Touchpaper Deal Helps Avocent Enter IT Service Desk Market Progress Acquires Iona to Strengthen Presence in AIM Market Soasta Is First To Bring Testing to the Cloud Symbian Adopts Open Platform to Head Off Threat From Android New Top-Level Internet Domains Won't Impact Most Firms 30 June 2008 The creation by ICANN of additional generic top-level Internet domains will offer value in some instances. But Gartner expects classic extensions like ".com" to continue to dominate overwhelmingly in the marketplace. Joint Effort Seeks to Connect Health Records and Care Providers 30 June 2008 An AT&T, Covisint and Microsoft joint announcement regarding health information exchange products is mostly old news. But it provides insight into an important business strategy for HealthVault. Red Hat Reorganizes for Linux, Middleware and Virtualization 26 June 2008 Red Hat's 2008 Summit focused on architecture, APIs and open-source software tools. Now Red Hat must deliver on its claims of physical and virtual management automation with competitive certified and integrated solutions. Oracle Continues on Insurance Acquisition Path With Skywire 26 June 2008 By buying Skywire Software, Oracle aims to aggressively secure its position in the property-and-casualty and life insurance software market. Skywire's assets will bolster Oracle's offerings and add needed domain knowledge. Proofpoint Buys Fortiva to Keep Up With Market Consolidation 26 June 2008 The acquisition of e-mail archive vendor Fortiva by e-mail hygiene vendor Proofpoint underscores the continuing consolidation in the message control market and the growing demand for software as a service. Getronics Deal Continues CompuCom's Ongoing Transformation 25 June 2008 CompuCom Systems plans to acquire the North American operations of Getronics. The organizations that will see the greatest impact are the North American service delivery partners of Getronics. With Restructuring, Expect Delays in HP's Print Strategy 24 June 2008 With the Edgeline and A4 strategies faltering for HP's top-performing print division, this reorganization is no surprise. The need to restructure indicates that the HP-only strategy will take longer than expected. Dassault Raises Simulation Stakes With Engineous Buy 24 June 2008 Dassault Systemes' planned purchase of Engineous Software recognizes the growing focus on simulation as an approach to reduce the time and cost required to design and deliver products. BMC Buys ITM to Expand Its IT Business Management Capability 24 June 2008 ITM Software was one of the last remaining stand-alone portfolio analysis vendors in the IT project portfolio management market segment. The future direction and strategic focus of ITM under BMC still isn't clear. CEOs' Letter Signals Serious Intentions for 'Green IT' 24 June 2008 CEOs from 100 large companies worldwide have endorsed a set of recommendations for world leaders and requested new categories of regulatory intervention for climate change. The message to IT: Prepare for new demands. Visiprise Buy Will Assist SAP in Assembling 'Perfect Plant' 23 June 2008 SAP's planned acquisition of Visiprise adds a vital component to SAP's "Perfect Plant" strategy. If SAP's manufacturing execution system overcomes challenges, it could potentially become a compelling single-vendor solution. FalconStor VTL OpenStorage Option Simplifies Disk Backup 17 June 2008 FalconStor Software's new option on its virtual tape libraries to support Symantec's NetBackup OpenStorage application programming interface offers better integration for NetBackup environments. Merced Solidifies Dual Sales-Service Focus With Practique Buy 12 June 2008 Merced's acquisition of Practique Associates' incentive compensation software business will enhance Merced's efforts to deliver a combined product line for managing sales and service performance. SOA Software Partners With iTKO for Validation Technology 10 June 2008 This partnership shows SOA Software moving toward a "total governance view," but it will need to cement a relationship that will give it the needed functions or develop them internally. Green Hat Aims to Boost SOA Quality With Solstice Buy 5 June 2008 Green Hat's acquisition of Solstice creates a stronger global presence for Green Hat and strengthens its overall position in the service-oriented-architecture quality management market. Microsoft Adds Support for Open Formats to Quell Critics 29 May 2008 A plan to support ODF in Office suggests Microsoft's openness to industry standards and will likely ease document exchange. But documents edited in another vendor's product may still suffer visual fidelity problems. With Talisma Deal, nGenera Takes on E-Service Collaboration 29 May 2008 In buying Talisma, nGenera can accelerate the rollout of its on-demand e-services platform that offers businesses enhanced collaboration. However, nGenera must transfer its thought leadership to the Talisma product suite. Xerox India Product Launch Targets Needs of Emerging Markets 28 May 2008 Features in Xerox's latest low-cost monochrome printer offering are likely to appeal to the India market. This move underscores the increasing importance of India in launching products that target emerging markets. Mobile PC ODMs to Pass on Increases, Slowing Price Drop Trend 27 May 2008 Rising oil prices and China's new labor law have added to PC manufacturing costs, leading the top mobile PC original design manufacturers to pass increases on to vendors. This could slow the PC price drop trend. Government Should Tie Agency Funding to Security Improvements 23 May 2008 A proposal to make National Aeronautics and Space Administration funding dependent on security improvements is a step in the right direction. All U.S. government agencies should be subject to such security oversight. ING Takes a Leap With Trusteer Desktop Security Software 23 May 2008 ING Direct is taking the unusual move of distributing and supporting consumer desktop security software from Trusteer. Consider similar measures to avert PC-based attacks on consumer information and accounts. Planned U.K. Telephone/E-Mail Database Too Costly to Implement 23 May 2008 A planned central database of all U.K. telephone and e-mail traffic data is likely too expensive to be implemented. Service providers and telecommunications carriers should continue to plan for decentralized data retention. SunGard's Strohl Acquisition May Benefit Competitors More 22 May 2008 The planned Strohl Systems acquisition will give SunGard a business-continuity-focused sales channel. But it raises concerns about the future of both vendors' business continuity offerings and could help their competitors. Accenture Broadens Automation IT Capabilities With Atan Deal 22 May 2008 Accenture's agreement to acquire Brazilian automation services provider Atan reflects the growing convergence of automation and business IT. OpenSSL Vulnerability Shows Open-Source Process Weaknesses 22 May 2008 A major security flaw in some Linux distributions could expose encrypted data. Open-source developers and their vendor counterparts must improve their communications processes to address security issues like this one. Union of IBM System z Business Partners No Cause for Concern 21 May 2008 The acquisition of Cornerstone Systems by Mainline Information Systems will combine two of IBM's North American business partners. System z mainframe customers should not be concerned, but a contract review is in order. SEC XBRL Mandate Will Challenge Companies Filing in the U.S. 21 May 2008 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed that companies publicly traded in the U.S. adopt XBRL-based financial reporting. Begin formulating adoption strategies now for XBRL-based disclosure. EC Announcement on 'Green IT' Lacks Detail 20 May 2008 A European Commission document highlights the role IT could play in tackling climate change. But the report lacks detail on best practices and conviction on green procurement. Accenture Becomes a Player in Insurance Product Configuration 20 May 2008 Accenture, with charter client Safeco, is building a property and casualty product configurator. The solution will tap Accenture's insurance knowledge and technology assets, and be market-ready for sales by 4Q08. SOA Software Acquires LogicLibrary to Widen Governance Offering 19 May 2008 This deal will expand SOA Software's service-oriented-architecture governance suite while offering LogicLibrary customers further governance capabilities. AdminServer to Accelerate Oracle in Insurance Software Market 16 May 2008 By buying AdminServer, Oracle will enter the core policy administration system market for life insurance. The deal will boost AminServer's competitiveness and give Oracle a foundation to sell more technologies. HP-EDS Deal Seeks to Close Gap in Outsourcing Dominance 14 May 2008 HP would jump to No. 2 in worldwide outsourcing services with the acquisition of EDS. But HP will have to manage a complex integration and take a fresh approach to the consulting and integration business to reap rewards. Oracle Jumps Into the Collaboration Market (Again) 14 May 2008 After two unsuccessful forays into the collaboration market, Oracle is back with the next generation of Oracle Collaboration Suite. Gartner believes Beehive is unlikely to be any more successful than past efforts. Sun and Liferay Plan to Brighten Open-Source Enterprise Portals 14 May 2008 The collaboration between Sun and the smaller, emerging vendor Liferay -- both vendors of two overlapping portal packages -- combines Sun's execution with Liferay's market traction. Taleo-Vurv Deal Part of Talent Management Market Consolidation 13 May 2008 Taleo's planned acquisition of Vurv Technology will strengthen its leadership in the e-recruitment market, but will not have a short-term impact on its position in the broader talent management software market. Rimini Street to Offer SAP R/3 Support Services in 2009 12 May 2008 Rimini Street intends to expand its service offerings to include SAP R/3 software, which would give SAP customers another option for controlling support costs and extending the life of the R/3 releases. Oce Toner-Based Inkjet System Advances Wide-Format Printing 13 May 2008 Oce's ColorWave 600, its first wide-format printer employing CrystalPoint technology, portends a shift in the technical documents market to more color and display graphics. Gemcom Buy Is Private Equity's Second Deal in Mining Software 13 May 2008 Gemcom Software International has agreed to be acquired by private equity companies The Carlyle Group and JMI Equity. Going private will likely offer both benefits and disadvantages for the company and its clients. 2008 Sapphire Conference Shows Incremental Innovation 9 May 2008 The 2008 Sapphire conference made it clear that SAP is changing its marketing focus to its core applications. Evaluate SAP products along with best-of-breed alternatives for completeness, integration, cost and lock-in. SAP Support Offering Extends Solution Management Beyond SAP 9 May 2008 Enterprise Support will primarily affect "net-new" SAP customers. Current Standard Support customers can upgrade to Enterprise Support or continue with automatic renewal of their existing support contracts. Vanco Customers Should Take Precautions 9 May 2008 Despite Vanco's recent financial difficulties, Gartner cautions Vanco customers against making any snap decisions. They should, however, identify exit strategies and alternative suppliers as a precautionary measure. Microsoft, Hyundai Embrace Device-to-Vehicle Integration 8 May 2008 Microsoft gains critical mass as a solution provider in telematics as auto makers seek cost-effective telematics offerings. Device-to-vehicle and embedded technologies can combine to create a richer customer experience. Publication of Tax Details on Web Gives Glimpse Into Future 7 May 2008 The online publication of Italian citizens' income and taxes for 2005 raises a number of concerns but also hints at how public government information could be used in the future. Oracle/Siebel Enters Life Sciences Closed-Loop Marketing Race 6 May 2008 Oracle's pharma closed-loop marketing offering comes late to the market. But it is differentiated by the ability of its personalized content delivery functions to enable one-to-one marketing at the physician level. Adobe Seeks to Broaden Its Reach Through Open Screen 6 May 2008 The Open Screen Project will enable versions of Adobe Flash and AIR across a broader range of devices. With this move, Adobe seeks to maintain Flash's strong position in a market where competitive threats are looming. Wall Street Systems Bolsters Back-Office Focus in Aleri Deal 6 May 2008 By buying the wholesale banking technology assets of Aleri Global Banking, Wall Street Systems will strengthen its back-office transaction processing while giving customers options to upgrade platforms. Microsoft COFEE Brews Concern Over Penetration Tools 5 May 2008 Rumors that Microsoft has given law enforcement a "back door" into its systems appear to be unfounded. But this event is grounds for enterprises to take precautions to protect sensitive data against real penetration tools. Tellme's GPS-Enabled Search Offers Telematics Opportunities 30 April 2008 Tellme's combination of its voice portal with GPS data provides an alternative to resource-intensive, live-person concierge services in the telematics and navigation industry. Nokia Set to Become a Leader in Navigation Market 30 April 2008 Nokia's strategy for navigation services is expanding rapidly and will shake up market leadership structures, business models and partner selection in the navigation industry. FrontRange Adds Another Inventory Tool to Its Portfolio 30 April 2008 In buying Centennial Software, FrontRange Solutions gains auto-discovery/inventory functionality, and Centennial's maintenance contracts will add revenue. Customers will gain from a broader product line. IBM's iDataPlex Signals Future Direction of Server Hardware 29 April 2008 IBM's iDataPlex server is targeted at Web 2.0 and high-performance computing environments and highlights the future direction for servers. But iDataPlex is not the best choice for most large enterprises' data centers. Microsoft's CRM SaaS Solution Has Low Price, Limited Audience 29 April 2008 Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional and Professional Plus are now available in North America. However, Gartner expects that prospects will struggle to sort through Microsoft's CRM deployment choices. Perot Gears Up Limited Germany Presence With HighQ-IT Buy 29 April 2008 Perot Systems will gain SAP competencies, automotive-vertical expertise and a stronger European position by acquiring HighQ-IT. But Perot will have more work to do if it hopes to catch the European market leaders. Apple's P.A. Semi Deal Won't Change Plans for iPhone Yet 29 April 2008 Apple will gain a 64-bit PowerPC core and system-on-chip architecture in its deal for P.A. Semi. But its plans for the technology remain unclear, as Apple is likely to stick with Intel's x86 architecture for several years. Rockwell's FactoryTalk Continues to Improve With Incuity Deal 29 April 2008 Rockwell Automation's agreement to acquire Incuity Software will add much-needed manufacturing analysis and intelligence capability to its FactoryTalk manufacturing operations management suite. Comptel Expands Its Strong Position Beyond Wireless Fulfillment 28 April 2008 Comptel has acquired fulfillment vendor Axiom Systems, strengthening its product portfolio with new IP-based solutions. The acquisition is strategic for Comptel, expanding its role as a leading global fulfillment provider. As Mincom Management Rebuilds, Watch for Emerging Strategy 28 April 2008 With Greg Clark as Mincom's new CEO, customers should start getting a feel for the company's future direction, which has been uncertain since the departure of former CEO Richard Mathews and other senior managers. Siemens Reaffirms Its CAD Future With Synchronous Technology 28 April 2008 If its synchronous technology works well in production, Siemens will set new standards for manufacturers' expectations from all mechanical computer-aided design. Microsoft Live Mesh Embraces the Web as a Platform 24 April 2008 Microsoft's Live Mesh is a Web platform providing basic application capabilities. The platform needs better heterogeneous platform support, third-party application vendors and a well-executed business model. Informatica Expands Data Quality With Identity Systems Buy 24 April 2008 Informatica will add identity resolution to its portfolio of capabilities. To best leverage this acquisition, Informatica must integrate the new technology with its data quality tools and divest redundant products. SanDisk Results Confirm Gartner's Revised View of Memory Group 22 April 2008 SanDisk's 1Q08 results confirmed Gartner Invest's decision to revise its bias on the memory group from negative-to-neutral to slightly positive, reflecting pricing stabilization and a more rational capacity environment. Oracle Advances Price Management Strategy With Deal Management 18 April 2008 Deal Management furthers Oracle's strategy of delivering a complete price optimization and management suite. Be aware that Oracle offers separate modules for Siebel and E-Business Suite. Seagate Challenges SSD Vendors to Defend Their Technology 18 April 2008 Seagate's suit against STEC claims patent infringement. This lawsuit may be the first of many for the solid-state drive industry, which could have a dramatic impact on the refinement of SSD memory for computing environments. Veenman Buy Will Further Xerox's Reach in Dutch SMB Market 18 April 2008 Xerox's plan to buy a printer distributor shows its intention to further penetrate the global small and midsize business market. Expect Xerox to replace many HP and Konica Minolta products with Xerox products. Satyam Initiative to Tap Local Skills in Mature Economy 18 April 2008 An initiative with Australia's Victoria state and Deakin University will make Satyam Computer Services the first Indian offshore vendor to set up a combined technology and learning campus in a mature "western" economy. Joint Venture Could Create No. 3 Mobile Phone Chipset Supplier 17 April 2008 By forming the NewCo joint venture, STMicroelectronics and NXP will create a more competitive market. Tier 2 mobile phone chipset manufacturers will likely respond by evaluating potential merger scenarios. BT/Wire One Deal Seeks to Raise the Bar for Video Services 16 April 2008 BT plans to acquire the largest independent provider of managed video solutions. Wire One Holdings will be the centerpiece of an expanded BT video portfolio, with a strong presence in the U.S. market. Konica/Danka Deal Will Transform U.S. Distribution Landscape 15 April 2008 Konica Minolta's plans to acquire Danka will be a challenging transition for Canon USA. This is a good opportunity for customers to negotiate favorable terms. EMC Will Acquire Iomega to Target Consumer and SOHO Markets 14 April 2008 EMC's planned acquisition immediately follows its launch of a new consumer-oriented product in China. These moves reflect EMC's escalating desire to penetrate the consumer and small office/home office storage markets. Hitachi/M-Tech Deal Creates New Pacific Region IAM Player 11 April 2008 Hitachi's acquisition of M-Tech signals the entry of a new and significant Pacific region player in the maturing identity and access management market. Google App Engine Goes Up Against Amazon Web Services 11 April 2008 Google App Engine is a development "platform in the cloud" that currently has a relatively narrow scope. Eventually, we expect it to compete with Amazon and platform providers like IBM, Microsoft and salesforce.com. IBM Enterprise Offering Brings Mashups Closer to Mainstream 11 April 2008 IBM has announced the beta version of its IBM Mashup Center. The offering is unique in its capabilities and promises to generate more enterprise interest in mashups, bringing them a step closer to mainstream business use. With Grintek Deal, Atio Expands Contact Center Capabilities 10 April 2008 In buying Grintek's Enterprise unit, Atio firms its position in the contact center communication market. Grintek clients should review their support agreements and update them with new terms and conditions supported by Atio. Effort to Address Online Reputation Scoring Is Big First Step 8 April 2008 The formation of the Open Reputation Management Systems Technical Committee is an important effort in a difficult area of interoperability. Even if the committee doesn't succeed, it may offer valuable lessons learned. EMC Aims for Consumers With StorageCredenza Launch in China 7 April 2008 EMC has taken a bold step forward with StorageCredenza, a storage solution for small-office/home-office customers in China. This marks the first time EMC has launched a major product in China before the U.S. Standards Bodies' Approval of OOXML Doesn't Change Status Quo 7 April 2008 The approval of Microsoft's Office Open XML specification as an ISO/IEC standard will mainly affect organizations that seek to exchange data between applications. Benefits for most Office documents will be limited. Tower Deal Would Help HP Expand Integrated Archiving Platform 7 April 2008 HP's acquisition of Tower Software would add to its archiving offering and support initiatives in its Imaging and Printing Group. Tower customers should press HP for assurances on its commitment to content management. New Leadership for SAP Reinforces Strategy Shift 4 April 2008 The appointment of Leo Apotheker to co-CEO marks the leadership transition of the world's largest application vendor. This, plus other board changes, will accelerate SAP's shift to a parallel, multiproduct strategy. Shell's Outsourcing Award Shows Multisourcing Leadership 3 April 2008 Shell's outsourcing awards are significant not only for their size, but also for incorporating emerging best practices into a complex multisourcing operating model. Cooperation will be critical to the deal's success. Sword Extends Its Reach With Graham Technology Acquisition 2 April 2008 The Sword Group continues to expand, with the purchase of CRM software provider Graham Technology. Users need to monitor the direction of Graham Technology during the next 12 months. Portrait to Buy Million Handshakes for Outbound Campaigns 27 March 2008 The multichannel campaign management software market continues to consolidate as Portrait Software agrees to acquire Million Handshakes to augment its next-best-campaign offers with outbound campaigns. Lockdown Shuts Down as NAC Market Consolidates Further 24 March 2008 Lockdown Networks' demise shows the continuing consolidation of the network access control market and the need for vendors to create solutions that adhere to industry standards and support heterogeneous environments. BladeLogic Buy Will Help Sharpen BMC's Data Center Focus 21 March 2008 BMC's portfolio will be enhanced by BladeLogic's server provisioning and configuration management software. BMC customers will likely benefit from the deal. Hannaford Case Shows Need for End-to-End Card Data Security 20 March 2008 A major theft shows that improvements in card-data storage security have driven criminals to shift their attacks to data in transit. Merchants must immediately work to secure the entire path that sensitive data travels. Microsoft's Stake in Aspect Targets Contact Centers 19 March 2008 Microsoft and Aspect Software have announced an alliance that Microsoft hopes will speed the integration of Office Communication Server-based unified communications capabilities into Aspect's contact center offerings. Amentra Acquisition Signals New Business Strategy at Red Hat 19 March 2008 The acquisition of Amentra is the first step by Red Hat's new management to implement its enterprise acceleration strategy. It gives Red Hat the consulting resources it needs -- and lacked -- to grow its middleware business. SAP's Enhanced GRC Offerings Expand Integration Options 18 March 2008 SAP's governance, risk and compliance offerings align to financial, supply chain, and environmental safety and health functions. New releases of these offerings enhance integration but an overarching GRC platform awaits. Ford Shifts Vehicle Hub Concept Into High Gear 17 March 2008 Ford's continued development of the vehicle hub concept gives it a clear, product-differentiating edge among vehicle manufacturers in terms of vehicle information and communication technology and telematics strategies. Lawson Strengthens Fashion Solution With Freeborders PLM 17 March 2008 The acquisition of Freeborders' product life cycle management division will strengthen Lawson Software's apparel, footwear and accessories offering and complements its current solutions for the fashion industry. AOL-Bebo Deal Shows Social Platforms' Value Over Social Sites 17 March 2008 AOL's purchase of Bebo establishes a new, lower valuation figure for social sites and will set in motion other industry partnerships and acquisitions. IBM's Encentuate Acquisition Brings ESSO Into the IAM Suite 14 March 2008 The acquisition of Encentuate will extend IBM's identity and access management portfolio with robust enterprise single sign-on functionality. This announcement is good news for both companies' customers. EMC Enters IT Service Desk Suite Market With Infra Acquisition 14 March 2008 This acquisition moves EMC into a mature market where it lacks experience and domain knowledge. Although Infra is being acquired by a much larger vendor, the deal won't substantively change IT service desk market dynamics. Silverlight 2 Slims Down .NET for Broader Reach 12 March 2008 Silverlight 2 brings .NET technology into browsers and across platforms, in a direct challenge to Adobe Flash and Flex. It will appeal to Microsoft-centric organizations but will not tempt most consumer Web developers. Microsoft Chooses Standards Future With Internet Explorer 8 12 March 2008 With Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft has chosen a standards-oriented future over a browser-dependent legacy past. But by favoring the standards community, it risks alienating loyal enterprise developers. Microsoft Advances Its Web Strategy at MIX08 11 March 2008 Microsoft has taken the next step in its bid to appeal to Web developers and challenge Adobe with beta releases of new products. Underneath these announcements lies the company's evolving strategy. HP Targets SMBs With New Products and Print System Branding 10 March 2008 A range of new printing products from HP aims squarely at the cost-conscious small and midsize business market. To succeed in this space, technology providers need to build solutions to the problems small businesses face. Emerson's Bid to Buy Aperture Is a Sign of Things to Come 5 March 2008 Emerson is closer to acquiring Aperture, which has agreed in principle to the deal. The acquisition would be good for the industry, but customers need reassurance about product development and pricing. German Registration Process Offers Few Savings for Insurers 5 March 2008 A new procedure in Germany to register motor vehicles electronically will not provide immediate savings for motor insurers. To create value, insurers should invest in further customer-facing initiatives. T-Systems Teams Up With Cognizant to Improve Competitiveness 5 March 2008 T-Systems and Cognizant have announced a global sales and delivery agreement. The deal will improve T-Systems' offshore capabilities and gives both companies access to each other's customer bases. Layer 7 and GT Software Extend Mainframe SOA Enablement 3 March 2008 Vendors other than IBM continue to offer innovative solutions for supporting IBM mainframe customers' service-oriented architecture strategies. Evaluate SecureSpan Mainframe SOA Gateway if you prefer an XML appliance. Assetlink to Increase European Presence With Citat Deal 3 March 2008 The purchase of Citat's marketing resource management division will enhance Assetlink's MRM products and expand its client base. This deal will strengthen its presence in Europe and further consolidates the MRM market. Google Pressures Microsoft With Team Collaboration Tool 3 March 2008 Google expanded its suite of personal and group productivity tools by adding a persistent collaboration repository to Google Apps. This move increases the pressure on Microsoft and once again alters IT pricing economics. Microsoft Matches Google With SaaS for E-Mail/SharePoint 29 February 2008 Responding to the threat from Google, and sensing a significant business opportunity, Microsoft has announced substantial plans for an Exchange and SharePoint software-as-a-service model. WinRunner Users Must Plan Now for Coming Product Retirement 28 February 2008 HP will end all WinRunner support by 1 January 2011. Users should not only develop migration plans, but also take this opportunity to evaluate their overall application quality management and life cycle tool directions. IBM Brings Its Next-Generation Mainframe to Market 28 February 2008 The next generation of IBM mainframes, the System z10 Enterprise Class, will extend the platform's inherent strengths while improving the positioning of the platform for new workloads. Adobe Moves From Browser to Desktop With RIA Platform 28 February 2008 With its technology platform for rich Internet applications, Adobe is moving from its browser-based market stronghold into territory claimed by Microsoft and Sun, among other competitors. iWay Managed File Transfer Option Focuses on Integration 26 February 2008 iWay Software's Managed File Transfer Option targets the need for improved integration of MFT features with SOA and integration infrastructure. It could help iWay challenge MFT and enterprise service bus market leaders. Microsoft Declares Interfaces Accessible; Royalties May Apply 25 February 2008 Microsoft's new interoperability principles go much further than before, but questions remain about Microsoft's royalty terms and conditions and how they will affect the benefits of interoperability. Prepare for DRAM Threat to Encrypted Data Storage 25 February 2008 New research describes a previously unknown method of stealing encrypted information on dynamic RAM chips. The risk is low, but enterprises should be prepared to take precautionary measures if necessary. Sanmina-SCI Refocuses on Strategic Business via PC Group Sale 22 February 2008 Sanmina-SCI will eliminate a big distraction by selling its PC group and refocus on its core businesses. To support this acquisition, Foxconn is expected to purchase an additional $500 million worth of semiconductors. Aastra Buys Ericsson PBX Business 21 February 2008 Aastra is buying Ericsson's enterprise PBX business. The deal will give Aastra the scale and breadth to become more of a challenger in the market, especially if it invests in innovation. ACS Looks to Strengthen Presence in Germany With sds Buy 22 February 2008 The sds acquisition will enhance ACS's position in the market for SAP-related services in Germany. But ACS will gain only a few employees from the deal, which may limit some buyers' view of its capabilities and scalability. Red Hat's Open-Source SOA Platform Initiative 21 February 2008 Open source differentiates Red Hat's comprehensive infrastructure suite for SOA from most of its competitors. But Red Hat must make a long-term strategic commitment for this platform-independent initiative to succeed. More-Customized eCopy Offerings Will Broaden Scan Market 21 February 2008 Offering expanded application development capabilities and a broader product portfolio will help eCopy expand its position in the market, while moving scanning applications out of the narrow vertical niches. Ipswitch Targets Enterprise Market With Standard Networks Buy 19 February 2008 Ipswitch's purchase of Standard Networks should help it compete in the midmarket and enterprise sectors. But the company must continue to expand its support services if it is to satisfy demanding enterprise clients. Dell Enters E-Mail SaaS Market With MessageOne Buy 15 February 2008 Recognizing that software as a service can be a potent market penetration tool, Dell is assembling a services portfolio that now includes e-mail disaster recovery, spam/virus filtering and archiving via its MessageOne acquisition. Trintech's Movaris Buy to Bolster Financial Governance Suite 14 February 2008 Trintech's planned acquisition of Movaris will expands its suite offering in the emerging financial governance market, and will help it compete against large ERP vendors and smaller best-of-breed vendors. FMP Buy Is Strategic for Flextronics' Vista Point, Mobile Groups 14 February 2008 By acquiring FMP, Flextronics will increase its strength in outboard power supplies and chargers, which are critical in supporting mobile-device OEMs. Expect the deal to enhance the company's ties to semiconductor vendors. Earlier Vista SP1 Availability Enables Earlier Testing 13 February 2008 Microsoft reversed its decision to delay availability of Vista's first service pack to technical and volume licensing customers. This helps companies with tight deployment deadlines, but there may be issues with drivers. New PCI Process Should Drive More Card Data Outsourcing 12 February 2008 The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council's new self-assessment questionnaire more accurately reflects different merchants' compliance requirements, and will likely increase the outsourcing of card data storage. Workday Buys ESB Vendor to Offer Integration as a Service 12 February 2008 Workday's purchase of enterprise service bus provider Cape Clear highlights the importance of middleware technology as software-as-a-service vendors move to offer integration as a service to their application customers. Samsung Deal Suggests NXP's Ambitions in the Mobile Market 12 February 2008 NXP's selection by Samsung as a supplier for its 3G phones is one of several indicators that NXP's mobile group is poised to be a more serious competitor for the high, midrange and low-end of the cell phone market. Critical Capabilities for IT GRCM Tools 11 February 2008 We assess eight IT governance, risk and compliance management software products by looking at their critical capabilities in three common use cases.