SciQuest Acquires Assets of Edmonton's Upside Software

SciQuest Acquires Assets of Upside Software, a Worldwide Leader in Contract Lifecycle Management Solutions


Adds best-in-class software for authoring and managing contracts to its comprehensive source-to-settle suite

CARY, N.C., July 24, 2012SciQuest, Inc., (NASDAQ: SQI) a leading provider of cloud-based source-to-settle solutions, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Upside Software, Inc., a worldwide leader in contract lifecycle management (CLM) solutions in an asset purchase for total consideration of approximately $22 million in cash, net of cash acquired.

Upside’s award winning product suite offers a fully automated contract lifecycle management solution, which includes collaborative contract creation and negotiation technology. It also includes performance, compliance and deliverables management as well as on-going event monitoring and management. The entire suite is overlaid with extensive security and business intelligence features.

“We are excited to build on our strategy to provide a comprehensive source-to-settle solution suite with the addition of Upside’s industry-leading technology platform,” said Stephen Wiehe, president and CEO of SciQuest. “This acquisition deepens our offerings in contract lifecycle management, which is an important aspect of a complete source-to-settle solution. With over one hundred customers that include many marquee companies, Upside is recognized as a CLM leader by industry analysts. For example, Upside cites a Forrester Research report stating that their solution is ‘the leading option for large companies with complex requirements.’

“We look forward to welcoming and continuing to support existing Upside customers while we also integrate their CLM solution into our best-in-class source-to-settle software suite. This acquisition will augment our long-term growth strategy by bringing Upside’s CLM solution to SciQuest’s customers and building on Upside’s relationships,” continued Wiehe.

SciQuest anticipates that the transaction will close within two weeks, subject to customary closing conditions. SciQuest expects that Upside Software will contribute approximately $5 million to non-GAAP revenue for the remainder of 2012 and approximately $15 million to non-GAAP revenue for the full year 2013. The transaction is expected to decrease non-GAAP net income by approximately $0.04 to $0.05 per share in 2012 and to be neutral to slightly accretive to non-GAAP net income in 2013. The financial impact of the acquisition on a GAAP basis cannot be estimated until the allocation of the purchase price is made following the closing of the acquisition.

For more information about SciQuest, Upside and this transaction, please visit http://www.sciquest.com/sciquest-acquires-upside.

Conference Call

SciQuest management will further discuss this acquisition in a conference call to be held today at 5:00pm ET. A replay of this webcast will be available two hours after the call and accessible at http://investor.sciquest.com.

What: Conference call to discuss acquisition of assets from Upside Software, Inc.
When: Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Webcast: http://investor.sciquest.com (live and replay
Live Call: (877) 430-3736, domestic   (760) 298-5046, international
Replay: (855) 859-2056, domestic   (404) 537-3406, international

Live and replay conference ID code: 13571157

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

When possible, SciQuest provides all information required in accordance with GAAP, but believes evaluating its ongoing operating results may not be as useful if an investor is limited to reviewing only GAAP financial measures.  Accordingly, SciQuest presents non-GAAP financial measures in reporting its financial results to provide investors with additional tools to evaluate SciQuest’s operating results in a manner that focuses on what SciQuest believes to be its ongoing business operations and what SciQuest uses to evaluate its ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes.  SciQuest’s management does not itself, nor does it suggest that investors should, consider such non-GAAP financial measures in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.  SciQuest’s management believes it is useful for itself and investors to review, as applicable, both GAAP information that includes: (i) the amortization of acquired intangible assets; (ii) the impact of stock-based compensation; (iii) the income tax effect of non-GAAP pre-tax adjustments from the provision for income taxes; and the non-GAAP measures that exclude such information in order to assess the performance of SciQuest’s business and for planning and forecasting in subsequent periods.  Whenever SciQuest uses such a non-GAAP financial measure, it provides a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure to the most closely applicable GAAP financial measure, when possible.

About SciQuest

SciQuest (NASDAQ: SQI) provides organizations with a comprehensive suite of on-demand source-to-settle software solutions, driving cost and efficiency savings across the supply chain. By improving supplier management, negotiating more strategic contracts, generating an online marketplace for purchasing goods and services, and streamlining the accounts payable process, SciQuest customers turn spending into a source of savings.

With unmatched visibility into spending, combined with the Power of Q — the Company’s unique combination of products and support — SciQuest provides organizations with a strategic approach to procurement, improving bottom-line results.

To join the conversation, please visit our blog, The Open Kitchen—http://www.sciquest.com/blog or follow us on Twitter @SciQuest.

Dell Introduces Microsoft Office 365 With Dell, a Cloud-based Productivity and Collaboration Solution for Small- and Medium Businesses

Dell Introduces Microsoft Office 365 With Dell, a Cloud-based Productivity and Collaboration Solution for Small- and Medium Businesses











  • Cloud-based Productivity Applications Backed with Dell’s State of the Art Hardware, Software and 24x7x365 Support
  • Provides Seamless Access to Familiar Microsoft Office Productivity Tools Across Any Dell Device

Dell today announced it will offer Microsoft Office 365 to small- and medium business customers starting today. Microsoft Office 365 with Dell delivers access to the full suite of Microsoft productivity solutions – like Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office Web Apps, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Lync and more – from virtually any Dell device, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, enabling a common experience across all devices and the ability to work on the same document on multiple devices. Dell is also extending its 24x7x365 customer support and services on almost any PC platform.

Microsoft Office 365 with Dell is an online subscription service that provides email, shared calendars, the ability to create and edit documents online, instant messaging, web conferencing, and internal team sites — all accessible anywhere from nearly any device. Microsoft Office 365 with Dell is hosted by Microsoft datacenters and designed to help increase productivity, streamline IT management & data security and realize cost benefits simply – all through the cloud.

“Dell is committed to helping small- and medium-business customers realize the full power of the cloud,” said Cindy Grogan, executive director of software marketing, Dell. “The latest addition in Dell’s growing list of SMB cloud solutions, Microsoft Office 365 with Dell saves customers valuable time and resources by providing access to our trusted 24x7x365 customer support and certified technicians with one common billing platform. Dell is committed to helping customers improve productivity and collaboration anywhere, anytime.”

The Full Benefits of the Cloud with Dell and Office 365
Microsoft Office 365 with Dell empowers customers to use the cloud to streamline IT costs, helping reduce unpredictable capital expenses for reliable operational expenses. This solution also delivers a single, unified inbox and calendar, quick and easy online meetings or video conferences, and a centralized SharePoint portal where documents can be easily shared.

“With the availability of Office 365 to Dell’s customers, Dell and Microsoft are enabling SMBs to be more mobile, more secure, and more productive,” said Phil Sorgen, corporate vice president, U.S. small and medium businesses and partners, Microsoft. “Dell’s ability to help SMBs adopt this cloud-based solution while also facilitating set up and support makes them ideal to sell Office 365.”

Availability and Pricing:
Microsoft Office 365 with Dell is available in the United States now starting at $9 per user, per month for the Small Business Plan. Additional pricing options and bundle packages are available with other solutions coming soon.

About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Rogers Communications and SAP to Mobilize Canada’s Workforce

Rogers Communications and SAP to Mobilize Canada’s Workforce

Mobile Leaders Join Forces to Simplify Enterprise Mobility for Businesses Across Canada

TORONTO - July 25, 2012 - Rogers Communications and SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced plans to develop and manage the deployment of newly packaged enterprise mobile applications, which leverage the SAP mobile platform. When completed, the new managed mobility offering featuring the SAP mobile platform will be made available to customers through a Rogers-branded managed mobility service. A first between SAP and a Canadian wireless carrier, the offering is being designed to help simplify the way organizations mobilize their workforce, by helping employees gain real-time access to enterprise mobile applications on tablets and smartphones that traditionally sit on desktop computers.

“Canadian organizations are rapidly adopting new wireless solutions to serve a growing mobile workforce and to enable mobile business processes,” said Tony Olvet, group vice president of research at IDC Canada. “IDC’s research shows that 36 percent of Canadian organizations have already mobilized one or more applications and 21 percent are pilot testing mobile apps this year. Deploying and managing mobile enterprise applications and device solutions are becoming increasingly strategic elements of business strategy.”

By the end of 2011 there were approximately 2.4 million tablet devices in Canada according to IDC Canada. IDC additionally forecasts the worldwide mobile enterprise application platform global market to grow to more than US $3.0 billion in 2015.

“Businesses are transforming their IT resources to stay competitive and the four walls of the office are now transparent – anytime, anywhere access to mobile enterprise applications and software on any device is essential for efficiency and workforce productivity,” said Larry Baldachin, senior vice president, Business Segment, Rogers Communications. “By pairing the strength of our wireless network from continuous investments with SAP solutions, we will enable public and private sector customers with a solution to truly mobilize.”

Customers would benefit from a managed mobility service that lowers entry cost, speeds time to implement and extends the value of mobile enterprise applications by making them accessible from anywhere at any time, decreasing the strain on resources to maintain on-premise deployments. Within the agreement, Rogers plans to manage hosting services and provide wireless connectivity to power SAP solutions, including:

  • Enterprise mobile applications: Customers will have access to business, industry and analytics enterprise mobility applications from SAP.
  • Development: Business customers can access to the SAP mobile platform for enterprise mobile application development on proven, industry-leading technology. The mobile platform will allow businesses the ability to quickly develop applications to give users secure access to business data on a variety of mobile devices.
  • Mobile device management: Enterprise customers can have the ability to manage employee devices, mobile enterprise applications and related information through the industry-leading SAP® Afaria® mobile device management solution to help ensure critical information is not compromised. A single administrative console can allow customers to centrally manage and secure mobile data and encrypt sensitive data for protection in a case a mobile device is lost or stolen.

“Through our new managed mobility solution, SAP and Rogers will be making it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes to harness the power of mobile,” said Mark Aboud, president and managing director, SAP Canada. “Rogers has established strong leadership in the tablet, smartphone and machine-to-machine markets, and SAP is the undisputed leader in enterprise mobility for managing devices, enterprise mobile applications, and secure content management. Through our mutual relationships with customers, together we plan to enable enterprises to grow their business and continue operational excellence with mobile solutions that are secure, easy to use and scalable.”

To learn more about advanced business solutions and enterprise mobility offerings from Rogers, visit www.rogers.com/business. For more information, visit the SAP Newsroom.

About Rogers
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Through Rogers Media we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).

About SAP As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 195,000 customers (includes customers from the acquisition of SuccessFactors) to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

© 2012 by SAP AG. All rights reserved. SAP and the SAP logo are registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and other countries. Business Objects and the Business Objects logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects Software Ltd. Business Objects is an SAP company. Sybase and the Sybase logo are registered trademarks of Sybase Inc. Sybase is an SAP company. Crossgate is a registered trademark of Crossgate AG in Germany and other countries. Crossgate is an SAP company.

Note to editors:
To preview and download broadcast-standard stock footage and press photos digitally, please visit www.sap.com/photos. On this platform, you can find high resolution material for your media channels. To view video stories on diverse topics, visit www.sap-tv.com. From this site, you can embed videos into your own Web pages, share video via email links, and subscribe to RSS feeds from SAP TV.

Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews.

For customers interested in learning more about SAP products:
Global Customer Center: +49 180 534-34-24
United States Only: 1 (800) 872-1SAP (1-800-872-1727)

For more information, press only:
Jason Loesche, SAP, +1 (610) 661-8541, j.loesche@sap.com, EDT
Ashley Seashore, Bite Communications, +1 (415) 365-0222, ashley.seashore@bitecommunications.com, PDT
SAP Press Office, +49 (6227) 7-46315, CET; +1 (610) 661-3200, EDT; press@sap.com
Allison Fitton, Rogers Communications Inc., +1 (416) 935-8860, allison.fitton@rci.rogers.com

New Websense CyberSecurity Intelligence Services Provide Sandboxing, Forensics and Proactive Training to Combat Threats

New Websense CyberSecurity Intelligence Services Provide Sandboxing, Forensics and Proactive Training to Combat Threats
  Published Wednesday, July 25, 2012 1:05 PM by News Release Archive

Websense CSI On-Demand and Live services help organizations pinpoint attack methods, processes and data targets for a more proactive stance on security

LAS VEGAS, July 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Hat USA - Advanced threats have evolved to a point where in-house resources alone are not enough to defend against data theft. Websense, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBSN), a global leader in unified web security, email security, mobile security and data loss prevention (DLP), today announced two new Websense® CyberSecurity Intelligence™ (CSI) services that give IT security teams access to an online sandbox environment, continuing education, current research and the expert Websense® Security Labs™ guidance they need to help protect their organizations from cybercriminals and the loss of confidential information.

"Businesses are struggling to protect themselves from unknown, targeted and adaptive security threats because they are more resistant to signature-based security tools," said Christine Liebert, senior analyst for industry analyst firm IDC's Security Services. "The new Websense CSI services provide sandboxing services, forensic details and rich security expertise that are required to help in-house IT security teams combat the latest threats and prevent data loss."

All Websense CSI customers will have access to ThreatScope™, an online sandbox environment, to safely test potential malware. Users simply upload a suspicious file to ThreatScope, which applies Websense Advanced Classification Engine (ACE) analytics, activates the file within a sandbox and compiles an extensive report of observed behavior. Insights include the infection process; post-infection activities (such as calling home); system-level events and processes; registry changes and file modifications.

The Websense CSI services are run by the Websense Security Labs and are currently available in two offerings:

  • CSI: On-Demand—A completely online, on-demand sandbox and training environment that provides exclusive access to a wide variety of resources to maintain in-house security expertise. Tools include ThreatScope and online research and forensic investigation training, techniques and tools.
  • CSI: Live—Includes all online services of CSI: On-Demand, plus the ability to work directly with Websense Security Labs researchers on three key areas. First, users have access to a three-day hands-on training on advanced security research methodologies and techniques. Second, Websense researchers provide planning assistance, which includes proactive testing of current security postures and full reviews of product deployment, configuration and policies. And finally, confidential forensic incident investigations to determine what happened and future prevention.

"We spend 24-hours a day, seven days a week investigating and analyzing the latest cyber-attack trends and malware tactics," said Charles Renert, vice president of the Websense Security Labs. "These new services expand our customers' in-house resources and provide them the opportunity to put a Websense Security Labs researcher on their team when they need the expertise the most—when they're under attack."

For more information about the Websense CSI services, please visit: www.websense.com/content/cybersecurity-intelligence-services-overview.aspx

About Websense, Inc.
Websense, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBSN), a global leader in unified web security, email security, mobile security, and data loss prevention (DLP), delivers the best content security for modern threats at the lowest total cost of ownership to tens of thousands of enterprise, mid-market and small organizations around the world. Distributed through a global network of channel partners and delivered as appliance-based software or SaaS-based cloud services, Websense content security solutions help organizations leverage social media and cloud-based communication, while protecting from advanced persistent threats and modern malware, preventing the loss of confidential information, and enforcing internet use and security policies. Websense is headquartered in San Diego, California with offices around the world. For more information, visit www.websense.com.

Follow Websense on Twitter: www.twitter.com/websense
Join the discussion on Facebook: www.facebook.com/websense

Websense Media Contact:
Patricia Hogan
Websense, Inc.
(858) 320-9393
phogan@websense.com

SOURCE Websense, Inc.

Dell and Intel Study Concludes IT Consumerization Increases Productivity in the Workplace

Dell and Intel Study Concludes IT Consumerization Increases Productivity in the Workplace

Date : 25/07/2012
Round Rock, Texas










  • Evolving Workforce Research reveals that empowering employees through technology and mobility drives productivity
  • Greater employee choice and mobility could lead to security concerns
  • Transparency and trust are crucial factors in establishing workplace balance
  • Study surveyed more than 8,000 workers globally and interviewed 29 experts and senior business leaders

Dell and Intel today released findings from the final phase of a multi-year research effort that shows IT consumerization is dependent on an open-minded approach by organizations, and most likely to succeed with specific, pre-defined parameters. Insights from the Evolving Workforce Research program, which includes feedback from 8,360 workers worldwide and 29 interviews with global experts and senior business leaders, indicate that business leaders see the consumerization of IT - including greater employee input in IT provision, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiatives and workplace flexibility - as a way to generate additional employee productivity and loyalty. However, while there is growing awareness among organizations that greater flexibility in employee technology choices can enhance productivity, the research also shows that organizations are still grappling with the security challenges and threats this can present.

With a shift towards increased technology choice and mobility occurring over the past three to five years, companies today are striving to better understand the value of creating IT infrastructures which support digitally savvy workers who do not adhere to 9 to 5 routines. By increasing technology choices for the workforce, employees are able to select solutions that suit their preferences and therefore optimize their outputs. But as the report outlines, greater choice in technology and IT decisions gives rise to concerns around established workplace security protocols, namely security risks such as hacking and data loss.

Among the key findings of the report are:

  • Technology choice leads to productivity: there is a growing awareness in the business community that companies can benefit from increased workforce productivity by allowing employees to have some level of choice in what technology they use and the degree of mobility they have. Depending on the individual organization’s circumstances, clear parameters around levels of choice need to be established. It is then that business leaders can better see how technology catered to individual working styles can create efficiency gains and optimize results.
  • Productivity vs. traditional business concerns: companies are clearly trying to determine whether any increased productivity generated from greater technology choice among employees outweighs the associated risks. There is consensus among business leaders that the use of personal devices in the workplace exposes the company to increased security risks and potential data mismanagement. As well as the challenge of measuring productivity levels accurately, businesses are faced with the obstacle of “knowing what data is where and if it’s properly protected.”
  • Changing attitude towards mobility: business leaders accept that the arrival of tablets, smartphones and cloud computing creates the need for companies to challenge themselves to be more mobile-led. Many experts believe that the convergence of applications across devices will foster an even more mobile dependent workforce in the future, meaning that businesses wanting to be more productive must first address legacy concerns in order to be mobile-ready.
  • Employee transparency: the issue of transparency with employees regarding IT decisions that affect them presents a challenge for management, with business leaders noting that if any aspects of a company’s IT consumerization policy are hidden from employee view, they may backfire. They agree that being transparent with employees helps build trust and goes a long way in harnessing the productivity that businesses seek from new technologies and devices.
  • Strategic innovation: in order to stay relevant in a fiercely competitive market and make strategic decisions about operational efficiency, most expert commentators believe that businesses should adopt a smarter, more mobile-centric and integrated approach to IT. This requires businesses to embrace the consumerization of IT with a considered approach and an open mind, working with technology partners to develop tailored solutions that meet the individual requirements of both the organization and employee.
 
The Evolving Workforce is a global initiative to identify and explore future workplace trends and the role that technology is playing in its evolution. The project has comprised several stages to form an iterative journey of learning began in October 2011 with the Expert Insights report, where seven future trends were introduced alongside commentary from futurists, technologists, analysts and HR professionals. The second report, the Workplace Perspective, summarized the findings of a global survey of 8,360 workers from 11 countries.

The final report in the research series, announced today, captures the point of view of senior business and technology leaders. Report 3: The Business Perspective and Research Summary incorporates insights from global experts, CEOs and CIOs on changing technology use and are summarized in three sub-reports: People, Productivity and Progress. These reports address a number of key questions including how technology is impacting the modern workforce and whether increased mobility leads to greater productivity.

Dell and Intel commissioned TNS Global Research to execute this project. Additional information about the study, in addition to the previous reports, can be accessed at www.dell.com/evolvingworkforce.

Quotes

“The way we work and live around the world is changing rapidly,” said Stephen O’Donnell, CEO, Chalet Tech, Inc. “For most knowledge workers, there is no such thing as 9 to 5 anymore, and time zone differences matter less than ever before. We are living in a time of 24/7 connectivity, where boundaries between work and play are less marked.”

“With today’s increasingly tech-savvy workforce and outcome-driven employees, companies have everything to gain from fully embracing the IT consumerization and mobility trend that is redefining the workplace,” said Adriana Karaboutis, CIO, Dell. “Companies are realizing that by enabling employees to work from a location of their choice using their preferred technology, they are taking one of the single most important steps in motivating business productivity.”

“At Dell, we’re engaging with customers to understand what the end user needs are,” said Steve Felice, president and chief commercial officer, Dell. “As a solution provider, we have expanded our vision beyond what device does the end user have to having consultative conversations with our customers about how data is being accessed, used and secured to find the right solution to help their employees be more productive and drive results.”

“While reinventing the operational landscape through IT can have a positive impact on productivity and employee morale, we shouldn’t lose sight of the challenges that these changes create for the business,” said Ed Goldman, IT CTO, Intel. “Every company will need to find the right balance between implementing changes to bring benefits to employees while matching the strategic objectives of the business.”

About Dell:
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

Gartner Says Worldwide Social Media Revenue Forecast to Reach $16.9 Billion in 2012

Gartner Says Worldwide Social Media Revenue Forecast to Reach $16.9 Billion in 2012

Analysts to Discuss Disruptive Technologies, including Social Media, at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, October 21-25, Orlando, Florida

STAMFORD, Conn., July 25, 2012— Global social media revenue is forecast to reach $16.9 billion in 2012, up 43.1 percent from 2011 revenue of $11.8 billion, according to Gartner, Inc.

Advertising is, and will continue to be, the largest contributor to overall social media revenue and is projected to total $8.8 billion in 2012. Social gaming revenue more than doubled between 2010 and 2011 and is expected to reach $6.2 billion in 2012, while revenue from subscriptions is expected to total $278 million this year.

"Usage of online social media has matured, and more than one billion people worldwide will use social networks this year," said Neha Gupta, senior research analyst at Gartner. "Although the number of social media users is large, and in some cases increasingly mature in their usage patterns, the market is still in its early stages from a revenue perspective."

Gartner expects the number of social media users will continue to increase at a moderate pace. New forms of media and entertainment will keep users engaged on social media sites and attract new ones. Rising competition among social media players, each vying for consumers' leisure time and attention, will lead to the rise of new forms of social media (Web based and mobile).

Marketers are allocating a higher percentage of their advertising budget to social networking sites. This is mainly driven by the fact that these sites offer a large pool of engaged users who spend considerable time on these sites — this increases the potential click-through rates (CTRs). Social media sites enable marketers to target ads to discrete consumer segments by unlocking the interconnected data structures of users that include lists of friends, their comments and messages, photos and all their social connections, contact information and associated media.

"Social media sites are becoming more innovative in their ad products to attract marketers," Ms. Gupta said. "Social networking sites should deploy data analytic technologies that interrogate social networks to give marketers a more accurate picture of trends in accordance with consumers' needs and preferences."

Gartner analysts said that social media sites will continue to incorporate gaming techniques on their networks, driven by the monetization opportunities that it presents. The sale of virtual goods will remain the primary source of revenue. Major console gaming publishers have recently entered the social gaming arena and are adding momentum to the social gaming industry by utilizing their intellectual properties. Gartner expects this trend to have a favorable impact on social gaming revenue as consumers are likely to be attracted to familiar gaming titles. Some of the big social developers such as Zynga, GREE and DeNA have moved to an open-platform strategy, enhancing user convenience and choice.

The growth in users paying for professional networking accounts will continue to grow. However, social sites are moving toward lower subscription fees and shifting focus to other sources of revenue, such as advertisement-based sales. This is corroborated by the fact that many of the professional sites (including LinkedIn and Xing) that charge for premium services observed a decline in the subscriptions revenue ratio. Apart from a few exceptions, Gartner continues to see limited success with the premium subscription models.

The sale of virtual goods outside of social gaming is the largest revenue earner in the "other" category. The trend to sell high-value advisory services — such as public relations and reputation management) to brands so that they can better manage their presence on social networks is on the rise and is expected to continue. Payments on social media sites will increase, providing increased revenue opportunities to social media sites to serve as a payment platform for transactions of digital content (to pay for applications, such as part of Facebook), as part of social gaming (for example, FarmVille), or to make a person-to-person (P2P) payment to another user of the network site. New revenue opportunities for social media will also arise as both mobile and TV platforms integrate with social networking as a core service.

"New revenue opportunities will exist in social media, but no new services will be able to bring significant fresh revenue to social media by 2016," said Ms. Gupta. "The biggest impact of growth in social media is on the advertisers. In the short and medium terms, social media sites should deploy data analytic techniques that interrogate social networks to give marketers a more accurate picture of trends about consumers' needs and preferences on a customized basis. In the meantime, however, they should also continue to exploit other channels of revenue like mobile advertising and social commerce."

Additional information is available in the Gartner report "Forecast: Social Media Revenue, Worldwide, 2011-2016." The report is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=2061016.

About Gartner Symposium/ITxpo
Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the world's most important gathering of CIOs and senior IT executives. This event delivers independent and objective content with the authority and weight of the world's leading IT research and advisory organization, and provides access to the latest solutions from key technology providers. Gartner's annual Symposium/ITxpo events are key components of attendees' annual planning efforts. IT executives rely on Gartner Symposium/ITxpo to gain insight into how their organizations can use IT to address business challenges and improve operational efficiency.

Additional information for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, October 21-25, is available at www.gartner.com/symposium/us. Members of the media can register for the event by contacting Christy Pettey at christy.pettey@gartner.com.

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

Upcoming dates and locations for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo include:

August 28-30, Cape Town, South Africa: www.gartner.co.za
October
3-5, Tokyo, Japan: www.gartner.com/jp/symposium
October 10-12, Goa, India: www.gartner.com/in/symposium
October 21-25, Orlando, Florida: www.gartner.com/us/symposium
October
29-31, Sao Paulo, Brazil: www.gartner.com/br/symposium
November
5-8, Barcelona, Spain: www.gartner.com/eu/symposium
November 12-15, Gold Coast, Australia: www.gartner.com/au/symposium
March 5-7, 2013, Dubai, UAE: www.gartner.com/technology/symposium/dubai/

Contacts:

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

Rob van der Meulen
Gartner
+44 0 1784 267892
rob.vandermeulen@gartner.com


About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the valuable partner to clients in 12,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 5,000 associates, including 1,280 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, www.gartner.com.

Toronto's TTP Logic Group Inc. rolls out new search engine QuadLook

Four is better than one.

TORONTO, July 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Pretty much everyone uses Google. One company however is creating an entirely different way to find information on the internet.

Toronto based company, TTP Logic Group Inc. rolled out QuadLook, a search engine that effectively pioneered four dimensional search. It categorizes content into four distinct quadrants making it a very fresh experience. A quadrant displays the genuine website results, the second quadrant shows images and videos from YouTube, and the next quadrant presents Blog and Wikipedia results while the fourth quadrant finds news content and conversations on Twitter.

With four times the information, you have the ability to expand quadrants that you are interested in and then search deeper, making it a very relevant and fresh way to gather information.

First time users say QuadLook searches everything at once and saves them time. Also the platform turns Twitter into a rich source of fresh information that even grandmothers find easy to use.

Be the first to check out www.quadlook.com and use it for your regular web search.

SOURCE: TTP Logic Group Inc.

For further information:

Ivan Tsarynny, CEO
TTP Logic Group Inc | ivan.t@TTPLogic.com | Office: 647.725.0011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Compugen Milestone: One Millionth Service Call Completed

Another Compugen Milestone: One Millionth Service Call Completed

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 24, 2012) - Canadian IT solutions provider Compugen Inc. today announced the completion of its one millionth service call. Service calls involve on-site visits by technicians and shipments of replacement parts for end-user devices and network infrastructure. These are delivered according to protocols established by contract.

"We marked our half-millionth service call only a few years ago, after more than 25 years in business," said Ken Goessaert, Vice President, Technology Lifecycle Solutions, Compugen. "Now, only four years later, we are hitting a million. This growth in our service business is a tribute to our team and the excellent processes they have put in place, including monitoring service excellence through Service 800, Net Promoter, and our ISO 9001:2008 registration as a quality management system. We thank our customers for their continuing confidence in us."

Compugen's half-millionth service call was announced on 15 April 2008.

In relation to service excellence, Jean Mork Bredeson, President of SERVICE 800, has noted, "As a specialist in measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty for global service organizations, we know it's not typical to see such commitment and continued focus to the delivery of quality services. Compugen has proven that it takes an ever vigilant watch and corresponding strategy to meet the ever changing expectations of computing technology customers today.

"Its commitment can be confirmed: Compugen has scored as 'Best in Class' among its Canadian peers with particular excellence associated with the professionalism of its technicians."

Compugen joined Service 800, a computing technology industry service-quality measurement program, in February 2004.

Celebrating another milestone this month, Compugen's Technology Lifecycle Solutions (TLS) Team successfully achieved its ISO 9001:2008 recertification, marking 15 years of registration to this standard.

Regarding this re-certification, the ISO external auditor concluded the audit by stating, "During the … assessment in June 2012, Compugen has demonstrated dedication to the ongoing improvement of their quality management system. Management oversight, focus on improvement through measurement, and employee support [are] very strong."

About Compugen

Compugen is Canada's largest IT solution provider providing a comprehensive portfolio of sales and support services across Canada. Still operating under the guidance of President and CEO Harry Zarek who founded the company in 1981, Compugen's experienced team of IT professionals helps mid-sized and large corporations and governments with enterprise-level solutions that address business requirements through an integrated approach across technology platforms. Solution areas include Datacentre, Virtualization, Storage, Microsoft Infrastructure, Print Management, Communications and Security. Service offerings include Deployment, Field (on-site) Services, Managed Services, Technology Lifecycle Management, Fleet Management, Software Licensing and Asset Management. Product Services include a complete ISO warehousing, configuration & logistics organization that encompasses remarketing and recycling of end of life technology. Multi-vendor financing services are provided through Compugen Finance.

Contact Information

Contact, Press Only
Compugen Inc.
Donald Anderson
Marketing Projects Manager
(905) 695-5930
danderson@compugen.com

SWITCH selects Ottawa's Roaring Penguin Software's CanIt-Domain-PRO Software to Combat Spam in Switzerland

SWITCH selects Roaring Penguin Software's CanIt-Domain-PRO Software to Combat Spam in Switzerland

OTTAWA, July 24, 2012 /CNW/ - Roaring Penguin Software Inc., the email filtering experts, announced that SWITCH (the National Research and Education Network of Switzerland) has selected CanIt-Domain-PRO to combat spam on its networks.  SWITCH plays a key role in Switzerland, both as  as a specialized Internet service provider for the Swiss Universities as well as domain name registration authority for ".ch" and ".li".  SWITCH is a recognized world leader in terms of identity management, high-performance networks and network security.

The non-profit foundation "provides innovative, unique internet services for the Swiss universities and internet users".

"We are pleased to be able to work with Roaring Penguin and to add their CanIt-Domain-PRO anti-spam software to our own security tools in fighting spam for our University clients"  -  Andres Aeschlimann, Project Manager, SWITCH.

CanIt-Domain-PRO allows a research education network like SWITCH to delegate control of spam filtering to each university that can in turn delegate control of spam filtering across multiple domains (departments) within the university and ultimately to end users.

Roaring Penguin's Products

  • CanIt-PRO, an anti-spam software solution suitable for small and medium businesses.
  • CanIt-Domain-PRO, spam filtering software for MSPs to host anti-spam for their customers.
  • Hosted CanIt, a fully outsourced hosted anti-spam service.
  • CanIt Archiver, email archiving software
  • Hosted CanIt Archiver, a hosted email archiving service.

About SWITCH
Founded in 1987, SWITCH is a non-profit organisation, SWITCH guarantees Switzerland's access to the Internet.  One hundred employees work day-in day-out on further developing web technologies, facilitating the exchange of knowledge between universities and stepping up the security of the Internet in Switzerland.  For the private sector, SWITCH develops custom-tailored security solutions and supports the exchange of information.  In November 2012 the Internet service provider with its head office in Zurich is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

About Roaring Penguin
Founded in 1999, Roaring Penguin Software Inc -- The Email Filtering Experts, specializes in developing anti-spam software and email filtering solutions.  The company focuses on fighting spam at the mail server, with the acclaimed CanIt and MIMEDefang product lines.  Today, Roaring Penguin develops, deploys and supports its anti-spam and email archiving products for customers that include enterprises, ISPs, campuses, web hosts, and government offices.

SOURCE ROARING PENGUIN SOFTWARE


Over Half of Health and Pharmaceutical Organizations Are Concerned Their Backup and Disaster Recovery Will Fail in the Wake of a Disaster

Over Half of Health and Pharmaceutical Organizations Are Concerned Their Backup and Disaster Recovery Will Fail in the Wake of a Disaster

Lack of IT Resources and Budgets Putting Data at Risk

WOBURN, MA--(Marketwire - Jul 24, 2012) - The Acronis Global Disaster Recovery Index 2012 has revealed that despite the global political, economic and environmental upheaval of the last 12 months, more than half (55 percent) of all health sector companies are still not confident they could recover from a disaster. With a third (33 percent) confessing they couldn't recover quickly and a further 42 percent saying they would suffer substantial downtime.

The survey highlighted that the tough economic climate is putting IT departments under increasing pressure. One in five (22 percent) health companies reported a lack of IT resources as one of the biggest challenges in regards to their backup and disaster recovery. The findings also reveal that the health sector spends the least, of their IT budgets on backup and disaster recovery preparedness when compared with other sectors such as the public sector and finance. Over a third (34 percent) admitted to spending nothing at all on backup and disaster recovery in 2011.

With virtualization promising to cut costs, the vast majority (84 percent) of health companies have embraced virtualization to some degree. 29 percent state the reason for doing so is to increase efficiency. One in five (27 percent) already have more than 50 percent of their servers in a virtual environment. However, almost two in five (18 percent) don't back up their virtual servers as often as their physical, putting critical data at risk. Two thirds (65 percent) carry out a backup of their virtual servers weekly or even less. This could in part be attributed to the fact that over half (61 percent) of health and pharmaceutical organizations admit to using separate solutions.

It's only likely to get more complex as organizations start to integrate cloud into their IT infrastructure to lower their IT operating costs. The health sector is positive on its outlook on cloud services with a third (33 percent) predicting that more than 50 percent of its IT infrastructure will be cloud based in the next year.

Like other sectors, health companies are struggling with managing data in a hybrid environment. 36 percent currently use three or more applications to back up their data. The majority (73 percent) agreed that a comprehensive solution that links physical, virtual and cloud protection would improve their backup and disaster recovery strategy.

"Dealing with sensitive information, the health sector is governed by strict regulations and standards. Data such as patient records are required to be kept securely for the long-term," said Blaine Raddon, general manager, Acronis Americas. "Organizations in this sector are under a great deal of pressure to cut costs but still maintain the same level of data protection. It's clear looking at the findings that they are still working out how to do that efficiently without letting their backup and disaster recovery processes slip. New technology such as cloud and virtualization can help alleviate some of these pressures, but they need to make sure they consolidate and centralize their backup and disaster recovery."

Notes to the editor:

The survey was conducted by the Ponemon Institute across 18 countries in September and October 2011. Over 6,000 IT practitioners were surveyed in organizations with no more than 1,000 seats. Details of how the index was calculated and where each country appears can be found here:

About Acronis
Acronis is a leading provider of next generation data protection and disaster recovery solutions for physical, virtual and cloud environments. With Acronis' backup, disaster recovery, deployment and migration software, users can better protect and maintain availability of critical servers and data to achieve recovery point (RPO) and recovery time objectives (RTO) while reducing total cost of ownership. With over a decade of investment in research and development, Acronis software is sold in more than 90 countries and available in up to 14 languages. For additional information, please visit www.acronis.com. Follow Acronis on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acronis

Acronis® is a registered trademark of Acronis International GmbH in the United States and/or other countries. 

Contact Information

Press Contacts:
U.S.
Meredith L. Eaton
March Communications
Tel: +1 617-960-9877
Email: acronis@marchpr.com