IBM Completes Acquisition of Star Analytics

IBM today announced completion of the software portfolio of Star Analytics Inc., a privately held business analytics company centered in Redwood City, California. The purchase will further advance IBM’s business analytics initiatives, allowing clients to easily access financial information stored in their applications, allowing them to make more informed decisions faster. Financial terms were not disclosed. More

IBM Develops Plan for Nigeria’s Ekiti State for Improved Governance and Education

A team of IBM specialists completing a month-long pro bono consulting assignment have presented recommendations to Nigeria’s Ekiti State Government (EKSG) for strategies that will help improve efficiency and engagement with citizens. It also completed projects and plans that help improve productivity at the state’s university. More

HP Wins Two U.S. Army Contracts

HP Enterprise Services has been awarded two task orders by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command to support and enhance the technology infrastructure and applications used throughout the recruiting process. The contracts include a 30 percent small-business participation. The first contract adds the same support to the U.S. Army Cadet Command and Army Recruiting Command. More

HP Announces Business Continuity Systems for Unified Communications

HP has announced integrated, easy-to-use and manage systems to improve communications among employees, customers, and citizens. The systems combine multiple communications channels including voice, video, IM, and shared desktop capabilities to support distributed workforces and other user populations. Announced at Enterprise Connect, the new standards-based multiservice routers (MSRs) include the HP MSR Survivable Branch Communications Module and MSR Open Architecture Platform with VMware vSphere Series.  More

Dell Services helps Singapore Exchange Modernize Mainframe Application

Dell Services have announced successful completion of a project with Singapore Exchange (SGX) to future-proof the technology underpinning its depository business and enhance operating efficiency. The project helped SGX double the speed of a critical application while decreasing operating costs and better positioning its IT systems to align with future business initiatives. More

Microsoft Introduces Imagine Cup Competition for Young Students

Microsoft has announced the new Imagine Cup Kodu Challenge, a new Microsoft Imagine Cup competition for aspiring game developers, aged 9 to 18. The competition gives them the opportunity to learn coding by developing a video game with Kodu, an easy-to-learn game-creation toolkit and programming language available as a free download on Windows-based PCs. Microsoft worked with Mercy Corps and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop to create the new challenge. More

Microsoft Dynamics 2013 Reimagines and Unites the Worlds of Business and IT

The Microsoft Dynamics Convergence 2013 conference opened today to a record sell-out crowd and a keynote address from Microsoft Business Solutions President Kirill Tatarinov featuring Microsoft Dynamics customers Chobani Inc., Habitat for Humanity International, Revlon Inc., Shock Doctor Inc., and Weight Watchers International Inc. Tatarinov spoke about how business leaders can reimagine the way they engage with customers, build brand relevance, and collaborate with employees to stay ahead of the changing roles across all levels of business. More

Largest Russian Social Media Operator Builds Network with Cisco

VK.com, the largest social media operator in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, has selected Cisco for its latest network expansion. Ranked 25th in Alexa’s global Top 500 sites and the second most visited website in Russia, with more than 190 million registered users, it will use the enhanced network to ensure it can meet expansion goals into Europe and Asia and increase quality of existing customer experiences. More

Kansas Fiber Network and Cisco Upgrade State Network to 100 G

The Kansas Fiber Network (KFN), a consortium of 29 carriers across the state, has upgraded its next-generation packet optical network to 100 Gigabit per second speeds using Cisco’s carrier packet transport and coherent optical DWDM technology. The enhancement allows KFN to scale to meet growing customer demands for Ethernet, mobile backhaul, and high-speed private line services as well as seamless delivery of mobile content including high-definition video, mobile apps, and collaboration tools. it provides rural areas with cost-effective, high-speed Internet access and reduces the cost of applications such as distance learning and telemedicine while creating the infrastructure to support economic growth. More

Cisco Co-President Rob Lloyd Opens Enterprise Connect 2013 with keynote on Collaboration and Internet of Everything

Robert Lloyd, President of development and Sales at Cisco, discussed how the Internet of Everything (IoE) will impact business operations and the lives of consumers, in his keynote opening Enterprise Connect 2013 today. He discussed how business can benefit from the $14.4T market opportunity and which verticals will see dramatic changes driven by the next generation Internet. A recording of the live Webcast of the keynote will be available on March 21. More