Microsoft Announces New Surface Details

Microsoft Announces New Surface Details
Oct. 16, 2012
Ahead of Oct. 26 launch, Microsoft outlines pricing, market availability and special limited quantity pre-order

REDMOND, Wash. Oct. 16, 2012 Microsoft Corp. today released new details about its highly anticipated Microsoft Surface, a tablet PC designed to be the ultimate stage for Windows. In addition to pricing and market availability, the company announced a special limited-quantity pre-order for Surface with Windows RT available 9 a.m. PDT. Those who want to learn more or pre-order can visit http://www.Surface.com.

Surface delivers the power of amazing software and the feel of premium hardware in one exciting experience. Originally unveiled in June, Surface with Windows RT will initially be available in three SKUs: a 32GB version priced at US$499, a 32GB version bundled with a black Touch Cover priced at US$599, and a 64GB version bundled with a black Touch Cover priced at US$699.

A variety of accessories will also be available, including Touch Covers in five vibrant colors — black, white, magenta, cyan and red — priced at US$119.99 so customers can express their personal style (1). Customers will also have the option to purchase a Type Cover in black for US$129.99, which adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.

Microsoft Surface
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A front view of Surface, shown with a cyan Touch Cover, one of five colors available.
Preorders Start Today
October 16, 2012
A front view of Surface, shown with a cyan Touch Cover, one of five colors available.
Download: Web | Print


Surface will be available for purchase beginning Oct. 26, 2012, at all Microsoft Store locations in the United States and Canada, including in all 34 new holiday stores. In addition, Surface will be available for sale online in eight markets across the world: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States. See Surface.com for more details.

Additional Product Information Surface With Windows RT

  • Software - Surface with Windows RT comes with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview (2) (which includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote)

  • Exterior - 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches, 1.5 pounds, VaporMg casing, dark titanium color, volume and power buttons

  • Storage - 32 GB (3); 64 GB

  • CPU - NVIDIA T30, 2 GB of RAM

  • Wireless - Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 technology

  • Cameras - Two 720p HD cameras, front- and rear-facing

  • Audio - Two microphones, stereo speakers

  • Ports - Full-size USB 2.0, microSDXC card slot, headset jack, HD video out port, cover port

  • Sensors - Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass

  • Power Supply - 24W power supply

  • Warranty - One-year limited hardware warranty

  • Apps (included) - Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview (2) (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote), Windows Mail and Windows Messaging, SkyDrive, Windows Internet Explorer 10, Bing, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, and Xbox Games

Those interested in learning more or pre-ordering can visit http://www.Surface.com or follow Surface on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Surface and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/surface.

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

1) Available Touch Cover colors may vary by market.

2) Final Office version will be installed via Windows Update when available (free download, ISP fees apply). Some features and programs unsupported. See http://office.com/officeRT.

3) 1 GB = 1 billion bytes; formatted storage capacity may be less.

HP Helps Enterprises Enhance Competitive Advantage with Business Analytics Services

HP Helps Enterprises Enhance Competitive Advantage with Business Analytics Services

HP analytics professionals enable timely, data-driven decision making for clients

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 15, 2012

HP Enterprise Services today announced new Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) analytics services designed to accelerate discovery of growth opportunities, efficiencies and cost savings while supporting improvements in compliance and mitigation of risk. 

Interpreting and acting on ever-increasing structured and unstructured stores of Big Data is a challenge for enterprises around the globe. Using analytics to make enterprise data relevant, quantifiable and actionable, while delivering it at the right place and right time, enables data-driven decision making that can create a competitive advantage. 

With the new HP Business Analytics Services, skilled HP BPO professionals analyze structured and unstructured data using proven best practices and methodologies to derive insights, facilitate decisions and define recommended actions for clients. This information helps clients unlock greater business value, including discovering potential growth opportunities more quickly, enhancing the total customer experience, improving product quality and optimizing enterprise cost structure.

“Enterprises have made significant investments in technology to capture and store data; however, few have developed the talent, tools and processes needed to turn this Big Data into actionable insights,” said Danila Meirlaen, vice president, Business Process Outsourcing, HP. “HP provides the hardware and software for firms to utilize Big Data, and is offering experienced analytic professionals to help clients structure and run a sustainable data-driven decision-making framework that drives competitive advantage.”

HP Business Analytics Services focus on providing practical, day-to-day analytical requirements to help clients recognize and understand potential opportunities. HP works closely with clients to set up, run and deliver analytics that support timely and actionable insights. These services help support clients with faster and better insights across a variety of functions such as marketing, sales, customers, supply chain, finance and human resources. 

The services are flexible and technology agnostic, working across multiple deployment and platform options. Additionally, HP analytics professionals leverage innovations developed through HP Labs, the company’s central research arm, as well as software from Vertica and Autonomy, both HP companies, to deliver insight from structured and unstructured data. The services also leverage HP’s suite of Information Management and Analytics technology and applications offerings. Combined, these comprehensive capabilities enable connected intelligence inside and outside the organization to support growth. 

HP analytics professionals help clients with a wide range of analytic activities to derive actionable insights that meet their industry-specific requirements within designated time frames. For example, HP Business Analytics Services can assist clients in increasing customer loyalty by delivering the right messages to the right prospects and customers at the right time and via the right channel. Also, taking a systemic approach to analyzing the potential impact of external risks can help clients avoid potential losses.

HP’s scientific, collaborative approach starts with collecting relevant data, then determining the answers to “what happened and why” through leading analytic methodologies, tools and research. HP then delivers insights on why a result happened and uses predictive analytics to help clients answer “what could happen.” 

Analytics are integral to HP BPO services and the entire HP portfolio of services, software and hardware. HP offers full-service, industry-specific BPO solutions for key functions including finance, administration and customer-relationship management. These services are designed to help enterprises and public sector organizations be more efficient and effective. 

Pricing and availability

The new HP Business Analytics Services, available worldwide as a standalone service or embedded in many HP BPO solutions, are priced according to customer engagement.

Additional information is available at www.hp.com/services/business-analytics.

HP’s premier Europe, Middle East and Africa client event, HP Discover, takes place Dec. 4-6 in Frankfurt, Germany.

About HP

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

International meeting of Internet leaders kicks off with keynote by the Hon. Tony Clement


International meeting of Internet leaders kicks off with keynote by the Hon. Tony Clement


CIRA committed to preserving and evolving the Internet's multi-stakeholder Internet governance model

OTTAWA, Oct. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (www.CIRA.ca), the organization that manages the .CA top level domain, is hosting senior decision-makers from more than 100 countries in Toronto this week for high-level discussions that will not only impact how the Internet operates, but also how it will continue to be governed in the future .

ICANN's 45th public meeting is the latest of three annual meetings held each year by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) as part of its multi-stakeholder approach to coordinating the Internet's addressing system. The meeting is taking place at Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle hotel from October 14 to 19.

ICANN is the non-profit organization responsible for the global coordination of the Internet's system of unique identifiers, including country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) such as .CA, generic TLDs (gTLDs) such as .COM and .ORG, and the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols that help computers communicate over the Internet.

"We are honoured to work with CIRA on ICANN 45," said Fadi Chehadé, President and CEO of ICANN. "ICANN, and the multi-stakeholder model on which it is based, demonstrate the goodwill and spirit of cooperation that exists in the global Internet community. All stakeholders play a crucial role in helping ICANN define its policy direction and we expect to build upon these relationships in the years to come."

"ICANN's bottom-up, light-handed approach to governance has allowed the Internet to become an incredible economic and democratizing force and the greatest driver of social change since the printing press," said Byron Holland, President and CEO of CIRA. "This is a governance model that reflects the uniqueness of the Internet itself which we must work to preserve and evolve."

This morning's agenda featured an opening keynote by the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board. He discussed the Government of Canada's Action Plan on Open Government, an effort to promote digital openness and innovation and provide Canadians with greater opportunities to learn about and participate in the democratic process, the economy, and government.

These principles align with ICANN's multi-stakeholder approach to governance, a model that is relatively free of undue political interference and allows a myriad of stakeholders - such as engineers, marketers, coders, civil society and security experts - to have a voice equal to that of nations, NGOs or corporations.

Who will control the Internet?

From CIRA's perspective, ICANN 45 comes at a critical juncture in Internet governance. The agenda and timing of this meeting offers stakeholders the opportunity to discuss who will govern the Internet in the future.

There are a number of competing visions for who should govern the Internet and the manner of such governance. CIRA continues to be a strong supporter of ICANN's multi-stakeholder approach, and is calling on ICANN 45 attendees to continue to work together to foster a collaborative environment that will create a stable foundation upon which ICANN's new leadership can succeed.

As ICANN's new President and CEO, Chehadé plays a critical role in safeguarding and championing the multi-stakeholder model, Holland said in his speech during the opening ceremony.

"I think all of us who are gathered in Toronto for this important meeting have an obligation to act as ambassadors for that model, and support the good work of ICANN and its leadership," said Holland. "The discussions and decisions taking place this week have global impacts. What we do here will advance the Internet for the well-being of everyone on Earth."

Anyone can attend ICANN 45. For more or to register, please visit www.cira.ca/icann45/index.php.

About CIRA

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority is the Member-driven organization that manages Canada's .CA domain name registry, develops and implements policies that support Canada's Internet community, and represents the .CA registry internationally.

SOURCE: Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)

For further information:

to attend an ICANN event or session, or to schedule an interview with Byron Holland or Fadi Chehadé, please contact:

Leo Valiquette
inmedia Public Relations
(613) 769-9479
lvaliquette@inmedia.ca


XO Communications Launches Service in Toronto

XO Communications Launches Service in Toronto

  • Extends XO Network into Canada’s Largest Telecommunications Hub to Offer High-Speed Network Services

HERNDON, VA – October 9, 2012XO Communications today announced its expansion into the Toronto market where it can now offer high-speed network services to enterprise and wholesale customers through a Canadian subsidiary.

“As the largest network hub in Canada and a major hub in North America, Toronto is a key business center for the finance, high-tech, media and telecommunications industries,” said Don MacNeil, chief marketing officer for XO Communications. “Our expansion into Canada will enable XO to provide high-capacity network services to better serve businesses like these on both sides of the border, whether they need connectivity in Toronto or high-speed access to markets in the U.S.”

XO Communications has expanded its fiber network into the largest telecommunications facility in Canada located at 151 Front Street West in Toronto.  As part of its expansion, the company is now connected to over a dozen major data center colocation facilities through its partner Cologix, which connects to more than 150 telecommunications companies.  The company can now offer wholesale and enterprise network services, including high-speed Internet access, MPLS IP-VPN, private line, Ethernet and wavelength services, at speeds up to 10 Gbps in Toronto through its Canadian subsidiary.  These services run over a fully diverse 550-mile Toronto metro and Canadian long-haul fiber network connecting back to the U.S. at multiple locations.

The network expansion into Toronto continues XO Communications’ goal of selectively expanding its network infrastructure on an international basis to support the growing demands of its enterprise and wholesale customers. These international service capabilities include network service delivery to more than 50 countries; five international nodes in Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Madrid; global MPLS IP-VPN partner connectivity; and presence at major subsea cable landing stations and international gateways in the U.S.

This network expansion builds upon XO Communications’ network infrastructure which now includes more than 1.6 million fiber miles, more than 29,000 network miles and 4,000 on-net buildings. XO Communications also operates one of the largest IP networks in the U.S. and globally.  For more information about the company's international capabilities, visit the XO international Services overview on www.xo.com.

About XO Communications

XO Communications is a leading nationwide provider of advanced communications, managed network and IT infrastructure services for business, large enterprise and wholesale customers. These customers include more than half of the Fortune 500, in addition to leading cable, mobile wireless and domestic and international telecommunications companies. XO offers a superior customer experience through its innovative data and IP solutions, its employees’ focus on customers and the proven performance of its advanced network. To learn more about XO Communications, visit www.xo.com or blog.xo.com.  XO Communications is also on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

# # #

Media Contact:
Chad Couser
T: 703-547-2746
E: chad.couser@xo.com

CommVault Integrates Modern Data Management for Windows Server 2012, Hyper-V and Windows Azure Environments

CommVault Integrates Modern Data Management for Windows Server 2012, Hyper-V and Windows Azure Environments

— Simpana® Software Fully Supports Microsoft Cloud OS with Enterprise-Class Archiving, Data Protection, Recovery and Access for High-Performance Servers, Virtual Machines and Cloud Applications —

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CommVault (NASDAQ: CVLT) — OCEANPORT, NJ – October 11, 2012

New dynamics in cloud computing and virtualization are driving a data explosion and an ever-increasing need to create agile, scalable IT infrastructures that offer shared resources in the data center and beyond. In an effort to help organizations quickly scale and manage the dynamic needs of business-critical applications, CommVault today announced that its Simpana® 9 data and information management platform is fully integrated with Microsoft Corp.'s Cloud OS, including Windows Server 2012, Hyper-V and Windows Azure.

With more than a decade of alliance and interoperability with Microsoft's server platforms, CommVault Simpana software enables easy migration to Windows Server 2012 and takes advantage of the latest innovations in data protection and automation to deliver high performance, reliable applications and services across private, hosted and public clouds.


Windows Server 2012 and Windows Azure Cloud with CommVault Simpana 9 Interoperability

  • Perform live migration of VMs across the data center or between the data center and the Windows Azure cloud by utilizing the VM backup and restore features of Simpana software and its immediate support for Windows Server 2012
  • Simpana software users can use the Windows Azure cloud as a retention tier and alternative to tape-based backup by seamlessly migrating archive data to the cloud for cost-effective, secure long-term storage
  • CommVault is committed to helping joint customers increase the business value of information through unprecedented data and information management scale, performance, cost savings and access across the full range of Microsoft environments, including Microsoft SharePoint, Exchange, SQL Server and Windows Server Hyper-V virtualization — both on-premise and in the Windows Azure cloud
  • Microsoft currently sells Windows Azure cloud data management solutions including Simpana software. These pre-configured cloud bundles include up to 62TB of Windows Azure cloud storage capacity and Simpana 9 Express Software to deliver archiving and backup capabilities for enterprises coping with massive amounts of data and long-term retention and compliance requirements
  • As a worldwide Microsoft Technology Center (MTC) partner, CommVault offers technical support, demonstrations and trials working alongside some of Microsoft’s best technical personnel for those that want to test and see Simpana software in action
  • CommVault and Microsoft will be demonstrating how Simpana software makes upgrading to Windows Server 2012, migrating to Windows Server Hyper-V virtualization and integrating with the Windows Azure cloud easy and trouble-free during the Cloud OS Signature Event Series and at the upcoming Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2012, November 12 – 15, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas

Supporting Quotes

"With Windows Server 2012 and Windows Azure as cornerstones of Microsoft's Cloud OS, customers gain the scalability and flexibility to take advantage of resources on premises and in the cloud," said Mike Schutz , general manager, product marketing, Server and Tools Business, at Microsoft. "Microsoft and CommVault help IT organizations create agile, scalable infrastructures through such capabilities as VM mobility, cloud integration and heterogeneous storage management."

"Our customers are aggressively adopting virtualization technologies to take advantage of the performance, functionality and lower costs inherent to platforms like Windows Server Hyper-V," said Randy De Meno, chief technologist for Windows Products, CommVault. "CommVault customers can deploy and migrate to Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V and Windows Azure with confidence, knowing that Simpana software offers fully integrated enterprise data protection across Microsoft's application, server and cloud platforms."

Resources

Get Involved:

About CommVault
A singular vision – a belief in a better way to address current and future data management needs – guides CommVault in the development of Singular Information Management® solutions for high-performance data protection, universal availability and simplified management of data on complex storage networks. CommVault's exclusive single-platform architecture gives companies unprecedented control over data growth, costs and risk. CommVault's Simpana® software suite of products was designed to work together seamlessly from the ground up, sharing a single code and common function set, to deliver superlative Data Protection, Archive, Replication, Search and Resource Management capabilities. More companies every day join those who have discovered the unparalleled efficiency, performance, reliability, and control only CommVault can offer. Information about CommVault is available at www.commvault.com. CommVault's corporate headquarters is located in Oceanport, New Jersey in the United States.

Maluuba, a start-up that grew out of research at the University of Waterloo...

Siri's Android Competitor Maluuba Goes Global

WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 11, 2012) - Maluuba, a start-up that grew out of research at the University of Waterloo, launched a voice-enabled "do engine" for Android globally on Wednesday.

A do engine allows users to speak naturally to their phone and get exactly what they want. Maluuba is the natural evolution of search, which gives users direct results instead of the sea of web links provided by search engines. A user can ask, "Is it going to rain tomorrow?" and Maluuba understands that they want to see tomorrow's weather forecast for their location. Maluuba can also schedule appointments, place calls, find businesses and restaurants, set reminders, Tweet messages and more. Users can also interact with Maluuba through touch when they cannot speak into their phone, such as during meetings.

By making a wealth of organization tools accessible via voice and touch and presenting them in an effective way, Maluuba allows people to stay organized. The day view shows alarms, meetings and reminders users have for the day at a glance. Results can also be added to a user's calendar. If a user sees a concert they wish to attend, they can easily schedule it into their calendar. They can even invite friends to events by e-mail with event details included.

"Since our North American launch last month, users all around the world have been excited and have been asking to use Maluuba in their countries," said Sam Pasupalak, CEO of Maluuba. "We are releasing a limited international beta version for people everywhere. Although some services like restaurants, movies, and events might not be available in all countries, it gives users a sense of what the future of search is intended to be like. Gradually, we will add custom language models and services for countries all over the world."

Availability

Maluuba is a free Android application available in United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and Ireland via the Google Play Store at http://maluu.ba/maluubadomestic and for all other countries at http://maluu.ba/maluubaintl. Currently, services offered by Maluuba vary by country and have been designed for English speakers.

About Maluuba

Maluuba's mission is to empower people with the ability to find exactly what they want by speaking to their smartphone. Maluuba's proprietary, patent-pending engine provides superior capabilities to traditional voice recognition systems. The Maluuba language engine is a product of two years of advanced research in artificial intelligence, machine learning and linguistics. Maluuba received $2 million from Samsung Ventures in early 2012 and plans to raise further investment to expand into new domains of search. With the goal of providing users the most appropriate answers to their entertainment, organizational and communication needs, Maluuba positions itself at the forefront of the mobile Internet search revolution.

VMware Introduces Enterprise Purchasing Program

 

VMware Introduces Enterprise Purchasing Program

Token-based Program Designed to Offer Customers and Partners Greater Flexibility and Value for Purchasing VMware Software Licenses

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 8, 2012 – VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, today announced a new VMware Enterprise Purchasing Program (EPP). Expanding on the current VMware Volume Purchasing Program (VPP), VMware EPP enables customers globally to purchase software licenses in volume rapidly while benefiting from cost savings, ease-of-procurement and deployment flexibility. VMware EPP is available to customers through authorized VMware partners.

VMware EPP is a token-based program that offers customers a variety of incentives beginning with significant deployment flexibility, access to latest product releases and value on VMware products and services. The program also offers customers the ability to mix and match products and purchase at any time (within a three-year term) allowing them to adjust their deployment strategy based on business and project needs. In addition, customers have the option of centralized or de-centralized management enabling them to grant tokens to support different departments or projects as needed. For partners, VMware EPP provides an extended incentive model, facilitates longer-term customer relationships, and helps grow their businesses.

“With VMware EPP, we are making it easier, faster and more advantageous for customers seeking to purchase VMware products and services,” said Ryan Knauss, vice president, Pricing and Licensing, VMware. “This new program offers customers cost savings, flexibility and ease of management to help them efficiently acquire the products and services required to support their business needs. VMware partners will benefit from a deeper engagement with customers by assisting with product deployment and through increased transaction velocity.”

Getting Started with VMware EPP
Customers may enroll for VMware EPP via the VMware Purchasing Programs page. Once enrolled, customers can use the EPP Configurator to estimate their need for VMware products over a three year period and the associated number of tokens. To purchase tokens, customers engage VMware authorized EPP partners. Customers can then view and manage their tokens as well as redeem their tokens for licenses and production Support and Subscription via My VMware.

Additional Resources

About VMware
VMware is the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable businesses to thrive in the Cloud Era. Customers rely on VMware to help them transform the way they build, deliver and consume Information Technology resources in a manner that is evolutionary and based on their specific needs. With 2011 revenues of US$3.77 billion, VMware has more than 400,000 customers and 55,000 partners. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com. VMware Canada is based in Burlington, Ont., and can be found online at www.vmware.ca.


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VMware is a registered trademark and/or trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective organizations. The use of the word “partner” or “partnership” does not imply a legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other company.

For more information, please contact:
Cindy Watson / Stephanie Williams
StrategicAmpersand Inc.
cindy@stratamp.com / stephanie@stratamp.com
(416) 961-5595

Hitachi Data Systems Announces New Converged Infrastructure Solutions

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Converged Infrastructure Offerings from Hitachi Data Systems Give Customers Best-of-Breed Solutions for Mission-Critical Workloads

 

Broad Portfolio of Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Solutions Integrates Servers, Networking, Storage and Software for More Efficient IT and Superior Economics

 

SANTA CLARA, Calif. and BARCELONA, Spain — October 9, 2012 — Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today unveiled a broad portfolio of converged infrastructure solutions that combines best-of-breed storage, server, networking and software management in fully integrated packages designed for mission-critical workloads. The new Hitachi Unified Compute Platform (UCP) family of solutions provides a comprehensive, pre-tested cloud-ready infrastructure that can be deployed quickly and managed easily, unlike custom approaches that require exhaustive testing and integration costs. Eleven new Hitachi UCP offerings give customers superior flexibility and choices, based on two converged infrastructure models:

 

•             Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Pro: pre-configured, tightly integrated turnkey solutions built with world-class Hitachi Data Systems servers and storage, and industry-standard networking. The initial offering in this family of solutions is UCP Pro for VMware vSphere®, which features innovative Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Director software that provides VMware vCenter™ Server integrated management and orchestration.

 

•             Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Select: a series of pre-validated reference solutions that can be configured using a selection of industry-leading Hitachi storage, server and software management, for a wide range of top-tier applications. Hitachi UCP Select also offers converged solutions with Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS) servers. Hitachi UCP Select is ideal for organizations that require a flexible converged infrastructure.

 

All Hitachi UCP converged infrastructure solutions are thoroughly new designs to solve the reliability, availability, scalability and performance challenges that IT organizations face when using many first-generation converged infrastructure stacks. Hitachi Data Systems is demonstrating the new UCP solutions and more at the company’s booth (#P101) at VMworld 2012 Europe taking place at the Gran Via Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain from October 9 to 11, 2012.

 

“Converged infrastructure solutions have been available in the market for some time, but when enterprise organizations and cloud service providers encounter the requirements of true mission-critical workloads, these first-generation converged offerings fall short of customer needs,” said Ravi Chalaka, vice president, Solutions Marketing, Hitachi Data Systems. “Until today, organizations looking for a converged infrastructure solution had to choose from commodity systems that lack high reliability and availability, and have limited scalability and performance. Or they have had to choose integrated stacks with no truly unified infrastructure management.”

 

With the range of new UCP solutions, Hitachi Data Systems is specifically addressing the most pressing needs of CIOs when considering a converged infrastructure. These needs include accelerating business velocity, increasing staff productivity, improving IT economics for pre- and post-deployment, and meeting stringent service level agreements.

 

“The battleground over integrated compute and storage stacks is heating up with HDS coming out strong with its new converged infrastructure portfolio,” said Ashish Nadkarni, research director, Storage Systems, IDC. “This market has been served by either solution providers including all components from the same vendor or by pre-configured and pre-tested packages comprised of best-of-breed components from different vendors woven together by a mandatory management framework. HDS is breaking this ‘either/or’ mold by combining the best of each approach. Hitachi UCP lets customers choose from a fully integrated stack of Hitachi servers and storage complete with orchestration software; or, from a portfolio of reference solutions featuring HDS storage that use either Hitachi or third-party servers. And by including Cisco UCS in its solutions, HDS provides its customers greater flexibility in mixing and matching these elements – all while maintaining the reliability and performance that has earned HDS the reputation of being bulletproof in the minds of many CIOs.”

 

Hitachi UCP Pro for VMware vSphere Delivers Unprecedented Automation, Orchestration and Monitoring of the Physical Infrastructure from Within VMware vCenter Management Software

 

Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Pro for VMware vSphere is a tightly integrated solution available today and comes pre-configured with the industry’s premier enterprise storage product, Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform (VSP), and Brocade Fibre Channel and Ethernet fabric switches, Hitachi Compute Blade 500 server, VMware vSphere and UCP Director software. This software reduces complexity and lowers cost by providing VMware vCenter Server integration for comprehensive and simplified infrastructure management. UCP Pro for VMware vSphere also provides worry-free scaling to thousands of virtual machines.

 

UCP Director software has the unique capability of giving administrators detailed views, management and orchestration of the underlying physical infrastructure in addition to virtual servers. UCP Director enables administrators to use the same familiar VMware vCenter Server graphical user interface for orchestrating servers, networking and storage, and eliminates error prone, time-consuming manual tasks.

 

“Hitachi Data Systems continues its innovation with the new UCP family,” said Parag Patel, vice president, Global Strategic Alliances, VMware. “This offering holds significance for VMware customers as it provides four distinct solutions that help provide our joint customers with predictable, reliable platforms for the migration of business-critical applications. UCP Pro for VMware vSphere®, with its UCP Director software, delivers a robust virtual machine platform that can provide businesses the agility they require. This is accomplished via the solution’s powerful capabilities to manage, provision, monitor and troubleshoot the entire infrastructure – both virtual and physical – all natively from within VMware vCenter™ Server. UCP Select reference solutions provide flexibility in server, storage and networking components, with the assurance of pre-tested, validated architectures that have been designed to handle the most demanding workloads.”

 

Hitachi UCP Select: Best-of-Breed Reference Solutions Designed to Offer IT Organizations the Ultimate in Flexibility and Choice

Realizing that a gap existed in the market for converged systems capable of solving the challenges of mission-critical workloads, Hitachi Data Systems developed a broad range of pre-validated reference solutions that integrate the legendary performance and reliability of Hitachi storage systems with industry leading servers, data networking and software management. Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Select reference solutions are fully validated frameworks that speed deployment and reduce risks across data center deployments. These solutions give customers and partners the flexibility to choose from pre-tested elements of the converged system without UCP Director software. Customers and partners can select from solutions based on Hitachi storage and servers and Brocade Fibre Channel and Ethernet fabric switches, or Hitachi storage and Cisco UCS servers and networking.

 

Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Select for VMware vSphere with Cisco UCS is the initial offering that combines Hitachi storage with Cisco UCS servers and networking as a Cisco Validated Design (CVD), and is pre-validated with VMware vSphere. In addition to the technical and economic advantages, organizations benefit from a coordinated relationship among VMware, Cisco, and Hitachi Data Systems, three respected industry leaders, each known for innovative solutions and outstanding service and support.

 

“Hitachi Data Systems and Cisco are building on our decade-long partnership to deliver the first design validated by Hitachi Data Systems and Cisco,” said Rick Snyder, vice president, Global & Strategic Partner Organization, Cisco. “By bringing together two industry leaders in enterprise data center solutions, HDS and Cisco have created an agile, scalable and efficient reference architecture that provides customers and channel partners with an easy-to-deploy HDS and Cisco based unified compute solution.”

 

The portfolio of UCP Select reference solutions that are based on Hitachi storage and servers and Brocade Fibre Channel and Ethernet fabric switches support major enabling software technologies such as hypervisors, databases, analytics and application environments including Citrix, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and VMware. IT professionals can simply select the infrastructure options that meet their needs, with the assurance of built-in flexibility and interoperability to scale the architecture as business needs evolve. Also provided are comprehensive reference architectures and deployment guides. Following are 9 new UCP Select reference solutions:

•             Hitachi UCP Select for Citrix Xen Desktop

•             Hitachi UCP Select for Microsoft Exchange 2010

•             Hitachi UCP Select for Microsoft Private Cloud

•             Hitachi UCP Select for Microsoft SQL Server 2008

•             Hitachi UCP Select for Microsoft SQL Server 2012

•             Hitachi UCP Select for Oracle Database

•             Hitachi UCP Select for SAP HANA

•             Hitachi UCP Select for VMware View®

•             Hitachi UCP Select for VMware vSphere®

 

Partner Benefits and Support

Hitachi UCP Pro and UCP Select solutions are supported by a proven global services organization and a network of partners to help reduce operational and capital costs. The portfolio of Hitachi UCP solutions provides the global network of Hitachi Data Systems channel partners with highly competitive converged options and delivers substantial incremental services opportunities including integration, install and solutions support. Hitachi UCP offerings coupled with the Hitachi Data Systems Service Specialization Program (SSP) provides partners with a unique skill set including enablement education, tools and expertise to grow their services revenue and profitability.

 

Several strategic partners, including technology partners Brocade and Intel, and Hitachi TrueNorth™ Partners including Arrow, Avnet and ViON have endorsed Hitachi UCP solutions. The flexibility, performance and scalability offered by the Hitachi UCP solutions, in combination with the reliability of Hitachi storage, enables partners to deliver a range of converged infrastructure options for their customers.

 

Supporting Customer Quote

-              CBTS: “The integration of virtual to physical infrastructure management provided by Hitachi Unified Compute Platform Pro for VMware vSphere is excellent. The ability of the HDS solution to centrally monitor the health status of all the physical elements and initiate proactive operations in VMware vCenter Server to load balance workloads in the event of physical element failure is outstanding. The high level of flexibility that HDS is providing for storage, server and network configuration inside VMware vCenter Server will serve organizations extremely well.” – Tom Simpson, chief technology officer

 

Web Resources

-              Hitachi Unified Compute Platform

-              Read what HDS bloggers have to say about Hitachi Unified Compute Platform

-              Follow us on Twitter

-              Connect with us on LinkedIn

-              Friend us on Facebook

 

About Hitachi Data Systems

Hitachi Data Systems provides best-in-class information technologies, services and solutions that deliver compelling customer ROI, unmatched return on assets (ROA) and demonstrable business impact. With a vision that IT must be virtualized, automated, cloud-ready and sustainable, Hitachi Data Systems offers solutions that improve IT costs and agility. With more than 5,800 employees worldwide, Hitachi Data Systems does business in more than 100 countries and regions. Hitachi Data Systems products, services and solutions are trusted by the world’s leading enterprises, including more than 70 percent of the Fortune 100 and more than 80 percent of the Fortune Global 100. Hitachi Data Systems believes that data drives our world – and information is the new currency. To learn more, visit: http://www.hds.com.

 

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2011 (ended March 31, 2012) consolidated revenues totaled 9,665 billion yen ($117.8 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, industrial, transportation and urban development systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

 

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Intuit Study: Majority of Canada's small business owners started out with less than $5,000

 
 
Canada: A Nation of Entrepreneurial Bootstrappers
 
Intuit Study Finds Majority of Canadian Small Businesses
Started With Less Than $5,000
 
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Oct. 10, 2012 – Canadian small business owners have always been known for doing a lot with a little. Now, a new survey from Intuit Canada, makers of QuickBooks®, the No. 1-selling small business accounting software in Canada, shows how our bootstrapping entrepreneurs are getting the job done.
The survey was conducted to gain insights from successful small business owners at different stages in the entrepreneurial lifecycle and found that the majority (58 per cent) of Canada’s small business owners started out with less than $5,000.
“Canada’s entrepreneurs have invested their lives to pursue their dreams,” said Jeff Cates, managing director of Intuit Canada. “This study provides an opportunity for all of us to better understand what it takes to run a successful small business. Insights like these help Intuit design products and services focused on helping start-ups make the most of their initial financial investment.”
 
Risky Business
A majority of small business owners reported making a risky financial decision when they started out. A total of 19 per cent said they took out a loan or line of credit, 18 per cent drained their savings account, and 15 per cent maxed out their credit cards.
The study also found that one-in-three small business owners underestimated the amount of time they would spend on financial management.
“All the money in the world won’t help a budding entrepreneur who doesn’t understand basic accounting principles,” said Mark Simpson, professor, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Community Innovation, George Brown College in Toronto. “While the allocation of resources might change based on the business, the bedrock principles of understanding cash flow, knowing your customers and minimizing risk remain. Small business owners can set themselves up for success by embracing these principles and investing in the right financial management tools.”
 
The Critical First Year
The first year can be both difficult and rewarding for small business owners. Respondents said that:
  • Getting started is tough: One-in-three (34 per cent) admitted that their first year was their hardest.
  • Perseverance paid off: The majority of Canadian entrepreneurs (57 per cent) felt they were successfully up and running within a year.
  • Customers reward: Making a profit (43 per cent) and getting their first customer (30 per cent) where their greatest accomplishments in their first year of business.
 
Looking Back
Turning a passion into a viable business is the goal for many, but it doesn’t come without some hard lessons learned. When looking back on year one, successful small business owners wished they had:
  • Learned financial management – 17 per cent.
  • Found a mentor – 15 per cent.
  • Created a business plan – 14 per cent.
  • Sought professional advice earlier – 11 per cent.
“When I first started my business, I quickly realized that working on multiple projects and revenue streams meant I needed to get a handle on my finances and develop a better understanding of my business,” said Jerry McIntosh, owner of McIntosh Media in Toronto. “I was hesitant at first, not knowing a thing about accounting, but I found QuickBooks to be very intuitive and in no time I was navigating the program, developing reports and issuing invoices.”
 
Is $5,000 Enough?
Experts emphasize the importance of spending time and money on planning and education in order to get off to a good start.
“The first year of a business is critical. Preparing yourself, by doing market research, attending conferences, or enrolling in a business and financial management course, is a great way to build a solid foundation for your business,” said George Brown College professor Simpson. “Above all, entrepreneurs need to develop a network, forge relationships, and make face-to-face connections. These are the investments that will see you through those inevitable rough patches, and lay the foundation for success.”
        The full report is available at quickbooks.ca/5000.
 
Canadian Entrepreneurs by the Numbers
        Data from Statistics Canada shows that small businesses (those with less than 100 employees), play a vital role in the economic success of our country:
  • 600,000 – Jobs created over the last decade by small businesses.
  • 20,000 – Jobs created in the last year by small businesses.
  • 48 per cent – Portion of the total private sector labour force employed by small businesses.
  • 42 per cent – Portion of private sector GDP in Canada contributed by small businesses.
At the same time, data shows these fledgling new businesses remain vulnerable:
  • 85 per cent survive one year.
  • 70 per cent survive after two years.
  • 51 per cent survive after five years.
 
About the Survey
        Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey between Aug. 16-21, 2012, among a representative sample of Canadian small business owners recruited from the Angus Reid Forum, Canada’s leading online national access panel. The margin of error for a sample of this size is plus-or-minus 4.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20, and the results have been statistically weighted according to Statistics Canada’s most current age, gender, region, and education Census data.
 
 
About Intuit Canada
        Intuit Canada ULC is a leading provider of business, financial and tax management solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses, consumers and accounting professionals. Its flagship products and services, including Quicken®, QuickBooks®, QuickBooks® Enterprise Solutions, SuccèsPME, TurboTax, and ImpôtRapideMC, simplify personal finance, accounting software and tax preparation and filing.

        Additional offerings include ProFile®, a professional tax preparation software suite, the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program and the Intuit Developer Network for professional users and developers. All are provided by Intuit Canada or through its partners.

        Intuit Canada has employees across Canada and offices in Edmonton, AB, and Mississauga, ON. Intuit Canada is an affiliate of Intuit Inc., which is listed on the Nasdaq.
        Stay up to speed with QuickBooks in Canada on Twitter (@quickbooksCa), or like us on Facebook (facebook/QuickBooksCanada).
 
 


 

CRTC encourages businesses to start preparing for Canada's anti-spam legislation

CRTC encourages businesses to start preparing for Canada's anti-spam legislation

OTTAWA-GATINEAU, Oct. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) published two information bulletins to help Canadian businesses better understand Canada's anti-spam legislation. The CRTC expects the legislation to come into force in 2013.

"We are committed to protecting Canadians from the harm caused by spam and other electronic threats," said Andrea Rosen, the CRTC's Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer. "Canadian businesses, both large and small, are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the law, the regulations and the information bulletins. Even though the law is not yet in force, businesses should start preparing now by updating their practices and developing compliance procedures."

To help businesses interpret the law and the CRTC' regulations, the information bulletins set out examples of acceptable practices. For instance, the law will require businesses to obtain a consumer's express consent before sending promotional emails and other commercial electronic messages. In one of the information bulletins, the CRTC has clarified how toggling (a check box on a website) may be used as a means for obtaining consent. The other bulletin provides clarifications on the information that must be included in a message.

These two bulletins are the first of a series to facilitate compliance with Canada's new anti-spam legislation.

About Canada's anti-spam legislation

Canada's anti-spam legislation received royal assent on December 15, 2010. The goal of the law is to protect Canadians from spam, malware, including phishing and spyware, and other electronic threats.

The CRTC will be one of three government agencies responsible for enforcing the law once it comes into force, along with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Competition Bureau. The CRTC will have primary enforcement responsibility and will be able to investigate, take action and set monetary penalties against those who violate the law by sending unwanted spam, installing malware and altering transmission data. These activities, among others, will promote trust and confidence in the electronic marketplace.

For more information, please visit www.fightspam.gc.ca.

2012-548 Guidelines on the interpretation of the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (CRTC)

2012-549 Guidelines on the use of toggling as a means of obtaining express consent under Canada's anti-spam legislation

Reference document:

Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2012-183

The CRTC

The CRTC is an independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.

SOURCE: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

For further information:

Follow us on Twitter @crtceng

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Tel: 819-997-9403, Fax: 819-997-4245

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