Nexus Technologies – IT Company providing Virtualisation Solutions, IT managed Services and IT Consultancy

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In a direct challenge to computer giants IBM Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co., data storage firm EMC Corp. of Hopkinton has allied with Cisco Systems Inc., the world’s leading computer networking company.

In a joint venture, EMC, its majority-owned subsidiary VMware Inc., and Cisco will sell prefabricated business computer systems. The new products will be built with computer servers from Cisco, data storage hardware and software from EMC, and server management software from VMware. “Wherever you touch any one of the three of us, we will look like one company,’’ said Cisco chief executive John Chambers.

Cisco, long known for its equipment used in computer networks, this year started making servers, large computers that store and process information. IBM and HP are the industry leaders when it comes to selling computer servers to businesses. By joining forces, EMC and Cisco can expand into that market quickly, offering integrated systems built with technology from both.

“Basically we are removing risk,’’ said EMC chief executive Joe Tucci. “This is all about efficiency, control and choice.’’

The integrated systems, called VBlock Infrastructure Packages, will allow customers to buy all the equipment and software they need together, from one seller. Big businesses use data centers – large arrays of computers and storage gear – that are often cobbled together with products from various vendors, and are difficult to manage. EMC and Cisco will offer systems that would allow customers to install new software or manage company information from a single control center.

Tucci said VBlock would transform the company’s data center into a “private cloud,’’ similar to the cloud computing services found on the Internet, where users run software that is stored online instead of on their own desktops. In companies with a private cloud, computing and storage resources would be centrally managed and easily accessed by workers in various departments.

The alliance could be a major boost to Cisco’s effort to expand beyond the networking equipment business. Earlier this year, Cisco launched the Unified Computing System, a new line of server computers. This put Cisco in competition against industry titans IBM and HP, which sell integrated computers and storage products. EMC and VMware are dominant players in storage and server virtualization, technology that allows many computers to run together as efficiently as one machine, but can’t match IBM and HP in servers or Cisco in networking.

Mark Bowker, senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group in Milford, said the new coalition will let the three companies offer customers one-stop shopping – a fully-integrated package that they could not offer on their own. “They’ve taken server, networking, and storage and put them together into a single unit,’’ Bowker said.

EMC and Cisco also announced a joint venture called Acadia, which will build and manage VBlock data centers. Acadia workers would oversee the installation of VBlock systems and train employees to operate them. VMware and chip maker Intel Corp. are investors in the Acadia joint venture.

EMC shares rose 12 cents yesterday to close at $16.55 on the New York Stock Exchange. Cisco fell 9 cents to $22.91 on the Nasdaq exchange.

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One of Ireland’s largest indigenous business process outsourcing (BPO) providers, Abtran, is to invest €1m in IBM technology and with big four consultancy BearingPoint to boost its capabilities.

The company has invested in IBM’s latest generation workflow, imaging and document management technology to generate savings of up to 30pc for clients and has hired management technology consultants, BearingPoint, to oversee the project’s implementation.

Abtran will use IBM’s FileNet P8 platform to automate and streamline high-volume paper-based business processes, such as the processing of grants, licences, loan applications, payments and insurance claims.

Through the use of optical character recognition technology, Abtran will be able to significantly increase the efficiency of their client’s business processes, further reducing their costs and providing better service.

“Abtran is continuously seeking out new and innovative ways to optimise efficiencies and deliver value-add services that further our clients’ long-term needs,” said Michael Fitzgerald, Managing Director of Abtran.

“This €1m investment will significantly strengthen our existing expertise whilst enhancing our ability to deliver more flexible and scalable services.

“The investment will allow our existing clients to access cutting-edge technology in a cost-effective manner. It also means that new clients can work with us to integrate the latest technology without the burden of up-front capital expenditure or the in-house expertise to run it.”

In selecting the solution, Fitzgerald emphasised that Abtran focused on industry-leading solution providers with proven track records and expertise.

“Having evaluated a number of solutions, we identified the IBM platform, implemented by BearingPoint, as the ideal fit for our rapidly expanding suite of end-to-end business process services.”

“The IBM FileNet P8 platform addresses demanding compliance, content and process management needs,” Gary Mullane, Manager Financial Services, BearingPoint in Ireland, explained.

“It creates an agile enterprise content management environment to support a dynamic organisation like Abtran” added Mick Ryder, IBM Software Sales. “In addition, the robust, scalable and flexible IBM solution Abtran are putting in place will be a great catalyst for their continued fast-paced growth.”

In April, Abtran announced an investment of €6m in research and development, along with the creation of 250 graduate-level jobs by 2010.

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The technology giant said last night that stimulus and economic recovery investments around the world are accelerating the development and deployment of smarter systems such as intelligent utility grids, electronic medical records, improved transportation systems and food traceability.

These smarter systems require advanced analytics to turn data into predictive intelligence, which enable these new digital infrastructures to improve the speed and quality of decision making.

The new IBM Business Analytics and Optimisation Services for Public Sector team will include experts with deep knowledge in areas such as healthcare, transportation, social services, public safety, regulatory systems, customs and border management, defense, logistics, cyber-security and education.

These professionals will also collaborate with IBM researchers and tap into mathematics and information management capabilities across IBM.

“The ability to use more sophisticated approaches in analyzing information, extracting insights, and optimising that information can help public sector organizations make more informed decisions, better manage their resources, and achieve greater accountability,” said Charles Prow, managing partner of Global Business Services for IBM Public Sector.

“IBM sees an enormous opportunity to help our clients improve program delivery by gaining access into real-time information that will aid decision making and ultimately improve their efforts to serve citizens,” Pow added.

IBM’s portfolio of analytics services will include automated healthcare solutions. In the area of claim and benefit management, the company has worked with the U.S Social Security Administration(SSA) and MedVirginia, to develop a first-of-a-kind electronic records exchange system to shave the amount of time to process requests for medical records associated with disability claims from months to minutes.

In addition, IBM worked with SSA to build a predictive model using text analytics to reduce the total time needed to review applications for disability from months to weeks. IBM also developed another set of predictive models to save the SSA approximately US$200m annually over the last 10 years in reduced doctor review costs for disability benefit renewals.

IBM is also working with governments to create real-time dashboards that monitor and track stimulus spending in order to meet federally mandated guidelines. For example, the State of Arkansas is using IBM technology and services to monitor and manage the use of economic recovery grants for improving education programs.

In the area of education, the company is helping to improve student progress and school effectiveness for Alabama’s largest school district, Mobile County Public Schools System, with a system that leverages analytics to prevent or resolve issues before they escalate, helping to steer students on the right path and monitoring their progress moving forward.

Other focus areas for IBM will include public safety. The company is working with the New York City Police and Fire Departments to better assess, predict and prevent crime and fire incidents.

The new public sector effort is part of the corporation’s larger focus on analytics, highlighted by IBM’s recently announced new Business Analytics and Optimization Services organisation.

The practice includes more than 4,000 consultants, as well as approximately 200 mathematicians and advanced analytics experts from IBM Research laboratories. The new service also draws on IBM’s vast Information Management portfolio, including technologies from the recent acquisitions of Cognos and iLog.

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IBM has launched a new integrated system of tools designed to protect firms from web application attacks, improve security management and reduce the number of vulnerabilities in web app code.

IBM Proventia SiteProtector 8.0 integrates a consolidated security management system with the firm’s Rational AppScan web app vulnerability and secure code testing tool, and its new web application protection module for network and host intrusion prevention systems.

The integration of all three elements offers such benefits as being able to calculate if certain attacks are likely to expose known vulnerabilities in the web app layer, as well as enabling a common workflow system for managing security incidents and reduced security management operational costs, said IBM.

The firm’s latest stats from its X-Force security division found the web application layer under continuing attack in the first half of this year. The IBM X-Force 2009 Midyear Trend & Risk Report, which will be released later this month, found a 50 per cent rise in SQL injection attacks in Q1 2009 compared to the previous quarter.

“Web application security is one of the top pain points for enterprises today, and only IBM can offer a comprehensive solution designed to help turn the tide against SQL injection and other web application attacks,” said Dan Powers, vice president of business strategy at IBM Internet Security Systems.

“Additionally, our integrated approach to security may help to reduce costs and simplify security management, which can ultimately reduce opportunities for human error and improve overall security posture.”

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