With the unified communications market already hard at work digesting the significance of Microsoft’s recently announced strategic pact with Polycom, rumours are emerging that Cisco is preparing to spring a surprise bid for Internet phone operator Skype.

According to TechCrunch, Cisco made a formal offer to acquire Skype just before the company’s recent SEC filing of its intent to make an initial public offering (IPO). Continue Reading

Without question, cloud computing continues to be the hot topic of discussion in information technology circles. Vendors, customers and industry observers are all weighing in on the opportunities and challenges posed by the cloud.

Many IT professionals are, quite reasonably, asking question such as: “What does my job look like as the tech industry and my company move toward cloud computing?” Continue Reading

The growing corporate interest in application security products and testing services has prompted HP to step in and acquire its former partner in the market, Fortify Software. HP has paid an undisclosed sum for Fortify which has been working with HP to integrate its static app’ testing systems with HP’s dynamic, web-based app’ vulnerability testing services since last June. Continue Reading

Efficient private cloud management will require an effective software deployment strategy. Start planning your’s now, says John Stetic, Global Director of Product Development for Novell®.

I’m starting to see some interesting products that help people build and manage a private cloud.  Very cool and very needed if IT is going to keep pace with business demand for new applications without losing control of existing assets, or compromising on compliance. Continue Reading

Atmos Online, EMC’s cloud-based storage service will not enter full production as a EMC branded service, the storage giant announced on July 7^th. The company will continue to test and development level access to Atmos for customers and service partners, but it has scrapped plans to go to make Atmos its brand cloud-service offering.

Customers and partners got their first official look at Atmos Online at last year’s EMC World, when it was seen by some observers as the spearhead of an EMC strategy to make cloud storage relevant to high-end corporate users. Continue Reading

In today’s hyperconnected cloud computing world, the need to be connected becomes ever more essential. Even largely on premises based corporations are shifting applications and computing into the cloud. With the net effect that all corporate data and applications require internet connectivity to enable access so in effect while we have shifted responsibility for backup, recovery and failover of data/corporate applications to someone else with all the excellent safeguards that the chosen supplier may have to offer we have created a single point of failure; the pipe that connects us to the internet.  We all know that signing up to multiple fixed line internet suppliers is not the answer as chances are they use the same BT OpenZone exchange putting us back to square one.

During conversations while I was programming and researching sessions for our Wireless and Mobile event opened my eyes to a possible answer – Microwaves.  in conversations with Nera and APC gave an indication of how point to point links and other microwave solutions can provide a resilient backup or even integral way of linking disparate offices as well as delivering a failover infrastructure. Continue Reading

How can my company reap the benefits UC rewards? Judging by the crowds at this session this question was top of the agenda for visitors at UC EXPO. In this popular session Chris explored  what UC means to your business and explained how  building smarter communications can make business processes faster and more effective.

View Chris Barrow’s presentation – Listen to Chris Barrow’s presentation

Smart Working = Mobile (also on campus) – “Because we can work anyplace, anytime”

So says Philip Vanhoutte, Managing Director – EMEA for Plantronics, speaking at Unified Communications ’09. In times of economic distress, flexibility is essential. So UC has come right on time ! It allows smarter working, free of time and space constraints. Technology – for once – is the easy and affordable part. The real challenges lie in a novel perspective on the way we work, manage and trust each other (as managers and associates)

Leave the Office of the 20th century behind and anticipate the Death of the Desk. Get ready for the new business jungle

View Philip Vanhoutte’s presentation – Listen to Philip Vanhoutte’s presentation