The Frugal Networker

Sengled Boost Reinvents the Light Bulb as a Wi-Fi Repeater

March 24, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

Atlanta, March 24, 2015 – Sengled, makers of intelligent lighting products that integrate consumer electronics with LED bulbs, today announced the release of the Sengled Boost, an LED light bulb with a built-in Wi-Fi signal repeater that can boost connectivity levels throughout the home. The first product of its kind offered at an affordable price, the Sengled Boost incorporates two antennas in each LED bulb, providing the connectivity levels users need to get a strong signal anywhere in the house and power devices throughout their connected homes.

“People typically have a single Wi-Fi transmitter in their home that provides a strong signal near the device, but signal performance diminishes the further you move away from the transmitter,” said Johnson Shen, CEO of Sengled. “That’s a problem if you’re connecting in other rooms to use smartphones, tablets, gaming or entertainment consoles or any of the popular new home automation products since the signal may be obstructed by walls or objects or the device may be too far away to get a strong signal. Sengled Boost fits in standard lighting fixtures, which is a perfect solution since fixtures are typically mounted overhead and free from obstructions.”

Sengled Boost not only strengthens Wi-Fi signals, it provides users with eco-friendly, energy efficient, long-lasting LED lighting that can be controlled from a free app via a smartphone or tablet. The app allows users to configure the Wi-Fi signal and control light levels. The Sengled Boost LED light bulb doesn’t have to be turned on to boost the Wi-Fi – the light can be dimmed or turned off while the Wi-Fi signal boost function continues, making Sengled Boost perfect for connecting devices in any room – day or night. Once configured, Sengled Boost saves the setup information so users don’t have to setup a new connection for each use.

Using Sengled Boost is a great way to de-clutter the home with a wireless Wi-Fi booster that enables users to seamlessly access a strong signal and maximize the value of the technology they use every day. And since Sengled Boost LED bulbs come in a variety of sizes to fit most light fixtures, they can wireless strengthen Wi-Fi signals in virtually any home.

Sengled Boost is another bright idea from Sengled, the company that reinvents the light bulb by combining it with the consumer electronics that make modern life better. To learn more about Sengled and Sengled Boost, please visit www.sengled.com.

About Sengled

Sengled is a global innovator in LED lighting, pioneering research and development that brings bright new ideas to smart lighting. By integrating consumer electronics with energy-saving LED bulbs, Sengled provides consumers with app controlled, intuitive, eco-friendly products that bring smart home capabilities to every room enhancing the connected home with technology for entertainment, utility and security.

Categories: Press Releases Tags: LED, LED lighting, LED lights, light bulb, Sengled, smart home, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Repeater, Wireless

Using an MSP is not the same as outsourcing

March 23, 2015 Ken Hess 1 comment

There is a common misconception circulating that using a managed service provider (MSP) is outsourcing. It isn’t. A good working definition of outsourcing is, “To surrender an aspect of your company’s functionality to a third party.” For example, if you hire an outside firm to take care of your computer support, you have outsourced computer support because no one in your company participates in that activity.

However, MSPs do share some common benefits with outsourcing, so the confusion is understandable. Some of the shared benefits are:

Cost savings
Ability to focus on core business
More competitive
Faster expansion

The most often quoted reason for using an MSP or outsourcing is to “save money.” Using a third party for certain types of work does lead to some cost savings because you have fewer employees, you don’t purchase hardware, you don’t pay for power, and you don’t have to worry about physical security of purchased assets.

Outsourcing [from Wikipedia]

In business, outsourcing involves the contracting out of a business process to another party (compare business process outsourcing). The term “outsourcing” dates back to at least 1981. Outsourcing sometimes involves transferring employees and assets from one firm to another, but not always. Outsourcing is also the practice of handing over control of public services to for-profit corporations.

Products and services purchased from third party vendors allow you to focus on your core business, which is probably not maintaining and supporting racks of servers, network equipment, and patching operating systems and applications. You can focus more on manufacturing, selling, and marketing your actual products and services. Unless you’re in the IT business, using a third party vendor makes sense.

You can be more competitive in the market by concentrating your resources on your priorities, your research, your development, and your competition. Global markets change rapidly. Business requirements change rapidly. And your business must change rapidly too. To change with business tides, your business needs to be as agile and as lean as possible. MSPs and outsourcing make this agility possible.

Now, that you have a feel for how MSPs and outsourcing are similar, it’s time to explore the differences so that you can clearly see that using an MSP is not outsourcing.

The features that differentiate MSPs from outsourcing

Control
Fixed costs
Pay-as-you-go/grow
Extension of your business
Increased flexibility

Outsourcing is a release of control, whereas an MSP allows you to exert a great deal of control over your leased infrastructure and services. Control is one of the major benefits of using an MSP over outsourcing. If you require too much control, outsourcing becomes cumbersome and the trend toward bringing the work back in-house is usually the next step in regaining control. The reason is that exerting control over a third party service or personnel is very difficult to do in that the personnel performing the work are not your employees and therefore you have little enforceable control over them.

Outsourcing usually affords you a set of services for an amount of labor. Depending on the contract that you have with the outsourcing company, you might never know what your monthly charges are going to be due to changing needs. For example, if you outsource your desktop support, then you’re charged an hourly rate based on the visits and work performed by the outsourcing company’s employees. There’s no way to predict from one month to the next how much service you’ll need. MSPs charge a subscription that changes only when you add or remove services or products from your inventory. You can predict what your fees will be for the foreseeable future.

Having a fixed set of costs also allows you to plan for growth in your projects and in your budget predictions. It’s easier to plan your business needs around these fixed costs and pay as you grow. The pay-as-you-go/grow plan is exciting for businesses because it allows you to better manage growth and to expand when ready.

An MSP is an extension of your business, not simply a service that you call on an as-needed basis. The MSP is always there, working in the background to maintain your systems, to keep its service levels high, and to retain your business. The MSP’s success is tied directly to your success and its ability to perform helps your business to succeed. The MSP and your business are not mutually exclusive to one another. The relationship is a symbiotic one where both parties benefit from the other’s successes.

Finally, the MSP is highly flexible. You can augment your in-house infrastructure by using the MSP as a disaster recovery setup and you can phase in its use as your internal systems go off lease or are ready for a refresh. The MSP is there and ready to take on your capacity at will in an on-demand fashion. When you’re ready to go “all in,” you can do so without hesitation. The MSP will also help with your transition by providing consulting and other services to make the move smooth and without significant downtime.

Using an MSP is not outsourcing. An MSP acts an extension of your business, allowing you to better manage your budget, to leverage a modern infrastructure, and to efficiently handle business expansion.

This post was brought to you by IBM for Midsize Business and opinions are my own. To read more on this topic, visit IBM’s Midsize Insider. Dedicated to providing businesses with expertise, solutions and tools that are specific to small and midsized companies, the Midsize Business program provides businesses with the materials and knowledge they need to become engines of a smarter planet.

Categories: Articles, IBM Tags: business growth, IBM, managed service providers, Managed services, MSP, MSPs, outsourcing, services

Is your company MSP material?

March 18, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

If you think that your company has what it takes to become a managed service provider (MSP), then you should consider it as a business growth option. Not only can you generate recurring revenue from getting involved in the MSP channel and the “As a Service” business model, but you can also grow your business toward the future. “Remain flexible” and “create strategic partnerships that benefit you and your customers” are the best advice tidbits gleaned from listening to experienced MSP CXOs.

Although not always the case, most businesses that transition into the MSP business do so because they already offer direct managed services to their customers. And those who already provide a service are considering or are working toward providing more services, mostly as a result of customer needs. Many MSP customers or potential MSP customers all report the same three primary pain points:

A desire to offload infrastructure management
A need to maintain a predictable technology budget
A requirement to respond quickly to changing business needs

A managed service provider (MSP) delivers network, application, system and e-management services across a network to multiple enterprises, using a “pay as you go” pricing model. A “pure play” MSP focuses on management services as its core offering. In addition, the MSP market includes offerings from other providers — including application service providers (ASPs), Web hosting companies and network service providers (NSPs) — that supplement their traditional offerings with management services.

A potential MSP needs to be mindful of two specific fears that businesses have when considering offloading their support to a third party: control–or lack thereof and response time. Anyone who’s ever dealt with third party vendors can testify that response is often lackluster and sometimes downright inexcusable.

To alleviate those fears, you have to ask yourself two questions before you decide to become an MSP:

Does your staff possess the desire and ability to respond quickly to customer needs?

Do you plan to allow the customer to exert a moderate amount of control over his or her environment?

If you can’t answer a confident “Yes” to both questions, you need to reconsider your choice to become an MSP.

Having stated that, you can train and motivate your employees and you can make the decision to allow the customer a moderate amount of control. The company that you choose as your upstream partner has a lot to do with how successful you’ll be, so choose carefully and thoughtfully.

You should also consider how you’re going to meet service level agreements (SLAs) with your customers. Regardless of what your contracts state, customers expect 100 percent availability from you. To meet those expectations and SLAs, you have to purchase reliable hardware and software, you have to provide outstanding customer service, you have to backup customer data, and you have to provide monitoring and alerting services. If you fail to provide any one of those major cornerstone services to your customers, your business will likely also fail. Remember the number one rule of customer feedback: If you make a customer happy, that customer might tell one other person, but if you make a customer unhappy, that customer will tell everyone. And these days with rating services, online feedback forums, and social media, your business is only a few negative tweets or one star reviews away from failure.

In the MSP business, customers assume that you have excellent, redundant, unbreakable systems underlying your services, but what they’re really after is a competitive price point and top notch customer service. They also want a fair amount of control over their leased infrastructure. What’s that old saying? Build a better MouSetraP and the world will be a path to your door. Count on it.

If you’re looking to enter the MSP channel and you’re also looking for a partner, check out what IBM can do for you as your upstream partner. IBM supports MSPs with training, technical support, marketing resources, sales resources, and the finest available hardware. Find out how you and IBM can accelerate your business through a valuable strategic partnership.

Categories: Articles, IBM Tags: IaaS, IBM, Managed services, MSP, PaaS, SaaS, strategic partnerships, XaaS

Keys Reinvents Musical Keyboard With Gesture Controls, Modularity and LEDs

March 17, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

San Francisco, CA. – March 5, 2015 – Opho (formally Incident Technologies) creators of the gTar, today announced Keys, the first modular keyboard with full sized LED keys to combine gesture control, simple computer connectivity and an iPhone app to gamify learning for beginners. Keys gives pros a one of a kind, durable and powerful keyboard with light up swipe and proximity gesturing, as well as effortless modular linking.

To pre-order Keys today, visit: www.playkeys.io

Check out the video demos:

Play Keys with gestures only

Keys Demo using an External Module

Connect your Keys Keyboards

The Key’s companion iPhone app instantly transforms the 24-key keyboard into a rhythmic game that directs the musician to the right key at the right time to play a song. With a library of songs to choose from and various learning and practice modes, users simply connect their iPhone to Keys utilizing Keys’ magnetic dock. Keys also modularly links to additional Keys keyboards and control panels to offer professional DJs and musicians a total customizable experience.

“We’ve taught thousands of people to successfully play the guitar with gTar,” said Idan Beck, founder and CEO of Opho. “Our customers and our team felt that a keyboard-like device would offer even more accessibility, as well as be more portable and affordable. We designed and developed Keys from the ground up to be a modern take on the musical keyboard, leveraging the platform that we originally built for gTar.”

Keys uses AMON technology, a unique magnetically actuated wireless communication technology, which allows multiple Keys to magnetically connect and create real time ad- hoc networks. This means no wires and no configuration. Just snap modules together to create variably sized keyboards or modular control surfaces. Then, when you’re done, take it apart and fit your entire rig in your backpack.

Key Features

Plug. Play. Simple. – Simply connect Keys with your mobile device or computer and launch the app – it’s that easy.

One keyboard to rule them all – Keys is a multi-versatile, all-in-one keyboard designed to bring out the musician in everyone at any level – the possibilities are endless.

Get it and go – Keys is an extremely durable and portable keyboard. Get the sounds and features you want without lugging around extra equipment of hassling with clunky apps.

Pricing & Availability

Visit www.playkeys.io for limited time pricing specials. Keys is available for pre-sale for

$99.99. To pre-order your Keys, visit: www.playkeys.io

A portion of the proceeds from the pre-order campaign will go to Immunity Project, a non-profit initiative dedicated to developing a free HIV vaccine.

About Opho

San Francisco-based Opho (formally Incident Technologies) creates musical instruments for the Internet Age. Keys and gTar are designed for musicians of all

abilities to learn, create and perform music naturally and intuitively, while aiming to keep music core to the human experience. gTar officially launched in May 2012 at Startup

Battlefield, TechCrunch’s premiere startup launch competition.

For more information, visit http://www.opho.com

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Keys is a registered trademark of Keys, LLC. All other registered or unregistered trademarks are sole property of their respective owners.

Categories: Press Releases, Product Focus

Violin Memory Expands Partner Support with New Global Partner Program and Portal

March 11, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

SANTA CLARA, Calif.– Violin Memory®, Inc., (NYSE:VMEM), a global pioneer of award-winning flash storage platform solutions for primary storage and active workloads, today announced the launch of its Global Partner Program and a new easy-to-use online portal. Following the launch of the Violin Flash Storage Platform, the expanded Violin Global Partner Program establishes new incentives and business models that will enable partners to achieve success through simplified partner programs, more predictable performance rewards, and innovative tools to deliver consistency in partner engagement.

“The Violin mantra is ‘partner first,’” said Jeff Nollette, global vice president, Channel Sales. “We treat our channel partners as a natural extension of our salesforce, providing the same level of support and enablement. Repeatable and sustainable business will drive our partners and their customers to new levels in IT agility and performance while delivering the fastest ROI and lowest TCO, and we’re excited to work with our partners to expand mutual business and success.”

The Violin Effect

The program is founded on the implementation of a simplified and consistent compensation model for improved revenue growth and predictability
Significant increases in margin on deal registration as well as incentives on new accounts are designed to drive profitability
Increased marketing development funds (MDF) provide flexibility around marketing activities, enabling and empowering partners with options to drive awareness and lead-generation campaigns
Partner Levels – Platinum, Gold, Silver – offer appropriate incentives associated with the right investment level for each partner

A multi-tiered partner model allows accredited partners to start small without compromising platform performance or features delivered to customers. As partner footprints expand, the Violin effect will expand and scale to support increased revenue and opportunity by sweetening incentive offerings, providing increased technical visibility and tools to ensure every experience with Violin or a partner of Violin is professional and consultative.

“The Violin objective is to deliver a simplified and rewarding experience that will make it easier for partners to buy, sell and grow profitably with Violin Memory products and services,” said Fahima Zahir, director of World Wide Channel Programs. “We are building the industry’s broadest partner ecosystem and will continue to make significant investments to deliver the greatest business value for our partners.”

The Global Partner Program and online portal are now live and accessible for Violin partners worldwide. For more information on the Violin Partner Network, or to apply to join the authorized community of resellers and distributors, visit: www.violin-memory.com/partners.

About Violin Memory

Business in a Flash. Violin Memory transforms the speed of business with high performance, always available, low cost management of critical business information and applications. Violin’s All Flash optimized solutions accelerate breakthrough CAPEX and OPEX savings for building the next generation data center. Violin’s Flash Fabric Architecture™ (FFA) speeds data delivery with chip-to-chassis performance optimization that achieves lower consistent latency and cost per transaction for Cloud, Enterprise and Virtualized mission-critical applications. Violin’s All Flash Arrays and Appliances, and enterprise data management software solutions enhance agility and mobility while revolutionizing data center economics. Founded in 2005, Violin Memory is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. For more information, visit www.violin-memory.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/violinmemory.

All Violin Memory news releases (financial, acquisitions, manufacturing, products, technology, etc.) are issued exclusively by Business Wire and are immediately thereafter posted on the company’s external website, www.violin-memory.com. Violin, Violin Memory, and the Violin Memory logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Violin in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Violin’s trademarks can be found at www.violin-memory.com/company/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the words “partner” or “partnership” do not imply a partnership relationship between Violin and any other company.

Violin Memory Forward-looking Statement

This public announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements with respect to the following: the possible results and economic benefits that partners, customers and others may realize by using Violin Memory’s products, including improvements in information technology agility and performance, return on investment, total cost of ownership, revenue growth and predictability, increases in margin and profitability, improvements in marketing development, platform performance and features, increased revenue and revenue opportunity, and Violin’s ability to continue to make investments in its partner program, and Violin Memory’s business plans and strategy. There are a significant number of risks and uncertainties that could affect Violin Memory’s business performance and financial results, including those set forth under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in Violin Memory’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and which is available on the Violin Memory’s investor relations website at investor.violin-memory.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements in this public announcement are based on information available to Violin Memory as of the date hereof, and Violin Memory does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Categories: Press Releases Tags: customer portal, Flash, flash memory, flash storage, violin memory

Barracuda Security and Storage Solutions Now Available on vCloud Air

March 10, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

Campbell, Calif. (MARCH 10, 2015) – Barracuda Networks, Inc. (NYSE: CUDA), a leading provider of cloud-connected security and storage solutions, today announced that Barracuda NG Firewall, Barracuda Message Archiver, Barracuda Spam Firewall and Barracuda Web Application Firewall have achieved VMware Ready – vCloud Air™ status. This designation indicates that the products have undergone technical validation within the vCloud Air environment, and are supported on VMware vCloud Air®.

“We are pleased that Barracuda has joined the vCloud Air ISV Program and has achieved VMware Ready – vCloud Air certification. Barracuda NG Firewall, Barracuda Message Archiver, Barracuda Spam Firewall and Barracuda Web Application Firewall qualify for the VMware Ready – vCloud Air logo, signifying to customers that it works seamlessly within VMware vCloud Air, and can be deployed in production with confidence,” said Howard Hall, senior director, Alliances, VMware.

Additionally Barracuda is a member of the Access tier of the vCloud Air ISV program and is listed on the VMware Solution Exchange.

Organizations extending workloads to the cloud face additional security challenges from an increased attack surface. Businesses need to secure email and applications, including the data they access. With VMware Ready – vCloud Air products, Barracuda is providing easier management and security in hybrid environments. Product highlights include:

Barracuda NG Firewall: Delivers next-generation firewalling capabilities and high-speed (>1Gbps) site-to-site remote access to on-premises, hybrid and cloud environments.
Barracuda Message Archiver: Delivers cloud-connected email archiving for efficiency and eDiscovery in hybrid cloud environments.
Barracuda Spam Firewall: Provides best-of-breed email threat protection, allowingcustomers to encrypt messages and leverage the cloud to extend email protection if mail servers become unavailable.
Barracuda Web Application Firewall: Provides a secure path for customers to move their applications dynamically throughout the data center and into the cloud.

“Securing business data moving through the data center both on-premises and in the cloud can be complex and reveal no shortage of security challenges,” said Nicole Napiltonia, VP of Alliances, Barracuda. “We’re extremely pleased to see Barracuda’s security and storage solutions have achieved VMware Ready status for businesses using vCloud Air to benefit our mutual customers and further Barracuda’s goal of providing total threat protection to our customers.”

The VMware Ready program is a co-branding benefit of the Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program that makes it easy for customers to identify partner products certified to work with VMware cloud infrastructure. Customers can use these products and solutions to lower project risks and realize cost savings over custom-built solutions. With thousands of members worldwide, the VMware TAP program includes best-of-breed technology partners with the shared commitment to bring the best expertise and business solution for each unique customer need.

Resources

For more information about Barracuda security and storage solutions available on vCloud Air, please visit http://cuda.co/cudavcloud.

Pricing and Availability

Barracuda NG Firewall on vCloud Air is available today in the Bring Your Own License (BYOL) model and can be found within the online VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) at http://cuda.co/ngfwvcloud.

Barracuda Message Archiver on vCloud Air is available today in the BYOL model and can be found within the online VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) at http://cuda.co/bmavcloud.

Barracuda Spam Firewall on vCloud Air is available today in the BYOL model and can be found within the online VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) at http://cuda.co/bsfvcloud.

Barracuda Web Application Firewall on vCloud Air is available today in the BYOL model and can be found within the online VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) at http://cuda.co/wafvcloud

About Barracuda Networks, Inc. (NYSE: CUDA)

Barracuda (NYSE: CUDA) provides cloud-connected security and storage solutions that simplify IT. These powerful, easy-to-use and affordable solutions are trusted by more than 150,000 organizations worldwide and are delivered in appliance, virtual appliance, cloud and hybrid deployments. Barracuda’s customer-centric business model focuses on delivering high-value, subscription-based IT solutions that provide end-to-end network and data security. For additional information, please visit barracuda.com.

# # #

Barracuda, Barracuda Networks, and the Barracuda Networks logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Barracuda Networks, Inc. in the U.S. or other regions.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the interoperability, benefits, and performance of the Barracuda products with VMware vCloud Air. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond the Company’s control and that could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could materially affect the Company’s business and financial results include, but are not limited to customer response to the Company’s products, as well as those factors set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update the forward-looking information to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date of this press release.

VMware, VMware vCloud Air and VMware Ready are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. The use of the word “partner” and/or “partnership” does not imply a legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other company.

Categories: Press Releases Tags: Barracuda Networks, cloud, ISV, vCloud, VMware

IBM makes it easy for Managed Service Providers

March 6, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

IBM’s Technical resources for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) makes it easy for MSPs to stay up to date with the latest technology and trends in the marketplace. Midmarket companies continue to turn to MSPs to manage their infrastructures and IBM’s Partner Program supports the ever-growing number of clients and the increasing complexity of supporting those clients.

IBM has setup a Managed Service Provider area to assist MSPs grow their businesses and their offerings.

Featured resources for MSPs:

Power Development Platform (fka Virtual Loaner Program)
PartnerWorld University
Training
Virtual appliance factory
IBM Innovation Centers
IBM technical validations

The Power Development Platform (PDP) and the Power Development Cloud enables developers by offering no-charge, remote access to IBM hardware, including IBM POWER8, IBM POWER7+, and IBM POWER7 processor-based systems. Developers also have their choice of Linux, IBM’s AIX, and IBM’s i operating systems. However, developers please note that the PDP is for development, porting, and functionality testing only.

Develop, test, and certify your applications free of charge on IBM Power Systems.

The goal of the PDP is to allow developers access to try Linux on Power Systems to create scripting or interpreted language-based applications demonstrating that applications will run as is with no code changes. And 95 percent of Linux x86 applications written in C or C++ port to Linux on Power Systems with no code changes.

With the PDP LPar, you get full root access, vCPU, disk, and networking to fully test your applications on live systems.

IBM’s PartnerWorld University is an online collection of educational materials for IBM partners that includes Solutions, Systems, Sales & Finance, Services, Software, and Industry Solutions Colleges. To gain access to the site, you have to register with your IBM ID and password.

For example, in the Software College, you can access a collection of IBM software product information such as Lotus, Rational, Tivoli, WebSphere, business analytics, information management, and other IBM branded industry solutions. Access more than 1,000 web lectures that cover IBM products and services.

As stated above, IBM partners have access to a huge repository of resources for IBM products and services. However, there are times when an MSP requires a deeper dive into a particular technology. For those needs, IBM provides deeply discounted training and certification tracks to its partners. Some of these opportunities include IBM’s Think Academy, a professional certification center, and Innovation Centers.

You can earn industry valued certifications on IBM software, hardware, PureSystems, solutions, and associated technologies. Check out the list of certification products available to you through the program.

IBM’s 40+ Innovation Centers offer many no-charge seminars, workshops, and training sessions conducted by subject matter experts in its worldwide locations.

Take deep dives into topics such as: Cloud, Big Data and Analytics, Mobile, and Social.

The Virtual Appliance Factory (VAF) is a process and methodology along with tools to help independent software vendors (ISVs) prepackage application solutions for deployment in KVM and IBM PowerVM virtualized environments. The VAF is a set of Web 2.0 tools for you to use to create your virtual appliances. Additionally, you also receive educational materials and access to other resources to accelerate your appliance creation and deployment.

The VAF features several benefits including minimal investment for entry into cloud computing, the capability to create virtual appliances that are readily deployable into DMTF OVF compatible data centers, and enables your business to take advantage of the cloud’s automation, self-service, and agility features.

The IBM technical validation area offers its partners the ability to test your products using IBM solutions, integration assistance, and development assistance during the validation process. You also gain valuable exposure to other IBM partners and may earn the right to display IBM marks in your packaging and marketing materials.

Partnering with IBM helps MSPs capitalize on new market opportunities, offer new services, provide excellent support, and have access to IBM’s expertise and resources making it easy for MSPs to grow and to be successful.

Categories: Articles, IBM Tags: IBM, managed service providers, Managed services, MSP, partner program, partnerworld university, power development platform, technology market, training, virtual appliances

Red Giant Introduces New Volume Licensing Program Designed for Organizations with Multiple Artists, Workstations and Facilities

March 5, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

Portland, OR – March 3, 2015 – Red Giant today announced its new Volume Licensing Program (VLP) for its award-winning lineup of plug-in suites, designed to meet the demands of larger organizations. A flexible and affordable solution for customers who require 10 or more floating licenses, the Volume Licensing Program removes the tedium of software deployment and management.

The Volume Licensing Program includes the option to buy an annual subscription to Trapcode Suite, Magic Bullet Suite, Shooter Suite, Effects Suite and Keying Suite. Customers can also buy an annual subscription to the Red Giant Complete Suite, which contains all of the suites at a discounted price. To learn more about Red Giant’s new Volume Licensing Program, please visit:http://www.redgiant.com/volume-license-program/.

How the Program Works
Created to simplify the process of licensing, installing and updating multiple suites at once, RedGiant’s new Volume Licensing Program uses a floating license server model called Reprise License Manager (RLM) for easy management. With RLM, Red Giant volume customers requiring 10 or more seats can now “check out” licenses for use on individual client machines, then “check in” licenses after they are finished being used. This makes tracking licenses simple, while ensuring that only the exact number of licenses that were purchased are being used at any given time.

IT administrators can also gather data on each individual license, including how many are being used and when. This hands the control back to the company and increases work efficiency – administrators will always know if they have the right number of suites for their entire organization, which means they can expand or contract as needed. Best of all, keeping software up-to-date requires no effort, as VLP licenses can be updated automatically.

Who the Program Will Benefit
In the past, Red Giant has relied on an in-house, serial number-based licensing scheme, a simple solution for non-enterprise customers who only need to manage a few licenses. However, when used within larger environments, users requested a comprehensive way to maintain multiple licenses.

As a result, Red Giant created the Volume Licensing Program, specifically designed for larger facilities using 10 or more workstations. The Program is ideal for heavier day-to-day Red Giantsoftware users, including post-production houses, large media and entertainment brands, advertising agencies, broadcast networks and academic institutions.

Pricing and Availability
Customers may subscribe to at least one suite to take advantage of program benefits. The volume subscription pricing is as follows:

Trapcode Suite
• Annual Volume Subscription: $299 per seat (vs. $899 traditional)

Magic Bullet Suite
• Annual Volume Subscription: $299 per seat (vs. $799 traditional)

Shooter Suite
• Annual Volume Subscription: $199 per seat (vs. $399 traditional)

Effects Suite
• Annual Volume Subscription: $199 per seat (vs. $499 traditional)

Keying Suite
• Annual Volume Subscription: $299 per seat (vs. $799 traditional)

RED GIANT COMPLETE SUITE
• Annual Volume Subscription: $599 per seat (vs. $2,999 traditional)

For more information, please email volume@redgiant.com or call (260) 918-4505 x110.

Meet With Red Giant at NAB 2015
Attendees to the NAB Show are invited to meet with the Red Giant sales team to discuss the Volume Licensing Program and how Red Giant products can benefit their unique workflows. To schedule a meeting, please contact volume@redgiant.com. For any press related inquiries, please contact Anya Oskolkova at anya@zazilmediagroup.com.

The Red Pledge for VLP Customers
Red Pledge is Red Giant’s commitment to customer happiness, with no purchasing hassles. Learn about the Red Pledge guarantee for VLP Customers at http://www.redgiant.com/volume-license-program/.

About Red Giant
Red Giant is a software company made up of talented artists and technologists who collaborate to create unique tools for filmmakers, editors, VFX artists, and motion designers. Our company culture is focused on finding balance between work and life – we call it “the double bottom line” – this philosophy helps us ignore complexity in favor of building simple tools that yield giant results. Over the last decade, our products (like Magic Bullet and Trapcode) have become the standard in film and broadcast post-production – with over 200,000 users, it’s nearly impossible to watch 20 minutes of TV without seeing our software in use. From our experiences as artists and filmmakers, we aspire not only to provide tools for artists, but inspiration as well. Watch our films, learn from over 200 free tutorials, or try our software at redgiant.com.

Categories: Press Releases Tags: effects suite, keying suite, magic bullet suite, red giant, shooter suite, trapcode suite, volume license programs, volume licensing

MSPs and you: When service levels meet requirements

March 2, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

“Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” –Mr. Spock, The Wrath of Khan

As Managed Service Providers (MSPs) move more into the mainstream, business customers will have to learn to strike a balance between service requests, service levels, and service requirements. There doesn’t have to be a communication breakdown between parties, but there often is when service levels collide with requirements. Most MSPs distinguish themselves from standard hosting companies by providing several avenues for the business customer to submit requests, troubleshoot problems, and resolve outages that affect business continuity.

Most MSPs have Network Operations Centers (NOCs) that monitor and manage outages and alerts on a 24x7x365 basis as part of their overall service level agreement with the customer. Many have Help Desks that are staffed around the clock or during extended business hours. And in the case of maintenance windows, planned outages, and patching, MSPs notify customers in advance. However, emergency patching, unplanned outages, and loss of service are part of any IT-related business.

The MSP Alliance defines managed services in the following way:

“Managed Services is the proactive management of an IT (Information Technology) asset or object, by a third party typically known as a MSP, on behalf of a customer. The operative distinction that sets apart a MSP is the proactive delivery of their service, as compared to reactive IT services, which have been around for decades.”

As stated in the definition, it is the proactive service delivery that often creates problems between MSPs and their customers. Proactive delivery can mean downtime for customers to apply critical patches or to perform required maintenance.

This post uses the following definitions for service requests, service levels, and service requirements:

Service requests – requests by the customer for some type of service from the MSP.
Service levels – expected, and agreed to, response times and activities that are part of the paid for service.
Service requirements – regular maintenance, planned down times, patching, security requirements, regulatory compliance, and confidentiality.

For example, if your service experiences a security breach, the MSP may take your service offline until the situation is resolved. Typically the MSP will notify you of the breach and of the in-progress repair. The MSP has other business customers that can’t be put at risk by your compromised service.

The MSP has a service agreement with every customer and you have to realize that your service is no more or less critical than any other, that is, unless you’re paying for a premium level of service with guaranteed response and delivery. Does this all mean that the MSP can ignore your needs or service requests? Certainly not, but you have to understand that the MSP is your business ally, your business partner, and your business advocate. But, they also work for the good of all their customers.

When comparing MSPs, find out which upstream partnerships they’ve formed. In other words, educate yourself on who’s responsible for assisting your MSP with their infrastructure. Who are their partners? What are their service levels? What is their guaranteed response time from vendors during an outage?

Whether you’re looking for Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, or Software-as-a-Service, find the right partner for you.
This post was brought to you by IBM for Midsize Business and opinions are my own. To read more on this topic, visit IBM’s Midsize Insider. Dedicated to providing businesses with expertise, solutions and tools that are specific to small and midsized companies, the Midsize Business program provides businesses with the materials and knowledge they need to become engines of a smarter planet.

Categories: Articles, IBM Tags: Help Desk, IBM, managed service providers, Managed services, MSPs, NOC, service level agreements, SLA

Boinx Hits the 2015 New Media Expo Floor to Show Off BoinxTV 2 Beta

February 28, 2015 Ken Hess Comments off

Puchheim, Germany – February 27, 2015 – Making their way to the site of one of the biggest broadcasting shows of the year, Boinx Software will be joining the ranks of innovators at New Media Expo 2015, taking place in conjunction with the NAB Show from April 13th through 16th at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Exhibiting at booth N8012 video experts from Boinx will be showcasing the latest version of its broadcast truck-in-box broadcast solution, BoinxTV 2. A plug-and-play broadcast production package, the Mac-based BoinxTV lets users combine live camera video, clips, photos, 3D graphics, lower thirds and audio to create recordings and stream live presentations, podcasts, concerts, sporting events and more. Boinx will also unveil the new BoinxTV Broadcast Graphics Machine.

To demonstrate its immense power and suitability for podcasters and broadcasters of all levels, attendees to the show can stop by to see BoinxTV 2 Beta in action as experts put on a production live from the NMX show floor. Taking productions to the next level, the much anticipated BoinxTV 2 features native streaming support via RTMP to YouTube, Ustream, Twitch.tv and more; direct manipulation via a newly designed, easy-to-use UI; and 64bit support, which makes running out of memory virtually impossible. Combined with the all-new BoinxTV Broadcast Graphics Machine, a hardware/software solution for broadcast graphics with support for SDI playout with alpha channel, booth visitors will see how BoinxTV 2 is the perfect solution for all of their live production needs.

Attend the Boinx Software Press Briefing or Schedule a Private Meeting
Boinx will be hosting an informal “Press and Friends” event on the morning of Tuesday, April 14th at 8:00am. Members of the media are invited to indulge in coffee and morning treats while discussing the latest broadcasting solutions from Boinx Software. To register for the event or to schedule a private briefing for those who cannot attend, please contact Anya Oskolkova atanya@zazilmediagroup.com.

What’s New With BoinxTV?
BoinxTV 2 (Beta version scheduled for end of April)

Native streaming support via RTMP to YouTube, Ustream, Twitch.tv and more
New UI that makes using BoinxTV 2 even easier than before, with a modern look
Direct manipulation instead of fiddling with settings
More options for automation
64bit support makes running out of memory virtually impossible
BoinxTV with integrated BoinxTV ATEM Controller, which supports full integration with production switchers from Blackmagic Design, including the ATEM Television Studio and ATEM Production Studio 4K

BoinxTV Broadcast Graphics Machine

Hardware/software solution for broadcast graphics based on a Mac mini with a Blackmagic Design DeckLink 4K Extreme card in a 19” rack mount enclosure
Playout via HD-SDI with Alpha channel support
Visualize real time data including sport scores, weather, stock chart, news feeds and more
2D and 3D graphics
Integrate interactive elements such as a Twitter feed
Play any video format, scale, crop and convert to fit your needs

About Boinx Software
Located in Puchheim, near Munich, Germany, Boinx Software Ltd. develops award-winning animation, video production and photography software for the Mac® platform and iOS devices including the iPhone®, iPad® and iPod®. Honored with numerous Apple Design Awards and coveted spots on the Mac App Store’s Best Apps of the Year list, the extensive family of Boinx apps includes iStopMotion for Mac, iStopMotion for iPad, FotoMagico, BoinxTV, Mouseposé, You Gotta See This!, PhotoPresenter for iOS, and PartySnapper, Boinx’s newest social photo wall for sharing and saving event photos. Boinx Software has also been instrumental in the developmental processes of popular apps including Heads Up!, Ellen DeGeneres’s charades party game, and the Leica T iPhone and iPad app, the elegant remote companion to the Leica T digital camera.

Follow @boinxsoftware on Twitter and Facebook. For more information, please visit the Boinx Software website.

Categories: Press Releases Tags: Animation, Boinx Software, BoinxTV, IOS, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Las Vegas, Mac, NABShow, Photography, video production

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