademarks of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.  © 2011 Motorola Mobility, Inc.  All rights reserved. 

 


 

















































U.S. Air Force Chooses HP as Key Technology Provider

U.S. Air Force Chooses HP as Key Technology Provider

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 29, 2011

HP today announced that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) has selected it to provide new workstations and desktop PCs as a part of its enterprise IT purchase program.

The award will add to the USAF’s 900,000 units of HP products deployed in the past five years throughout the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific and is part of the USAF CCS (client, computer and servers) Quantum Enterprise Buy (QEB). In compliance with USAF requirements, HP will include customized agency configurations that meet strict standards and tests for memory, audio, video and other specifications.

The Air Force Information Technology Commodity Council (AF ITCC), composed of top USAF officials, selects vendors for the QEB by evaluating the performance quality of their enterprise computing products in harsh environments. HP has consistently proven to be a “Best Value” vendor through the assessment.

USAF facilities worldwide will use an array of HP platforms, including HP Workstations and HP Compaq 6005 Business Pro PCs that combine high performance, energy efficiency and security features.

“For more than 60 years, the U.S. military and federal government has relied on HP for state-of-the-art technology products and solutions,” said Stephen DiFranco, senior vice president and general manager, Personal Systems Group, HP. “We are proud of our strong performance record and look forward to providing the USAF with premier technology that aides in the management of the forces protecting our nation.”

Powerful, versatile, reliable

The QEB award will include the HP Z800 Workstation and HP Z400 Workstation. The HP Z800 Workstation offers Intel® Xeon® 5500 and 5600 series processors, providing up to 12 processing cores,(1) up to 192 gigabytes of ECC memory,(2) up to 10 terabytes of high-speed storage(3) and up to dual NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 graphics.

The HP Z400 offers up to six processing cores using Intel Xeon 3500 series processors, providing up to 24 GB of ECC memory, up to 8 TB of high-speed storage and up to NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 or dual NVIDIA Quadro FX 1800 graphics.

HP Z Workstations are designed to optimize energy use while maintaining high-performance power, versatility and reliability. They include at least 85 percent efficient power supplies helping to reduce both overall energy usage and the amount of waste heat released. HP Workstations also offer ENERGY STAR® 5.0 qualified configurations while all HP Z Workstations are more than 90 percent recyclable by weight and registered as EPEAT® Gold.

Industry research firm IDC reported that HP led the desktop and mobile workstation category in market share in the second quarter of 2011, retaking the No. 1 position in the United States.(4)

The HP Compaq 6005 Pro Business PCs will be available in two configurations – small form factor and microtower – that both meet the USAF’s secure product category requirements and offer secure hardware, software and firmware. Both models are EPEAT Gold registered and include energy-efficient features that conserve power, enabling PCs to last longer.

The HP and USAF contract number is FA8771-10-A-0601. More information about the USAF’s quarterly IT purchase process is available on the AF Way website, https://www.afway.af.mil/ or by contacting Sonya Smith, contracting officer, U.S. Air Force at +1 334 416 5318 or sonya.smith@gunter.af.mil, or Martin Toland, QEB program manager, U.S. Air Force at +1 334 416 4846 or martin.toland@gunter.af.mil.

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.

Red Hat and Telstra Partner to Bring Enterprise Solutions to the Cloud

Red Hat and Telstra Partner to Bring Enterprise Solutions to the Cloud


Telstra to be the first Australian telecommunications provider to offer Red Hat Enterprise Linux in the cloud

Raleigh, NC - August 25, 2011

Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT), the world's leading provider of open source solutions, today announced that Telstra, Australia’s leading telecommunications and information services company, has extended its partnership with Red Hat to enable expanded choice for enterprise customers in the cloud.

Telstra today joins Red Hat’s expanding cloud ecosystem as a Certified Cloud Provider, meaning that its solutions meet the rigorous testing and certification requirements Red Hat has in place to deliver a safe, scalable, supported and consistent environment for enterprise cloud deployments.  As a Certified Cloud Provider, Telstra offers Red Hat Enterprise Linux as a guest operating system on its infrastructure cloud service.  

“Telstra has partnered with Red Hat as part of our hosting services program for many years and to now be a Red Hat Certified Cloud Provider is a significant and exciting development for Telstra cloud computing,” said Telstra Executive Director, Philip Jones.  “Offering Red Hat Enterprise Linux in our  cloud computing environment offers our customers more choice, more flexibility and the opportunity to run more applications out of our cloud.”

“We’ve spoken with organisations across a wide range of industries that are utilising cloud capabilities and they tell us that Red Hat Enterprise Linux, among other Red Hat solutions, brings them great value in cloud environments,” said Scott Crenshaw, vice president and general manager, Cloud Business at Red Hat.  “We welcome Telstra to our Certified Cloud Provider program. To be one of the operating platforms available on the Telstra Cloud Computing service shows the demand for Red Hat Enterprise Linux in cloud deployments.”

Telstra cloud computing services leverage the Telstra Next IP® network and Next G® network.  To find out more about Telstra’s cloud computing services, visit http://www.telstra.com.au/cloud.

For more information about Red Hat and cloud computing, visit www.redhat.com/cloud.

For more information about Red Hat, visit www.redhat.com.  For more news, more often, visit www.press.redhat.com.

About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat, the world's leading provider of open source solutions and an S&P 500 company, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC with over 65 offices spanning the globe. CIOs ranked Red Hat as one of the top vendors delivering value in Enterprise Software for seven consecutive years in the CIO Insight Magazine Vendor Value survey. Red Hat provides high-quality, affordable technology with its operating system platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, together with virtualization, applications, management and Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) solutions, including Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization and JBoss Enterprise Middleware. Red Hat also offers support, training and consulting services to its customers worldwide. Learn more: http://www.redhat.com.

24-Hour Workshift: Mobile Employees Work Around the Clock According to New iPass Mobile Workforce Report

August 23, 2011 00:01 ET

24-Hour Workshift: Mobile Employees Work Around the Clock According to New iPass Mobile Workforce Report

Flexible Work Schedules Lead to Longer Work Weeks, Increased Productivity, Improved Efficiency and Yet a Better Work/Life Balance

REDWOOD SHORES, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 23, 2011) - iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS), a leading provider of mobility services for enterprises and service providers, today published its quarterly Mobile Workforce Report, which examined workshifting in today's workplace -- flexible work schedules that enable employees to work wherever and whenever they want. The report found that 38 percent of mobile workers work before their commute, 25 percent work during their commute, 37 percent work during lunch, and 37 percent work at night -- each and every day.

The report, which drew from the experiences of more than 3,100 mobile employees at 1,100 enterprises worldwide, also revealed that 75 percent of mobile workers work more hours due to workshifting. More than half (55 percent) were working at least 10 or more additional hours each week as a result of their more flexible schedules and 12 percent were working 20 or more additional hours.

Overwhelmingly, mobile workers reported that workshifting allows them to be more productive and efficient, with 79 percent reporting increased productivity and 78 percent reporting increased efficiency. Significantly, 64 percent of mobile workers also reported improved work/life balance and more than half (51 percent) felt more relaxed because of flexible work.

"Even though mobile workers are putting in more hours, we are starting to see the pendulum swing back to the center on disconnecting, with 68 percent of mobile workers disengaging from technology occasionally to spend time with their families," said Barbara Nelson, chief technology officer at iPass. "It appears that the mobile workforce is getting a better hold on their work-life balance."

The survey also uncovered:

  • 47 percent of mobile employees work from home daily, 99 percent at least occasionally. 88 percent of mobile workers report working from the road, 84 percent from a coffee shop, and 77 percent outside using a city-mesh Wi-Fi at least on an occasional basis.
  • 40 percent would like a more flexible work environment -- even with 95 percent of employees stating that their employers currently either encourage or tolerate workshifting.
  • If mobile employees do not get enough flexibility at work, 33 percent stated they would seek employment elsewhere, 57 percent would be less satisfied with their job, and 45 percent would feel less productive.
  • During vacation 97 percent of mobile workers stay connected to technology (up from 93 percent in 2010). Nearly all (94 percent) did so at least partly for work.
  • On vacation, 69 percent checked into work at least daily, while 93 percent checked in at least weekly. 41 percent checked in multiple times per day.
  • 52 percent connected during vacation to make sure they didn't fall behind on work, weren't overwhelmed upon return to work, or to ensure completion of a work project.

About the Report
The iPass Mobile Workforce Report is published quarterly and based on a survey of more than 3,100 mobile enterprise employees at 1,100 enterprises worldwide between July 1 and July 15, 2011. The iPass Mobile Workforce Report can be found at http://mobile-workforce-project.ipass.com.

About iPass Inc.
Founded in 1996, iPass (NASDAQ: IPAS) manages mobile connectivity for large enterprises and global service providers through mobility and cloud services. With thousands of enterprise customers, iPass is a leading provider of enterprise mobility services which simply, smartly and openly facilitate access from any device on any network, while providing IT with the visibility and control necessary to support the demands of the enterprise workforce. iPass also provides Wi-Fi exchange services robust enough to support both the business and mass market requirements of service providers. Additional information is available at www.iPass.com or on Smarter Connections, the iPass blog.

iPass® is a registered trademark of iPass Inc. Other company names and product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Next-generation BlackBerry(R) 7 smartphones to hit MTS shelves

Next-generation BlackBerry® 7 smartphones to hit MTS shelves

Stock Symbol:  MBT

BlackBerry Torch 9810 and BlackBerry Bold 9900 available in coming weeks

WINNIPEG, Aug. 22, 2011 /CNW/ - MTS customers will soon be able to get their hands on the next-generation of BlackBerry® 7 smartphones including the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810 and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900. The BlackBerry Torch 9810 will make its debut at the end of August followed by the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone in early October. Both smartphones run on the new BlackBerry 7 operating system.

"Since we launched our 4G network in March, MTS has seen increasing demand for smartphones and we are pleased to make available to our customers throughout Manitoba the latest BlackBerry devices," said Stan Kurtas, Vice President, Marketing, MTS. "We are always working to bring our customers the latest in technology and the BlackBerry Torch 9810 and BlackBerry Bold 9900 are both high performing smartphones built on the new performance driven platform - BlackBerry 7 OS."

Building on the popular BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphones, the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810 is faster and more fluid with high performance hardware and features the new BlackBerry 7 OS delivering an enhanced multimedia experience. It also features a large 3.2 inch high resolution touch display and a distinctive BlackBerry keyboard that easily slides out to allow for faster typing.

The BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone at only 10.5 mm and is the first to offer the perfect union of a high performance keyboard and touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design. The BlackBerry Bold 9900 also includes built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.

For more information about the full range of smartphones available on the Company's 4G network, please visit www.mts.ca/4g. To learn more about the BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry Bold smartphones, please visit www.blackberry.com.

About MTS
MTS is division of MTS Allstream Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. As one of Canada's leading national communication solutions companies, MTS Allstream provides innovative communications for the way Canadians want to live and work today. The Company has more than 100 years of experience, with 5,500 employees across Canada dedicated to a mission of delivering true value as seen through the eyes of our customers. MTS Allstream has nearly two million total customer connections spanning business customers across Canada and residential consumers throughout the province of Manitoba. The Company's extensive national broadband and fibre optic network spans almost 30,000 kilometres. Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.'s common shares are listed on Toronto Stock Exchange (trading symbol: MBT). Customers, stakeholders and investors who want to learn more about MTS Allstream are encouraged to visit: www.mtsallstream.com.

Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer
This news release includes forward-looking statements and information (collectively, the "statements") about our corporate direction, business opportunities, operations, financial objectives,  planned activities, future financial results and performance that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions.  As a consequence, actual results in the future may differ materially from any conclusion, forecast, anticipation or projection in such forward-looking statements.  Examples of statements that constitute forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "project", "should", "anticipate", "could", "target", "forecast", "intend", "plan", "outlook", "see", "set", "pending", and other similar terms.

Factors that could cause anticipated opportunities and actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, matters identified in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section and elsewhere in our most recent annual MD&A and any subsequent quarterly MD&As, as well as our most recent Annual Information Form, all of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Please note that forward-looking statements reflect our expectations as at the date hereof.  We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.

VMware and Mitel to Bring Unified Communications and Collaboration to Desktop Virtualization

VMware and Mitel to Bring Unified Communications and Collaboration to Desktop Virtualization

Multiple Technology Breakthroughs Will Enable IT to Deploy Voice and Collaboration to Virtualized Desktops


Today at VMworld® 2011, VMware and Mitel unveiled a significant technical advancement designed to considerably increase the already growing deployment of desktop virtualization for IT departments around the world. Specifically, Mitel will integrate its virtualized Unified Communicator® (UC) Advanced client software with VMware View™ 5, enabling Mitel and VMware to deliver soft phone and mobile device integration into a desktop virtualization environment. This unique collaboration will dramatically extend the power of desktop virtualization, enabling a user's voice solution and UC applications to be deployed together as a single unified solution in a virtual desktop environment. By doing so, IT departments can significantly reduce costs while extending their desktop and mobile environment to anywhere a user has an Internet connection.

"The Chicago Bears have already deployed Mitel's Unified Communicator Advanced, so we are already familiar with the benefits of Mitel's architecture," said Jason Saidoo, senior director of information technology for the Chicago Bears. "The idea of virtualizing both the desktop and the desktop phone, thus unifying their functionality, is very attractive to an organization like the Chicago Bears, since we require mobility and secure desktop access from the road. As a result of this announcement, we have advanced our own timeline to convert our IT infrastructure to a completely virtualized environment."

"Today's announcement represents a significant step forward in the evolution of desktop virtualization," said Rich Costello, senior research analyst at IDC. "These new technology breakthroughs will help accelerate adoption of desktop virtualization. IT departments should begin evaluating how and when they should make the transition to this type of environment."

VMware View and Mitel UC Advanced
This integration represents a significant technical achievement. Today, users cannot stream virtualized Mitel voice applications to a virtual desktop without significant impact to performance and latency. In addition to accessing the desktop with VMware View, users will also be able to access their collaboration tools, including voice, video, presence, secure instant messaging, audio and web conferencing, document sharing, voice messaging and email, from their VMware View client.

Desktop virtualization using VMware View offers IT tremendous benefits by moving desktops and applications into the cloud and delivering them as a managed service. IT administration is more automated and efficient, security is improved and the total cost of desktop ownership can be reduced by as much as 50 percent. End users can get a rich, consistent and high-performance desktop experience from any qualified device -- including mobile devices like tablets and smartphones -- whether in the office or on the go.

VMware and Mitel are combining the capabilities of VMware View with Mitel's UC Advanced client software, giving users of a virtualized desktop access to both their desktop applications and their communications apps, essentially making both their desktop computer and communications device (mobile, soft phone or desk phone) available to them no matter where they may be.

"VMware and Mitel have helped 'crack the code' on streaming communications and collaboration applications to the virtual desktop, thus giving IT freedom from the 'walled garden' approach driven by legacy IT vendors," said Christopher Young, vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware. "Mitel's Freedom architecture, which already delivers an open, single software solution on a virtual machine, has now been augmented to support streaming on the VMware View™ desktop client software. By doing so, VMware is taking another step forward in enabling universal desktop access, delivering a truly open model that benefits both IT and the user."

"IT departments now have a powerful new tool to help them manage their infrastructure," said Stephen Beamish, Mitel's vice president, marketing and business development. "With UC as another virtualized application available on any device, they will have greater control and flexibility than ever while still reducing capital costs."

Interested parties can view a demo of this joint solution at VMware's booth # 621 and Mitel's booth # 560 at VMworld 2011, currently taking place in at the Venetian Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas through Thursday, September 1, 2011.

Additional Resources

About Mitel
Mitel (NASDAQ: MITL) is a global provider of business communications and collaboration software and services. Mitel's Freedom architecture provides the flexibility and simplicity organizations need to support today's dynamic work environment. Through a single cloud-ready software stream, Mitel delivers a powerful suite of advanced communications and collaboration capabilities that provides freedom from walled garden architectures and enables organizations to implement best-of-breed solutions on any network; extends the "in-office" experience anywhere, on any device; and offers choice of commercial options to fit business needs. For more information visit: http://www.mitel.com

Mitel and the Mitel logo are registered trademarks of Mitel Networks Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About VMware
VMware (NYSE: VMW) delivers virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable IT organizations to energize businesses of all sizes. With the industry leading virtualization platform -- VMware vSphere® -- customers rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, improve agility, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2010 revenues of $2.9 billion, more than 250,000 customers and 25,000 partners, VMware is the leader in virtualization which consistently ranks as a top priority among CIOs. VMware is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.

VMware, VMware View VMware vSphere and VMworld are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. The use of the word "partner" or "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other company.

All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Contacts:

Jay Nichols (media)
415-992-3210
jnichols@sterlingpr.com

Cynthia Hiponia (investor relations)
613-592-2122 x1992
investorrelations@mitel.com

Nick Fuentes
VMware Global Communications
+1 (650) 427-1104
nfuentes@vmware.com

Alex Kirschner
The OutCast Agency for VMware
+1 (415) 392-8282
alex@theoutcastagency.com

Symantec Survey Finds Surprising Number Of Small Businesses Not Protecting Data on Virtualized Servers

Symantec Survey Finds Surprising Number Of Small Businesses Not Protecting Data on Virtualized Servers

 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – August 24, 2011 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced the findings of its 2011 Small Business Virtualization Poll which examined the adoption of virtualization within small businesses and its impact on their organizations. According to the survey, small businesses have a strong interest in virtualization, but are still learning how to adopt it in their organizations. As they implement server virtualization, small businesses are putting their data at risk. The survey found that most small businesses aren’t taking the most basic steps to secure and protect their virtual environments. The survey is based on 658 respondents in 28 countries worldwide.


“Despite what you may think, small businesses are evaluating how virtualization can benefit their organizations. We’re still early in the adoption cycle, but virtualization enables small businesses to reduce expenses and meet the increasing demands for greater productivity and efficiency, said Steve Cullen, senior vice president, Strategy and Marketing, Symantec Corp.“However, whether or not small businesses are ready to make the transition to virtualized technologies, it’s critical that they always secure and protect their data no matter what type of environments they have.”


Click to Tweet: Only 15 percent of small businesses back up data in virtual environments: http://bit.ly/nPoYTU


Survey Highlights

  • Financial Benefits Driving Decision to Virtualize. Seventy percent of respondents said their organizations are considering virtualization. Not surprisingly, financial benefits rank highest among reasons to adopt server virtualization. Reduced capital expense was cited by 70 percent, while 68 percent said reduced operating expense would drive their decisions to deploy virtualization. Other benefits include the ability to use fewer servers for the same number of applications (67 percent) and improved server scalability (65 percent).
  • Limited IT Skills Holding Some Small Businesses Back. Despite their interest, small businesses are finding it difficult to move from discussions to execution. Only 10 percent of respondents have deployed virtualized servers and they are focusing their early-stage efforts on simpler, less critical application areas. Top challenges include performance (60 percent), backup (56 percent), and security and patch management (56 percent). Nearly a third of small businesses not now planning virtualization cited lack of experience as a factor.
  • Data on Virtualized Servers Lacking Basic Security Protection. As small businesses move to virtual environments, they do not protect and secure their data. Only 15 percent always back up their virtualized servers and 23 percent backup infrequently or not at all. They aren’t doing any better in securing their data –only 40 percent are completely secured. Respondents say budget and staffing issues are preventing them from taking these essential actions. Even those who said they are somewhat or completely secure are, in fact, less secure than they think. A staggering 78 percent don’t have antivirus on their virtual servers, 48 percent don’t have a firewall, and 74 percent forego endpoint protection.

Recommendations
Fortunately there are some simple things small businesses can do to make sure they are properly protecting their data and systems:

  • Define a virtualization strategy: Work with an IT consultant to develop a strategy. Proactively develop guidelines and assess your data protection and security needs. Determine if moving to these cloud services are right for you. Once you have a strategy, develop a plan and stick to it.
  • Secure your virtual environments: Consider what security solutions you need to secure your virtual environment, including a firewall, antivirus, and endpoint security. Make sure you have established security practices as an additional layer of protection.
  • Protect your data: Have a simplified approach to backup. Implement a solution that protects both physical and virtual environments. Consider a data deduplication solution to save space and time.

Symantec’s Small Business Virtualization Poll

Symantec’s Small Business Poll is the result of research conducted in May 2011 by Applied Research, which surveyed IT professionals responsible for managing computer resources at small businesses with between 5 and 249 employees. The survey was designed to gauge how small businesses are embracing virtualization. The survey included 658 respondents in 28 countries in North America, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia Pacific, and Latin America.


Resources

Connect with Symantec

About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world. Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com.


Note to Editors: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please visit the Symantec News Room at http://www.symantec.com/news. All prices noted are in U.S. dollars and are valid only in the United States.


Symantec and the Symantec Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


Forward-looking Statements: Any forward-looking indication of plans for products is preliminary and all future release dates are tentative and are subject to change. Any future release of the product or planned modifications to product capability, functionality, or feature are subject to ongoing evaluation by Symantec, and may or may not be implemented and should not be considered firm commitments by Symantec and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.

Dell Completes Acquisition of Data Center Networking Leader Force10 Networks

Dell Completes Acquisition of Data Center Networking Leader Force10 Networks

Date : 26/08/2011
Round Rock, Texas

  • Dell Force10 provides high-performance solutions designed for virtualizing and automating conventional data center and cloud networks
  • Dell Force10 technology complements and accelerates Dell’s data center solutions portfolio, enabling it to offer customers a broader range of enterprise offerings
  • Dell’s broad data center and campus networking portfolio drive open, efficient and flexible solutions for the Virtual Era

Dell today announced it has finalized its acquisition of Force10 Networks, a leader in high-performance data center networking. The Force10 acquisition is Dell’s latest investment to broaden its networking portfolio to deliver its Virtual Network Services Infrastructure. Dell expects the transaction to be accretive to earnings in the second half of next year.

Dell has taken significant steps over the past three years to expand its enterprise presence as a complete solutions provider. In addition to strategic acquisitions, such as Force10, Dell expects to hire several hundred new team members in engineering, sales and marketing, and services jobs at the Dell Silicon Valley R&D Center.

Dell recognizes that the network infrastructure to deliver applications or information is critical, regardless of location or end point device. Dell sees the data center as the focal point and its network must be transformed into a streamlined, efficient, and policy-driven network that is responsive to changing applications and end-user demands.

Dell with Force10 is a global technology leader in data center networking for service provider and enterprise customers. Force10’s Open Cloud Networking based on open standards, automation and virtualization matches Dell’s philosophy. Dell Force10’s technology allows customers to transform network infrastructures into an open, reliable and scalable data center and cloud computing fabric. Force10’s technology is a natural complement to Dell’s existing data center strategy and enables a strong solution alignment with Dell’s server, storage and systems management portfolio. With the combination of Force10 and Dell’s current PowerConnect portfolio, the company now offers a comprehensive switching strategy for data center, enterprise and campus/branch environments.

As with past acquisitions of Compellent and EqualLogic, Dell is committed to maintaining and growing the existing Force10 channel program. Dell Force10’s customers include leading Web 2.0 and Fortune 100 companies, Internet portals, global carriers, leading research laboratories and government organizations with some of the world’s most demanding network environments.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Dell Force10

  • Flexible, open automation and management for increased infrastructure control and visibility.
  • Automated policy configuration and workload mobility for improved operational agility.
  • High-performance top-of-rack and data center core networking solutions for next- generation solutions.

Dell’s Virtual Network Services Infrastructure

  • Automation of virtual machine management and movement across data centers regardless of scale while maintaining visibility, security policies and resource efficiency.
  • Enable improved manageability to reduce IT resources and deployments by standardizing IT processes while consolidating storage, server and networking infrastructures.
  • Deliver a cost effective, flexible and efficient networking infrastructure which instantly responds to evolving application needs for agile, business-driven responsiveness.


Quotes

“Data center networking is going through a significant transformation to support applications and virtualization and meet the needs of end users and IT administrators. Simply put, customers need a new approach, which is what we are calling Virtual Network Services Infrastructure,” said Dario Zamarian, vice president and general manager, Dell Networking. “Force10’s history of product innovation and technology leadership in data center networking matches and accelerates our vision.”

“The addition of Force10 Networks technology gives Dell a data center-class networking portfolio, enabling the company to deliver on converged infrastructure,” said Cindy Borovick, Research Vice President, Data center Networking, IDC. “Force10 Networks technology architecture will integrate well within Dell's virtual data center vision.”1

Lenovo Extends Cloud Computing Platform with Virtual Computer Desktop Virtualization

Lenovo Extends Cloud Computing Platform with Virtual Computer Desktop Virtualization

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – August 29, 2011: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) announced today that customers are now able to buy Virtual Computer NxTop® directly through Lenovo sales and its network of business partners in North America. NxTop® 4.0 offers extreme flexibility, allowing IT to centrally manage images and use the same image templates for multiple deployment models, regardless of whether the data is hosted on a storage array network or locally on a fully encrypted hard drive. With NxTop® deployed on select Think-branded PCs, including models of ThinkPad laptops and ThinkCentre desktops, customers gain the unique benefits of NxTop®, including centralized PC management, greater mobility, remote support and a rich end-user experience.
 
“We chose Virtual Computer’s NxTop® virtualization platform as a key part of our focus on building a robust portfolio of virtualization and cloud computing solutions,” said Peter Schrady, vice president and general manager, Software & Peripherals Business Unit, Lenovo. “With NxTop, we’re combining our rock-solid, reliable PC hardware with multi-functional virtualization support to give business customers an affordable and easy-to-use computing solution.” 
 
Lenovo and Virtual Computer previously collaborated to bring new NxTop® 4.0 capabilities to market. These capabilities include a flexible deployment option that leverages a centralized storage array to keep data off the endpoint device, while maintaining the advantages of local client execution. In addition, NxTop® 4.0 is optimized on select Think-branded PCs to deliver unique Lenovo capabilities, native PC performance, seamless user experience and zero-touch PC deployment through Lenovo’s custom factory installation.
                                                                                                                         
“Client-Hosted VDI has become a mainstream solution, and hundreds of companies are already experiencing the unparalleled benefits of NxTop® installed on their Lenovo Think-branded PCs. This next stage of our relationship clearly demonstrates our collaboration and commitment to deliver a differentiated intelligent desktop virtualization solution. Customers can now get the powerful combination of local execution and centralized management directly from Lenovo or a Lenovo business partner,” said Dan McCall, CEO, Virtual Computer.  
 
The global distribution agreement and the  release of Virtual Computer NxTop® 4.0 advance the end-users’ ability to run multiple operating systems or personalities, including  corporate and personal virtual machines, as well as enabling  organizations to achieve greater manageability and cost savings than they can with server-hosted VDI.
 
NxTop® 4.0 will be demonstrated in Virtual Computers’ booth #1164 this week at VMworld 2011 in Las Vegas.
 
About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US21 billion personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries, and the world’s third-largest PC vendor. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo’s business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo, a global Fortune 500 company, has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina.  For more information see 
www.lenovo.com.

Cisco Announces Acquisition of Versly

Cisco Announces Acquisition of Versly

SAN JOSE, Calif. – August 29, 2011 – Cisco today announced that it has acquired privately-held Versly. Based in San Francisco, Versly integrates collaboration capabilities via a plug-in into Microsoft Office applications, simplifying the way people work by enabling more effective collaboration around content in documents, spreadsheets, presentations and email.

"Collaboration is a top priority at Cisco. With this acquisition we're enhancing our collaboration offerings and improving the user experience by integrating social technologies within the business applications individuals and teams use at work," said Murali Sitaram, vice president and general manager, Collaboration Software Group (CSG), Cisco. "Furthermore, the integration with Versly will drive productivity improvements for organizations and their knowledge workers, many of whom are among the 600 million Microsoft Office users."

Collaboration is one of Cisco's five company priorities and represents what Cisco believes to be a total addressable market of $45 billion. The acquisition will provide more opportunity for Cisco partners to provide enhanced collaboration solutions to customers.  Versly's software will be integrated into a variety of Cisco's collaboration offerings including Cisco Quad, Cisco Jabber and Cisco WebEx. For example, users will be able to receive automatic notifications within Cisco Quad when the content of a document has changed, escalate from simply reviewing a document to an instant messaging session through Cisco Jabber, or initiate a web conferencing session from a presentation through Cisco WebEx.  

"With this acquisition we are gaining strong talent and innovative technology that builds on Cisco's successful collaboration platform," said Ned Hooper, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Cisco.  "We continue to expand our collaboration architecture to change the way businesses work."

Upon the close of the acquisition, Versly employees will be integrated into Cisco CSG.  Financial terms of the transaction are undisclosed. 

About Cisco

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