Technology Highlights

IBM is expected to expand its server software line with a handful of integration and workflow-related products, reports CNET. The company plans to introduce two integration servers, called WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus and WebSphere Process Server.

FLUX has announced that leading organisations such as Siemens, ACSA and Eskom are improving employee efficiency and productivity through deployment of employee intranets powered by Flux`s content management solution, WebEasy.

COMPUTER Associates has introduced a protection suite for Microsoft`s recently announced Windows Server System for Midsize Business Promotion, to keep customers` data secure. The announcement was made at Microsoft`s first-ever Business Summit for midsize companies, where Microsoft revealed its technology and customer engagement vision for midsize businesses.

ASYST Intelligence, an enterprise partner of Business Objects South Africa, has announced the availability of onsite and scheduled, certified Crystal Reports XI training.

PROSPERITY Health, the multi-national medical aid administrator headquartered in SA, has "improved the productivity of its business and financial processes" by migrating its accounting platform to Pastel Evolution. Prosperity`s accounting user base has grown to 15 people.

STORTECH has acquired Orcom, a certified Sun Microsystems iForce Partner. As the master distributor of StorageTek in Africa, this deal enables StorTech to expand its solutions portfolio to include network computing solutions in addition to its data management capabilities.

IN ITS QUEST to add features to its 7750 Service Router, Alcatel is releasing software that cranks up support for Layer 2 services, reports Light Reading. The new features for the 7750 and the 5620 Services Availability Manager reflect the persistence of older services.

COGNOS has introduced the Cognos Performance Management System - combining performance solutions, platform capabilities and best practices. The system aims to facilitate performance management across the enterprise, aiming to enable organisations worldwide to use information strategically and competitively.

INTELLECA, the local distributor for VoiceGenie Technologies, has announced the local availability of the VoiceGenie 7.0 Media Platform. It is designed for large enterprises and service providers, to improve customer satisfaction through voice-enabled, automated self-service.

SYSTEMSFUSION has added to its portfolio of services and solutions with the MailFoundry anti-spam and anti-virus device from Solinus. The hosting automation and IP provisioning specialist identified a need with its customers for an anti-spam and anti-virus solution that was "relatively inexpensive, easy to deploy, and requires little ongoing support and maintenance".

INVESTEC Private Bank has selected NetTrace to perform inventory management, lease management and cost centre management of its workstations. NetTrace is the exclusive distributor of Canada-based Absolute Software Corporation`s Computrace Theft Recovery Solution and Security products in Africa.

EPICOR has announced a number of iScala 2.2 modules to assist pharmaceutical companies to meet challenges, including change, regulations, competition and globalisation. The industry is highly regulated, and managers must ensure they maintain an overall view of the business, including operations, controls and divisions, the company says.

NOKIA announced the Nokia Business Centre, a new software solution enabling collaborative business applications for the mobile world, starting with push e-mail. Nokia Business Centre brings mobile e-mail to the corporate masses, changing the economics of mobile e-mail adoption so that employees at all levels can reap the rewards of virtually anytime, anywhere access.

XON, a black-owned ICT solutions provider, has established a strategic partnership with converged open source telecommunication solutions provider openVOICE. The partnership offers an alternative to market solutions offered by incumbents and proprietary providers - it will provide hardware and software Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technologies, as well as manage quality of service (QOS).

AUTOPAGE Cellular has installed an enterprise-class data protection system at its South African headquarters in Midrand. Autopage, which has strong strategic alliances with network operators including Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom and Sentech, installed the system to ensure the recoverability of its important data, including customer call, billing and credit information.

ATIO has concluded a partnership agreement with global ICT solutions provider Nortel, in terms of which it will have access to the latter`s end-to-end communications portfolio.