Archive for the ‘ICT’ Category

Computer Networking the engine that runs the Internet

Posted: May 3, 2017 in Careers, ICT
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Who runs the World?

Computer Networkers Do…

Let’s take the simple example of accessing or sharing your information with your friends.

Photos, email, messages etc. one of the most common task which people around the globe perform daily life.

Now imagine if this sharing was done manually. It would be a time-consuming process and in some instances impossible to do it.

There are constant advancements in networking technology compared to just the last decade and it is still growing.

We should feel really lucky to be part of this rapid progress.

Computer networking is a technology that is used in various industries of the world. It has a variety of features. This technology has become an essential part of our day-to-day life.

Typically, the key benefits are:

1. Communication

Distance does not really matter, messages (in terms of voice and data) are delivered in the blink of an eye from one location to another, consequently people can easily stay connected with their family, friends and colleagues.

2. Data storing

Storing and accessing personal or work related data (despite the data size) efficiently which helps to save time and money.

3. Resource sharing

Easy to share devices and software with others. For example, print the documents from around the world (depending on the networking structure).

So, the next time you send that food selfie or upload a funny cat video say A Big Thank You to the dedicated network engineers for making these tasks possible.

Computer Networking is the one of the major technological revolution of the previous century.

Article in collaboration with Qumber Ali

Can a Hacker become a Hack?

Posted: October 3, 2012 in Business, Futurist, ICT, Media, Newspapers
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The life and times of Julian Assange, one of the founders of WikiLeaks, is so fantastical and filled with paranoia that it should be made into a movie; oh wait it has. The movie titled ‘Underground: the Julian Assange Story’ is a feature length biopic about the early years of Assange. I believe the movie will show him as a gifted youth with a passion for the truth and a desire to unmask the secrecy and lies in the corridors of power.

While this is not far from the truth the more pertinent question that has been raised about Assange is whether or not he is a journalist or just a source? Does the existence of WikiLeaks and the track record of Assange releasing secret and sometimes damming documents to the public make him a journalist? Assange calls himself the Editor-in-Chief of WikiLeaks. However, there are many voices that believe he is more of a high-tech source in the digital era rather than a true Journalist.

It is interesting to note that Assange came to prominence or infamy, depending on how you perceive it, in the mid 1990s. Julian and fellow hackers broke into the master terminal of Nortel, a Canadian telecom company. This was one of many activities of the Cypherpunks group of which Julian was a member.

The attack on Nortel was not malicious and in my mind shows two things: Julian is very intelligent and he has a clear disrespect of authority. This incident would bring Assange to the attention of only a handful of people in Australia. However, in 2007 when WikiLeaks, the website set up for dissemination of confidential information, released the Guantanamo Bay operating procedures the world sat up and took notice. In 2010 the release of the ‘Collateral Murder’ and later the ‘Afghanistan War Logs’ was instrumental in stirring up a hornets’ nest in the United States of America. And when the USA is upset the World takes notice.

Thus the saga began: Assange was accused of being a terrorist, a woman in Sweden accused him of rape, and he decided to seek political asylum and to avoid extradition by entering the Ecuadorian embassy in the UK. All this after he received the Martha Gellhorn Journalism Prize and divided opinion in the Journalism community as to his status as a bonafide Hack or a hacker with an agenda.

There are so many holes in the Assange story and dubious claims that it is hard to consider Julian having any integrity and the big issue with releasing sensitive information: Duty of Care. Duty of care is a core component of being a good journalist. As David Conley states Assange isn’t a journalist by practice, education or training. He is a convicted hacker who uses WikiLeaks to publish all information even information that is harmful and jeopardises the life of Afghan informants and soldiers. If Assange were a journalist he would need to have a duty of care as a hacker he does not.

Among all the dissenting voices weighing in on the debate Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, does not believe that WikiLeaks is journalism but data dissemination. I agree with this sentiment and I also believe that Assange is a revolutionary in some ways such as providing a platform for encrypted dissemination of documents. Assange needs to take the time to read the sources and present the information in an unbiased tone of voice while protecting the lives of the innocent. Only then will Assange go from being an ‘Australian diva with his secrets’ to a true leader of the revolution of journalism in the digital age.

Step into my virtual office

Posted: April 2, 2009 in Business, Futurist, ICT
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Who says, you need to spend a fortune to run your office like a Fortune 500 company? The latest trends in office set-ups tend to favour virtual offices that allow you work on the go. Use the Internet to source open-source software and promote your business. Outsource work that is not critical or location sensitive to make the most out of the global economy.

Virtual Virtues: With real-estate costs skyrocketing every year, a virtual office could be your simplest bet to get started. Using a prime local business address and a credible, risk-free base for corresponding with clients, Virtual Office Providers (VOP) such as Regus, ServeCorp offer you everything from hotdesking plans, communication facilities, secretarial and administrative support.

Mobile Advantage: With notebooks outnumbering desktop PC sales, make your work-force mobile by giving them laptops. With WiFi locations or hotspots cropping up everywhere and reliable network access in all major markets, providing a hotdesking space and arming your team with a business notebook and a data transfer plan (3G, GPRS or UMTS) you can free up valuable real estate space and make your business dirhams go further.

Software 2.0: Dubbed Software 2.0, the internet offers a web version of almost every software used in the office. From customer relationship management (Sugar CRM, Sales Force CRM), accounting systems (Fresh Books), collaboration and meeting tools (Webex, Gotomeeting.com) and communication (Project Gizmo, Skype, Meebo) to free databases (MySQL) and even operating systems (Linux), there’s a plethora of open source and web-based tools available on the net. Say good bye to expensive licenses, complex set-up processes, maintenance costs or having to lock up money in software and IT costs.

Outsource: Outsourcing non-critical tasks is no longer just a cost cutting exercise with negative connotations. Outsourcing today provides a competitive advantage. Whether you are looking for a data entry operator or a software developer (elance.com, rentacoder.com), secretarial services (alldaypa.com), content (contentsyndicate.com) or online service suppliers (Tejari.com, Alibaba.com, Globalsources.com) companies both large and small use outsourcing as a viable business tool. This helps them to stay focused on their core business, while the peripheral yet important services are managed cost effectively.

Virtual offices, free software and outsourcing may seem like the ideal solution only for start-ups and SMBs with a few employees but, corporate giants in the global economy are waking up to the the office of tomorrow; designed to save money, improve employee productivity, and reach out to prospective customers, partners & suppliers, the virtual office is looking attractive to a lot of big players.

The internet has a come long way from being a research project for nuclear scientists to being an invaluable tool in the world of business. From corporate blogs and search engines to cutting edge content management systems (CMS) the Internet could finally be the employee who works round the clock for you


Push Email: Enabling Mobility

Posted: October 14, 2008 in Banking, Business, ICT
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In an age of ‘get-it-done-yesterday’, portable communication device manufacturers are constantly researching and developing innovative technologies to enable end users to effectively deal with the barrage of communication. One of the features that seems to be revolutionising the cellular phone industry is the introduction of the Push Email function on all Personal Digital Assistant (PDA’s) and Smartphones.

Currently there are 1.9 billion wireless subscribers worldwide and 1.4 billion email accounts in existence, the potential for mobile email access is significant. With electronic mails becoming the ubiquitous form of communications across the globe, device manufacturers have seen the huge market potential and have incorporated improved functions that enable end users to access their email faster.

Push email is growing more and more popular having received a good response in the region. UAE has the highest number of subscribers to this service in the region, for many reasons: the UAE has become an important business hub of the region, with a number of multinational companies opening regional offices in Dubai and having executives who travel a lot across the region.

Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) have a sizeable mobile workforce like managers, field workers, sales and marketing personnel, who need constant connectivity to access latest information are moving towards using mobility solutions for higher workforce efficiency.

What is Push Email?

Push Email incorporates a mail delivery system that literally ‘Push’ emails through to the end user as soon as it arrives. In other words unlike the current system wherein, the user has to manually ‘Pull’ emails from a server or Internet Service Provider (ISP). Push Email smartphones are constantly updating the mailbox with emails without the need for the user to intervene.

A push application is designed to simplify and enhance the distribution of data to mobile employees. Users do not have to request or download the data, because the push application delivers the information as it becomes available. Complete wireless synchronisation of not only email but also Calendar and Contacts means the mobile phone becomes an extension of the office.

The reason that Push Email is a breakthrough technology is best highlighted when compared to the current pull email method of email delivery. Pull email requires the client to login and the Mail User Agent polls the server to check the status; whether there are email pending delivery. If there are email located on the server they are pulled or downloaded into the users mailbox.

According to Mr. Osman Sultan, CEO of Du, “It is important to communicate that wireless access to communications and information is no longer a luxury reserved for top executives—it is a business necessity for mobile workers and corridor warriors throughout organizations. It is also important to communicate the versatility of the solution and the devices in accessing the service.”

Technically, emails are already pushed from the initial sender to the email delivery agent (server), what the new Push Email function does is ‘extend the push’ through the last delivery stage i.e. to the end user’s mailbox. This key functionality is what separates traditional pull emails from Push Emails.

Bridging the connectivity gap

Some 51 million smart phones were shipped in 2005, representing 6 percent of all wireless handsets, according to iGillott Research. The research company predicts that the devices will account for 21 percent of all hand-helds by 2010. This increased adoption of smartphones is due to the improved connectivity while on the move with Push Email that offers 24/7 access to important business data.

In the non-stop world of business today the concept of ‘always-on’ connectivity and zero downtime are universally favoured. The Middle East market and vendor community are catching up with the rest of the world in the mobility solutions space. From senior executives to field sales force across large enterprises and SMBs, Push Email is witnessing a robust growth across various sectors.

For new technology, such as Push Email, to become popular the key element needs to be ease of use, security and performance. Mr. Ivan Ducournau, Business Notebooks and Handhelds Product Manager, PSG, HP Middle East states, “First of all, devices that support push email have to be simple to configure and use. The device should either be set up on the point of purchase or remotely by the telecommunication operator as soon as a user signs for a Push-Email service. End users should also be informed of the security offered with their Push-Email service. For SMB’s, a VPN solution can even be set up for optimal security. Finally, end users are looking for devices that offer uncompromising performance – devices that do not lag or hang.”


However, the slow transition from pull email to Push Email is due to the issue of connectivity. On cellular or mobile devices the end user is not always connected to the Email server or Mail Delivery Agent. This is a common occurrence because the cellular device used by the end user will change network addresses based on location. For example, a user with a smartphone using a Wireless (WiFi) connection may be assigned a different address by the network server. With no constant network when new email arrives to the email server, it does not know what address the client is currently assigned.

According to Mr. Raed Hafez, Motorola’s Portfolio Director, for Middle East & Africa, “To ensure that the end user can adopt Push Email technology it is important to have a strong, easy to use, and common software platform. Second, tight integration and partnership with leading email service providers and push-email technologies is necessary. Last, a strong technology background and deep experience in developing mobile devices.”

In addition to simplicity, customers look for durability, battery life, look & feel, and of course price. It is also critical that the device connects to most mainstream email service providers and technologies. It is not enough to be able to connect to a single type of service. Companies adopt different technologies, and the device needs to be flexible enough to connect to all of them.

“At Motorola the focus is to complete the offering by partnering with local IT providers to assist with the deployment of push-email systems, added Mr. Raed Hafez. “Working with operators who provide a push-email service is critical to simplify the start-up experience for the customer.”

To ensure top-of-mind awareness and encourage purchase, a device manager needs to highlight how simple the process of connecting the device to their current service, as most SMBs don’t have a dedicated IT department assisting them.

“There are a variety of options in push email devices from various manufacturers such as RIM, Seven, Visto, Nokia and Microsoft, added Mr. Osman Sultan, CEO, of Du. “They may differ on their specifications and price but all offer the same convenience – that of push email.”

Last but not the least, it is important to note that the customer is purchasing a device for multiple purposes. While being connected is critical, other typical mobile phone functions are important too. The manufacturer needs to highlight how the device brings all of these functions together in an easy to use and affordable package.

Responding to the question about what end-users were looking for in PDA’s or smartphones Mr. Vishnu Madabhushi, Executive Director for HTC Middle East & North Africa opined, “Customers are looking at devices that support high-speed network connectivity like 3G HSDPA, HSUPA and alternative modes of communication like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which allow them constant wireless connectivity to leverage the Push-Email feature, and ease-of-use with hardware and software features such as jogger wheel, TouchFlo, ViewFlo, to easily access and scroll through the information.”

Device Manufacturers and Service Providers

Push-email is ubiquitous in most business sectors in the UAE. The service is either provided by private systems or via public services offered by the operator. In the UAE this is Etisalat and du. Of the two operators Etisalat was first-to-market with the introduction of integration and support for the BlackBerry device.

According to Mr. Shady Saeed, Senior Manager Product Marketing,Wireless for Etisalat, “The best way to gauge if a market is ready for Mobile Push Email technology is to assess the maturity of the market in terms of using emails as an official method of business communication. The economic growth in the UAE is testament to the fact that almost all businesses are mature enough to adopt Push Email to enhance mobile business processes.”

Sidebar – Did you know your “non-smart” cell phone can easily be converted into a Smart Push Mail?
Firstly, you don’t need a BlackBerry. Push Mail is actually available for just about anybody even with the most basic handsets provided they have a data-plan enabled. Whether its Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Nokia or just about any handset, smart or non-smart, as long as it has a data connection you can enable Push Mail on your cell phone.

Consilient Push allows you to download an application from http://www.consilient.com, and on enabling it you can receive emails besides being able to forward, save photos, create your own signature and view attachments which include PDF, ZIP, Excel and Word on your mobile phone.

The effective use of mobile Push Email technology can only be achieved when a market is mature enough. In addition to having sophisticated devices, the market should also have a service provide who can integrate Push Email functionality and provide end-to-end support. BlackBerry were the only devices that were capable of handling complex algorithms that were needed to effectively use the Push Email solution.

“Maturity of the solution itself is not the end-all, the components need to be mature as well in terms of efficiency and ease of use,” added Mr. Saeed. “Etisalat offered integration and support of BlackBerry as they were the first to bring this system to market. However, going forward Etisalat will offer integration with other devices as well to offer end users more flexibility.”

When looking at the cellular and smartphone market today, BlackBerry is no longer the only device that offers efficiency, security, and lower cost of ownership. As more companies relax the policies on single devices for its executives on the move we can be sure that the smartphone market and technology incorporated in these phones going to increase exponentially.

“We see both, SMB’s and large organisations showing great interest in implementing mobile enterprise solutions to make use of the Push-Email functionality, added Mr. Madabhushi.. “Most of these already have deployed Microsoft Exchange Servers for corporate e-mail and can easily leverage the Push-Email functionality on their Windows Mobile based devices without any additional costs/infrastructure.”

Leader of the Pack

Leading the pack of devices that offer Push Email functionality is BlackBerry. One of the pioneers, BlackBerry PDA’s offered Push Email and has gained the top-of-mind awareness of all consumers. By being the first-to-market BlackBerry has become synonymous with on the go connectivity. With the increase in popularity of the Push Email feature; numerous device manufacturers have incorporated it into their devices. Some of the manufacturers who have incorporated push email include Nokia, HTC and Sony Ericsson.

WordWise:
Think ‘Googling’ is synonymous to search? Blackberry is as much part of the urban dictionary as Google now. With more than 10 million Blackberry users globally, the ability to read e-mail that is received in real-time, anywhere efficiently, has made the BlackBerry devices addictive, earning them the nickname “CrackBerry” – particularly one used obsessively.

Use of the term CrackBerry became so wide spread that in November 2006 Webster’s New World College Dictionary named “crackberry” the “New Word of the Year”. This term combines crack (short for crack cocaine, a narcotic) and BlackBerry devices.

For the busy entrepreneur or owner who needs to access to Push Email and is willing to pay for good service there is Seven: that works across all standard platforms such as Windows Mobile, Palm OS and Symbian. Enabled for almost 240 CDMA and GSM devices it is sold through 115 operators across the globe.

For the paying segment of Push Email users there is currently an intense rivalry between BlackBerry and Windows Mobile. According to a report from market researcher IDC, within 15 months of its launch, Windows mobile had sold 100,000 units creating a market share of 30.5 per cent in the data-centric converged devices segment over Blackberry, which has a 19.1 per cent share.

Manufacturers such as HP are offering cutting edge advantages, which rely on the Push-Email technology, to work from anywhere and stay one step ahead. According to Mr. Ducournau, “The iPAQ 514 offers a new dimension to users. Instead of typing-in email replies by using the keypad, they can ‘Voice Reply’ to them. Their voice will be sent as an email attachment. A clear sign that device manufacturers are looking for a competitive advantages and the early entrants have to keep up or risk getting left behind.”

What should you buy?

Across the world, it is a clash between devices based on Windows Mobile and those running Blackberry. Statistics and reports vary on whether Windows Mobile, Blackberry or iPhone is the best PDA/smartphone. While the debate rages on, the end user should be aware that the operating systems are the more crucial element to be considered when making a purchase decision. Both Windows Mobile and Blackberry operating systems support corporate e-mail (including Lotus Notes and Outlook) and personal e-mail (such as from POP3/IMAP and Web mail accounts). However, Windows Mobile 6 does a better job integrating popular mail applications without any additional configurations required.

Advisor check List:
1.) A Windows Mobile 5.0+ device that is Direct Push enabled. Some early devices were released without Direct Push Technology. Go to http://www.windowsmobile.com and look for Upgrades for Direct Push Technology for select devices. For other vendors, check with the vendor or with the local telecom operator.

2.) Access to Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 for synchronizing e-mail messages, Contacts, Calendar and Tasks.

3.) A data plan, server sign-in information and approved access to Exchange Server 2003 SP2 by their network administrator.

4.) Make sure you have your spam filter and anti-virus configured. Some models come inbuilt with these services are offered at the server level.

5.) Besides the handset costs, check the rates for data transfer and other fine print.

6.) Prioritise from who and what accounts you want Push Email activated. If you are a high volume email user, you could get flooded with emails 24/7

Mr. Madabhushi added, “Key features of smart phones such as HTC offer numerous features such as User-friendly interface, a range of connectivity options such as UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, WAP, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth that ensure constant connectivity and Fingerprint Authentication or Device PIN Lock that ensures data protection in case of lost/stolen devices.”

Both operating platforms incorporate push e-mails to cellular devices. But BlackBerry has the edge in this category because it automatically performs the task for you. The end user has to manually configure Windows Mobile 6 e-mail. As mentioned before the ability to search for e-mails has always been a feature on BlackBerrys, while Windows Mobile has recently added the feature. The Push Email function of Windows Mobile 6 offer the best benefits if you use Microsoft’s Exchange Server 2007

According to Mr. Sultan, “A Telecom services need to have a sound backend platform to offer push email. From customers’ perspective, Nokia solution depends on piece of software on the mobile phone and on the company e-mail server. Microsoft solutions needs Microsoft Exchange server 2003 with Service Pack2 or higher and Windows mobile operating system that support Push technology like Windows Mobile 5.0 V2 or 6.0. These solutions need a reliable connection with the local operators.”

The popularity of webmail (gmail, yahoo and hotmail) as the default email provider for many end users can be attributed as one of the factors that has led to the adoption of BlackBerrys as the default choice. BlackBerry allows users to download standalone gmail applications directly to the device hence making it much more user-friendly. While Windows Mobile do not support these applications users can set up gmail access through POP3.

Security Issues

While smartphones that offer familiar software platforms such as Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, to attract users and make embrace simplicity, these devices may feature unwanted add-ons. Microsoft has engineered mobile Push Email so that the information is easily accessible, however, there is a lack of on-board encryption for email files on Windows Mobile devices. This feature leaves the end user’s device vulnerable to data loss.

Mr. Ducournau adds, “Device manufacturers need to make sure that their push email offering is compatible with users’ working environment. Microsoft push email pre-loaded on HP iPAQs ensures a full integration of the solution with Windows operating systems and outlook. SMBs can either choose to manage the security aspects by putting in place an end to end solution through Microsoft exchange server or eliminate any complexity by subscribing to services offered by telecommunication operators. Corporations can protect access to their intranet by enabling VPN offered on some devices.”

When synchronising between Exchange and Pocket Outlook; the use of only a password is an insecure approach. End users are comfortable using the PC based applications, but users with sensitive data, will be concerned that the Windows Mobile lack of encryption creates an easy target for hackers.

Commenting on the security issues of using Mobile Push Email technology on hand-held devices, Mr. Saeed added, “The point of contention where the security breach can happen is the device since the data that is sent from the server is encrypted. The solution that is currently being implemented is to enable smartphones with more processing capacity which can handle more complex algorithms.”

While newer hand-held devices are incorporating security features, the Trusted Computing Group’s Mobile Phone Work Group has issued a draft of its Mobile Trusted Module standard, which is meant to establish guidelines that help wireless device and software makers improve the security of their products. This will ensure that individual end users as well as corporation can be assured of higher security levels when using Push Email on their smartphones.

What the future holds

Push email is currently mainly for business use. However, the device needs to be able to provide access to both business and personal emails simultaneously. Over the last couple of years there has been a strong adoption of this technology and most industry experts expect this trend to continue. The natural progression is to convert more complex business processes onto mobile platforms.

“Wherever strong economical growth is occurring, you see a strong demand for staying connected at all times.” states Mr. Hafex. “Having information access at your finger tips, and being able to communicate through different media at an instant has become the norm of modern business.”

Hot Tip:
PS – A similar service Flip Mail (http://www.teleflip.com) currently available only in the US on select carriers is expected to be available in UAE in 2009. Flipmail claims to work on any cellphone, any email account.

When a technology is introduced, it is first accepted by early adopters and early mass which is represented by professionals and technology fans. Push-Email acceptance from consumers is growing but still limited. In order to increase the penetration into the consumer market, device manufacturers will have to enrich their offering with new features and software.

According to Mr. Sultan, “The consumer interest level for push email in this market is very high. We believe that an increasing number of mobile operators are going to offer Push email service to their business and individual clients leading to a further adoption from companies to have this service for their employees.”

In addition, work is now 24-7. This means that the need to being connected is more important than ever. Consumer mobile devices (non business devices) will also support push-email to ensure their viability as a second or “weekend” device. Bad news for one’s social life – but hopefully good news for the economy – as 24/7 business can only mean upward growth.

Multi-Function Magic

Posted: September 10, 2008 in Business, ICT
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While a paperless office might still be a few years away, the ability to efficiently manage the cost and quality of paper printed is at your finger tips. The most common feature of global businesses and small start-up is the sheer amount of paper that is printed on a daily basis. Seldom given a second thought efficient printers can be competitive cost advantage. With the burgeoning competition within the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) or Small and medium Businesses (SMB) sector in the UAE and across the Middle East, many technology and IT solution providers are rethinking their strategy to address this huge potential market.

Optional as a graph –
According to Forrester reports, in 2006 the IT spend for SME’s grew 7.2 percent up from 4.8 percent in 2005 with a positive outlook for 2007. The top IT initiatives includes spending on the major hardware categories of PCs (55 percent of companies), networking equipment (51 percent), servers (48 percent), and storage (45 percent). For software, 50 percent will increase spending on security and 42 percent on Web applications. SMBs are predicted to turn to local and regional consulting firms and value-added resellers (VARs) for their managed services needs.

The last decade has seen the mantra of smaller, cost effective and easily accessible technology being touted across the globe. Printers have become smaller and incorporate telephones, faxes, scanners and coffee makers. Actually, scratch the coffee maker bit, that will probably be developed in the next decade. However, to an SME the ability to buy a one-stop solution for business needs is an attractive option.

Multifunctional Printers –

These Multifunction printers are marketed as MFP (Multi Function Printer/Product/Peripheral), multifunctional all-in-one (AiO), mopier (Multiple Optical coPIER), or Multifunction Device (MFD). In essence, these office machines incorporate the functionality of multiple devices in one. Also an ideal space saver in a home-based office or a small business setting. An MFP also provides centralised document management/distribution/production in a large-office setting. A typical MFP may act as a combination of some or all of the following devices: Printer, Scanner, Photocopier, Fax, with the capability to send e-mail.

The only caveat is that with improved technology comes the need for improved IT knowledge on the part of managers to effectively acquire and utilise the new technology. Simply put, to ensure that the newly purchased peripheral devices actually delivers on its implied promise to revolutionise an SME’s productivity, it still requires a good understanding of the real business implications of such products.

Side-box – Industry Trends –
– 91% of SMBs in KSA & UAE use color printing

– 38% believe they lost business opportunities due to lack of colour printing

– 51% concerned about costs of using colour printing

– 51% restricted color to certain departments: managers 83%, marketing 73%, secretaries 49%, finance 40%.

– 2/3 of SMBs believe they should make more use of colour

– 50 to 60 per cent of the single function printers in businesses replaced by the MFP

Source : Industry Estimates

Commenting on the thought process behind the SME and SMB focussed products that HP offers in the UAE, Mr. Asad Syed SMB Business Manager, Imaging and Printing Group, HP Middle East stated, “At HP we understand that SMB’s need to focus on their core business not on IT, so we provide the best quality of products along with tools to enable them to focus on their business.”

As alluded to earlier companies such as HP, Lexmark, Canon, Samsung, Brother, Epson and Xerox have assessed the potential market and have developed solutions that specifically address the concerns and needs of entrepreneurs and SME’s. All these well-known IT companies are now offering Home or SoHo (Small Office Home Office) MFP’s. The usual inkjet based units allow colour printing and copying but most SoHo units use a laser print engine for high-quality, low cost-per-page output at large volume.

At Canon, SME focused products are a large business segment, the i-SENSYS brand laser printers are designed to meet specific and demanding requirements of SME’s. Currently the complete Canon laser category includes 27 products which ensure that SME’s will surely find a fast, efficient, quiet and reliable printer to meet their needs.

Ideal for small workgroups, MFP’s need to be sturdy and capable of volumes of up to 3000 pages per month at approximately 25 pages per minute. While larger workgroups can choose MFP’s which can send e-mails and handle higher volumes of up to 20,000 pages a month at approximately 40 pages per minute. The really high end models can automatically staple, sort and collate the printed sheets.

Choosing the best option –

Once you have decided to purchase a MFP, a quick checklist can help make the buying process easier, efficient and effective. What is the current problem? If you need to regularly print documents just so that they can be faxed to a vendor, then use the option of mail merge option which is available on most operating systems. If you need to print 10 – 15 copies a day you do not need a fancy multifunctional printer that does everything under the sun. By defining the exact need or problem the next step can help streamline the process further.

Mr. Mohammed Addarrat , Channel and SMB Manager Lexmark Middle East suggests, “First of all the customers needs to make sure that they purchase the right product for the right usage. Secondly, an SMB customer should look at is facts such as the overall cost of ownership and cost per page when deciding which printer to purchase, rather than considering only the price tag. And finally, device consolidation by considering a multi-function printer to replace the fax, scanner, and copier.”

Also it is necessary to gauge the quantity of paper documents generated daily. If the ratio of colour printouts to black and white printouts are very high then the option of purchasing a laser MFP for black & white (B&W) printing and a stand alone printer for the colour print-outs. This will minimise the use of toner or ink cartridges.

Samsung Electronics printers offer increased paper input capacity – 250 extra sheets with a second cassette feeder and additional 128MB memory. “With the CLP-350N, Samsung offers highly reliable and affordable colour printing solutions to small and mid-sized businesses,” said Mr. Jang-Jae Lee, Senior Vice President of Samsung’s Digital Printing Division. “Samsung continues to expand its business market by releasing compact but versatile products. With this new, smaller and smarter product, we are covering the spectrum from home to corporate consumers.”

Another parameter to consider is the type of business or work environment where the MFP will be utilised. Will it be a Home offices, small offices, a department within a mid-size to large organisation or in a wide-format environment. Small offices generally look for an MFD that is user-friendly and is extremely productive and flexible in function.

Beyond printing and copying, today’s MFP’s can help manage documents, reduce paper, simplify workflow and manage forms, among other functions. The question you need to ask is: Do you want to copy, print, fax, scan, and email jobs? Do you want users to share the device? Or will you need it to be colour capable. Finally, a very key area that should be considered is the after sales service scheme offered by the manufacturer.

Tips for Optimising your MFP –
1. Print out a page at least once a week as printer cartridges tend to dry up when unused. .

2 Proofreading your documents before you print can help you use less printer ink and buy fewer cartridges.

3 Purchase custom cartridges from reputed supplier to extend the life of your printer.

4 If possible invest in original ink refill kit. Refillable cartridges allow you to simply buy the ink and refill the cartridges when the ink runs out.

5 By selecting black ink to print your documents you save on printer cartridges by printing in colour only when absolutely necessary.

6. Furthermore, some printers simply use more ink than others. If you find that you are spending a lot more on ink than you thought you would, then it’s a smart idea to monitor ink consumption, and then decide whether a different printer might, indeed, be more economical.

Every office has a simple way of being environmentally conscious in their day-to-day business activities. Whether you as an entrepreneur or as an SME want to create a paperless office or just clear up the clutter that documents and print-outs create, an MFP can help streamline the digitisation of documents and sharing documents with colleagues across the office or vendors across the globe.

For instance the new ‘Duplex’ printing technology from Canon can help SME’s save money by offering the option of double-sided printing which basically means you can cut your paper usage by half. As stated by Mr. Munther Ayache, Product Marketing Specialist, Canon Middle East, “Our printers not only help SME’s out by being cost-effective in the office, they also help out through energy-efficient charging that virtually eliminates ozone emissions in the workplace.”

After Sales Support –

Speaking about customer service HP’s Syed added to his earlier comments, “A key concern with SMB’s is about being able to work with someone who can solve their problems, whatever they may be, with a little fuss as possible.

After sales service is a point of contention for most SME’s and single entrepreneurial businesses is the down-time or loss of productivity caused by slow and inefficient after sales service. If a printer or any other peripheral device breaks down and it cannot be repaired immediately or if tech support is incapable of assistance, it translates to a waste of valuable time. Therefore in addition to creating products for SME’s it is essential for manufacturers to set-up effective and efficient sales support teams.

Companies such as HP demonstrate their commitment to the SMB market through Channel education and training and promotors at the store level. “HP continues to engage its channel partners in ongoing trainings to ensure that they provide the best consultants for the SMB end users,” added Mr. Syed.

Until recently Canon did not deal with resellers and did not sell directly to SMEs. However, the company has recently established the Canon Emirates Conglomerate. It is a direct sales operator, that works both with SME’s, large corporate and government accounts and dedicated product reseller partners. In addition, the recent setup of the Canon distribution hub which has reduced delivery time of products from Japan by as much as 26 days.

This new structure strengthens Canon’s presence in the UAE market by offering a wide range of products geared towards business sectors of all sizes. “With this improved structure in place, we are better positioned to meet our customers needs,” said Bertil Widmark, Managing Director, Canon Middle East. “This new set up will allow us to give our customers a complete B2B office efficiency solution for all their document requirements.”

Unlike larger enterprises, the SME sector may not have alternative equipment to finish crucial jobs, making it essential that the devices they use are extremely reliable and easy to use and the company they deal with are offer efficient technology support.

Belal El Banna, Marketing Manager, Xerox Emirates believes, “The Xerox Emirates product range offers the SMB customer a wide choice along with the advantages of pre and post sales support by explaining to the user how a product can benefit his business as well as after sales support. Our strength is that our customers look upon us as a trusted advisor and a consistent service provider.”

What’s Hot –

In addition to increased stress on environmental friendly issues, technologies such as Quick First Print, On-Demand Fixing, Duplex Printing and energy-efficient charging that virtually eliminates ozone emissions in the workplace shows the continued importance that printer manufacturers have placed on this topic.

HP has launched unique innovations such as the instant-on technology on the Laserjet printers. This eliminates the delay from the current PowerSave mode that is common on all other printers. According to Mr. Asad Syed, “In typical office use, the printer has enough time to cool down, go into PowerSave mode, and then to warm up again when a print job arrives. Instant-on Technology enables a printer to begin printing from PowerSave mode immediately, regardless of when it was last used, and then directly return it to PowerSave mode when printing is complete.” There’s also the added bonus that Instant-on Technology also leads to lower power consumption and less wear on the printer engine.

“Under the i-SENSYS brand Canon printers are designed to offer quick and cost effective printing. Technologies such as Quick First Print (QFP) facilitate faster printing,” says Mr. Munther Ayache, Product Marketing Specialist, Canon Middle East. “Canon’s patented On-Demand Fixing means i-SENSYS has zero warm-up time, using up to 75% less power than standard technologies, therefore a cheaper electricity bill at the end of the month.”

Similarly, Lexmark, is offering multifunction devices that are faster and compact. In addition to the default features the new models will be compatible with wireless technology and offer sleeker designs. The latest innovation from Lexmark comes in the form of the X9350, a wireless office all-in-one with Duplex that offers the convenience of wireless mobility combined with efficient 2-sided printing and business class speeds for increased productivity

Belal El Banna, Marketing Manager, Xerox Emirates states that, “Xerox has incorporated features such as Solid Ink technology, that deliver office products that are exceptional in their ability to render beautiful, accurate images with very high print resolutions. This technology is used in the Phaser 8560 printer and Phaser 8560MFP models which deliver exceptional colour consistency and quality at the lowest possible cost.”

The reason why companies are looking to improve their use of printing equipment is often cost-focused and tactical rather than long-term and strategic. One of the main objectives of SMEs is to reduce costs however, the measures taken to achieve this objective are due to tactical measures. The most common way to save printing paper is to use electronic communication such as e-mails. rather than strategic changes, such as better office workflow.

The ideal approach to cost reduction, for SME’s is introducing strategic, productivity-focused methods. As far as technology goes, in regards to MFP the technology is improving and the choice is increasing. The bottom-line is for SME’s to choose wisely and ensure the technology is utilised efficiently.

PS. Before you Buy -(The Advisor Checklist)

  1. Choose a price range and stick with it. This will help steer you away from enticing models that do not serve your purpose.
  2. Choose the functions that are the most important to you and try to find models that address your need in those areas.
  3. Ensure that the device you choose has sufficient memory. For a business a device with 16-MB of memory wil help cache multiple print jobs and not “lock up”.
  4. Decide how the business will be using the device. Inkjet printers are best for color printing, but can’t do as much high volume as a laser printer. If you are just concerned about text, then laser monochrome models are the way to go.
  5. Comparison shop, either read reviews, ratings and articles or visit manufacturers’ websites to get more information about models you are considering. You can then decide on specs that are relevant to your business.
  6. Warranty, Service, Support. Make sure that the vendor covers parts, labour, after sales support for all components of your device.
  7. Consumables: Like the razor blade companies the real money for both vendors and customers are in the consumables such as cartridges, toner and paper. Ensure you get long lasting cartridges and toners.
  8. Compatibility is very important, you need to ensure that the device is compatible with your computer before you buy it.

Making Every Byte Count: The Keys To Effective Storage

Posted: August 10, 2008 in Business, ICT
Tags: , , , , , ,
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Introduction:

As small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) save more data and rely on it more, they are turning to networked storage even under the burden of limited budgets and IT expertise. Data Storage is related to information. Across verticals there is a continuous increase in the amount of relevant business information that needs to be processed and stored. Some of the data needs to be stored for daily retrieval or as long-term records. Data storage provides one of the core functions of any SME, that of information retention and retrieval.

According to industry estimates, the SMB storage market is pegged around US$5 billion worldwide and estimates the growth at close to 13%, with the commercial segment at 11% and the large enterprise and corporate sectors growing at only around 5%. Of this storage pie, the Middle East SMB storage market is as high as 75% to 80% and is expected to expand over the next three-to-five years.

A quick look at certain sectors show that the following have accelerated growth levels and are poised to continue over the next few years:

  • Content Depots, like Flickr, YouTube and Google will consume 25 times as much storage space by 2010 as they do now,
  • Media/ TV: 1000% growth a year due to digitising of the archive and archiving of current and coming content,
  • Banking: Requirements to keep track of financial transactions and records, as well as compliance (Basel II, MiFID, etc.),

Kevin Vine, EMEA Director, said, “In the Middle East, like the rest of EMEA, the market for personal data storage has grown enormously and this need is pushing for larger and capacities and faster data transfer rates.”

Independent analyst group, IDC, has said that the Middle East is on the verge of a data boom, and most regional organizations are not prepared. Software investment in the Middle East remains strong, but only leads to the generation of more data which, in turn, must be backed-up and retrieved for immediate reference in the region’s fast moving organisations. Oil and gas conglomerates, retail, banks, governments, and telcos are all investing significantly in software applications to manage their growing customer base.

Fiona Moon, CommVault Marketing Director stated: “Data growth in the Middle East is progressing faster than most emerging markets, and we believe that this trend will continue. IDC’s view that the region is on the verge of a data boom fully supports our existing position that regional organisations should be moving now to establish a clearly defined storage investment policy the places crucial importance on leading-edge back-up and recovery technologies.”

Across the board, there is still a vast amount of untapped storage to be digitised in the shape of paper records and forms. Data storage technologies and companies is this space need to address the entire life cycle from document capture to archiving.

What is Data Storage?

In layman’s terms, ‘Data Storage’ refers to information recorded onto a form of semiconductor for retrieval immediately such as a random access memory (RAM) and sometimes other forms of fast but temporary storage. Additionally, storage today more commonly refers to mass storage for retrieval after a length of time. The mode of storage utilises optical discs, forms of magnetic storage such as hard disks, and other types slower than RAM, but of a more permanent nature. 

Data storage - old and new

Data storage – old and new (Photo credit: Ian-S)


It necessary to understand the actual definitions of storage and how it relates to memory. The fundamental architecture of Personal Computers featured a hard drive for storage of data and RAM for instant retrieval of applications. However, with the creation of numerous mass storage devices such as Flash Memory, CD’s, and ZIP drives – to name a few – the technical difference between memory and mass storage devices, has been blurred.

Why Store Information?

In a study commissioned by CA, the independent London-based consultancy Gyro International found that demand for new approaches to data protection is growing.<0}
{0>91 Prozent der Befragten gaben an, dass es vorteilhaft wäre, Daten kontinuierlich zu sichern.<}100{>91% of those surveyed said that saving data continuously would be advantageous.<0}
{0>80 Prozent aller Befragten sind mit dem Konzept und der Thematik der Continuous Data Protection (CDP) vertraut. Aber nur 50 Prozent kennen die Vorteile, die CDP für Unternehmen bringt.<}100{>80% of participants are familiar with the concept and topic of continuous data protection (CDP), but only 50% are aware of the benefits CDP brings to a business.<0}
{0>40 Prozent nutzen CDP bereits oder planen, CDP innerhalb des nächsten Jahres einzuführen.<}100{>And finally, 40% currently use CDP or plan to implement it within the next year.

The maturity of a storage market and the assets linked to information, data storage or data protection has a much higher focus. Archiving becomes a necessity due to international regulations and corporate survival alike. The lack of legacy systems allows for SME’s to adopt the newest trends and technologies.

According to Mr. Stephan Wolfs, SWD Business Development Manager, HP Middle East,

“Data protection has become key and HP’s storage portfolio offers solutions for SME’s to implement data protection techniques without the need for unrealistic investments: eg. HP DataProtector backup software is significantly less expensive. Other solutions such as Disk-to-Disk (D2D) and Virtual Library Systems (VLS), receive very good response from the market hinting towards a trend of online archiving.”

Since Middle East customers are facing challenges in harnessing the growth of their Server and Storage infrastructure, they are looking for answers from the vendors to reduce the complexity, increase the utilisation of previous investments and provide tools to predict further acquisition needs. Archiving solutions such as File Archiving Software (FAS) are easy to implement and the Enterprise Integrated Archiving Platform (IAP) is installed in minutes rather than in days. Replication has always been on the forefront, both as a means for data protection as well as Disaster recovery.

“We see increased interest in replication from a DR point of view or to relay SME branch offices with corporate headquarters,” adds Mr. Wolfs. “The Midrange EVA offers array-based replication and tight, integrated failover facilities with the Operating System. True 3-site replication is also available in the HP Storage portfolio. As a leader in servers and storage, HP is uniquely positioned to offer application to storage management.”

One weakness of traditional backups: because data is normally only saved daily (or even weekly) through nightly backups, the reconstructed data is only as current as the most recent tape. In the worst-case scenario for daily backups, all data from the past 24 hours could be lost.<0}

“Aaa{0>Deshalb werden mit CDP im Gegensatz zu traditionellen Backup-Verfahren alle Datenänderungen kontinuierlich gesichert. CDP schützt somit rund um die Uhr vor Datenverlust.<}64{>According to Mr. AAccAACDP, in contrast to traditional backup processes, continuously saves all changes to data, thus protecting users around the clock from data loss,” says Mr. Hussam Qasem, Senior Technical Sales consultant at CA. “With CDP, IT managers can “rewind” the saved data to any point in time (rewind technology) and quickly reconstruct the status of that data set.<0}
{0>CA bietet diesen integrierten kontinuierlichen Datenschutz als erster Hersteller in seiner CA Recovery Management Lösung an.<}100{>CA is the first company to offer this integrated continuous data protection with its CA Recovery Management Solution.”

<0}”

Types of Storage:

Historically, memory and storage were respectively called primary storage and secondary storage. Broadly defined; Primary Storage is the main memory and is directly accessible from the Central Processing Unit (CPU) while Secondary memory is not directly accessible by the CPU. In addition , there is also Tertiary storage such as a large tape library and off-line storage, which is not connected to a CPU.

Primary Storage or main memory –

Primary storage, presently known as memory, allows the CPU to continuously read information stored in memory. Data actively operated on is stored in the random access memory (RAM). Usually this type of memory falls under the volatile memory category as the information is lost when not powered).

The Advisor Recommends-

By following these quick tips, SMEs can prepare for, select, and apply the best new storage technologies for their needs.

• Take Stock – What are you current storage capacities and capabilities.

• Predictions – Using the current level of capacity estimate your storage needs for the coming year and then 3 – 5 years. Start with the end first, when it comes to storage. Plan ahead for about three years, before you make the necessary hardware purchases.

• Plan of Action – After defining the positives and negatives. Address the critical requirements first and then address the next item on the list.

• Managing the new system – SMEs should look closely at the management systems that come with storage technologies – ideally look for systems that come bundled with advanced UIs (user interfaces) that make it easy to move and manage data.

• Data recovery – Companies often fail to appreciate a sound data backup strategy until their data goes missing. The potential costs of media failure far exceed the financial outlay for a RAID configuration or for offline backup. Here are four strategies for achieving adequate storage capacity and the redundancy needed to keep your data safe.

Secondary Storage –

Any information stored in secondary storage needs to be accessed via input/output channels such as USB slots or floppy disk/Compact Disk drives. Secondary storage is not volatile as it does not lose the data when the device is powered down. The storage capacity of secondary storage is usually much higher than primary storage and data is stored for a longer time. Some examples of secondary storage technologies are: Floppy disk, used for off-line storage, Hard disk, used for secondary storage , Magnetic tape data storage, used for tertiary and off-line storage.

Tertiary storage –

Tertiary storage or tertiary memory is the third level of storage. It is used for archival of rarely accessed information due to the slow information access speeds which are much slower than secondary storage. Tertiary storage is primarily useful for extremely large data, that has to be accessed without human operators. Typical examples include tape libraries and optical jukeboxes.

Factoid – The Alphabet soup:
  1. Read-only storage, used for mass distribution of digital information (music, video, computer programs) include CD, CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD
  2. Write once storage, used for tertiary and off-line storage include CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R
  3. Slow write, fast read storage, used for tertiary and off-line storage include CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM

Off-line storage –

Off-line storage, also known as disconnected storage, is a data stored on a medium or a device that is not under the control of a CPU. The medium is recorded, usually in a secondary or tertiary storage device, and then physically removed or disconnected. It must be inserted or connected by a human operator before a computer can access it again. Off-line storage is used to transfer information, since the detached medium can be easily physically transported. Additionally in case a disaster, for example a fire, destroys the original data, a medium in a remote location will be probably unaffected, enabling disaster recovery.

Most SME’s choose to use secondary and tertiary storage media such as optical discs and flash memory devices, and to much lesser external removable hard disk drives. In enterprise uses, magnetic tape is predominant. Older examples are floppy disks, Zip disks, or punched cards.

Key Elements of Storage:

Backup—and not to mention recovery—is usually a laborious process. To prevent data from being lost, it is usually saved regularly on magnetic tape, which can then be used to reconstruct the data from a backup point in time as needed.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) are the largest consumers of large inexpensive disks. With mechanical drives now breaking the 1 terrabyte (TB) barrier at prices less than US$0.25 per Gigabyte (GB), many SME’s are utilising large disks in NAS appliances or home-grown file servers.

“However, since Information Governance is non-existent, we don’t see strong Information Lifecycle Management,” adds Mr. Qasem. “Most SME’s don’t backup their data, and when they do, they tend to use optical discs (CDs/DVDs). Of those who backup, most would perform a full-level backup – as they’ve never heard of incremental backup.”

The SME community requires the same levels of data storage and data availability as the Enterprise segment. This evolution is translated in an increase of Enterprise Storage features becoming available for Entry Level and Midrange storage solutions. In order to benefit from these solutions the customer data storage has to be networked, centrally managed, routed and protected. However SME customers don’t want to increase the complexity of their storage systems in order to implement these solutions

Ability to access information –

The information, once stored, should be, easily accessible to a single PC or across a network. As most data needs to updated regularly it is necessary to have quick and easy access to the storage device.

Ability to change information –

Read/write storage is critical so that information can be overwritten at any time. A computer without some amount of read/write storage for primary storage purposes would be useless for many tasks. Modern computers typically use read/write storage also for secondary storage. Although some information can be stored once, sometimes called immutable storage, for tertiary and off-line storage.

Capacity and performance –

Storage capacity is the total amount of stored information that a storage device or medium can hold. It is expressed as a quantity of bits, mega bytes (MB) or Gigabytes (GB). Currently most secondary storage offer in excess of 1 – 500 gigabytes. The storage capacity requirements should be based on requirements and nature of data to be stored.

The performance is the rate at which the information is transferred from the CPU to the storage device. The general rule of thumb is that the faster the rate of transfer the better the device.

Current Method of Storage:

Mechanical hard drives are the most popular, by far. Followed by USB flash drives, flash memory cards, CDs and DVDs. However, many enterprises store backup and historical data into magnetic tapes. Currently there are 6 commonly used storage methods:

Direct Attached Storage (DAS) –

Direct-attached drives–the most common type of add-on storage–come in a single- or multiple-drive enclosure that typically hooks up to your PC via a USB 2.0, FireWire, or eSATA connection (eSATA is the latest and fastest of these types, but you’re likely to need an adapter to connect it to your computer). If you just want the storage drive to back up the internal disk inside the PC it’s attached to, a single drive works fine. A 500GB costs as low as US$175 to a 2 TB drive costing around US$2,000.

Portable Storage

Portable USB hard disks and flash drives are great for travel, for moving large files around the office, and for laptop backup. They can be a serious security risk if lost or stolen, however, so it’s imperative to use encryption software on any drive that might leave the office. The Lexar JumpDrive Lightning and the SanDisk Cruzer series are popular flash drives with strong encryption software. Add-on software like Migo’s Digital Vault ($30) will secure any USB hard disk or flash drive.

Examples of portable drives that you can power through your USB port include Maxtor’s OneTouch III Mini, Toshiba’s Portable External Drive, and Western Digital’s Passport. Prices are typically $100 to $200 for 100GB to 250GB drives. Note, however, that the disks in these compact cases tend to be 5400-rpm laptop drives, which are considerably slower than the 7200-rpm drives used in desktop PCs.

Hot Tip: Online Storage –

SMEs can give employees easy access to shared files from anywhere in the world, by using online storage services. The downside is that they are slower to use than local disks, which makes them a poor choice for storing huge files.

– Yahoo has introduced a new monthly Web hosting service for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), priced at US$11.95 a month which provides unlimited hosted storage capacity and bandwidth.

– ElephantDrive.com offers an economical service for businesses (1TB of storage for $350 a year), including selective or automatic backups, encryption, file sharing, Web browser access, and multiple user accounts.

– Carbonite.com’s is ideal for individual computers, offering automatic, continuous backup service costs $50 per year, with unlimited storage.

– Amazon’s S3 Storage offers similar pricing options.

Network Attached Storage (NAS) –

For most small businesses, a NAS drive is the best option for central file storage and backup. NAS drives also provide Web and FTP access to your files, and act as print servers. After initial setup, NAS drives require little administration (a boon for small businesses without IT staffs), and they can be secured with encryption and passwords. For top performance, choose models with gigabit ethernet connections, and make sure you have gigabit routers and switches in your office. Backups can be bandwidth intensive.

Two excellent NAS products designed for small businesses are the Iomega StorCenter Pro 150d ($800 for 1TB, $1100 for 2TB, or $1700 for 3TB) and the Netgear ReadyNAS NV+. Both of these devices are hot-swappable, and they offer RAID 1 and 5 support, gigabit ethernet, Web-based administration, and software for backing up local drives.

Storage Array Network (SAN) –

SAN’s have become common place in the SME segment due to need for more performance and data protection. These are designed for the SME customer and offer peace of mind in term of capacity growth (up to 120TB), and performance.

Disk to Disk Backup (D2D) and Virtual Library Systems (VLS) –

Thanks to the increased affordability and capacity of Disk systems, SME customers are more than willing to backup and safeguard their data on dedicated disk backup systems. Reduced backup windows and the need for quick restores are the main drivers to adopt a D2D policy. While the VLS solution is geared towards 2-stage backup. First to disk and then de-staged to tape, if required.

TAPE –

Tapes that are not accessed don’t use energy, they have an incredible low $/GB cost and can be vaulted in a secure area. For all the new technologies in the market, tape is here to stay. According to Mr. Wolfs, “HP is the uncontested tape leader. This prompts us to further develop this technology. The latest LTO-4 tape technology has more capacity and performance, has embedded 256-bit encryption and is…Green”

Robotic storage –

Robotic storage is used for backups, and for high-capacity archives in imaging, medical, and video industries. Tape libraries may have from 10 to more than 100,000 slots, and provide terabytes or petabytes of near-line information. Optical jukeboxes are somewhat smaller solutions, up to 1,000 slots. Large quantities of individual magnetic tapes, and optical or magneto-optical discs may be stored in robotic tertiary storage devices.

The Future of Storage:

Whatever the future of Storage Media, they will have to meet several requirements. First and foremost these media will have to store more information in a smaller form factor. The ease of use of Flash Drives has greatly contributed to its success, as it is used in all kinds of devices alike. We believe that future data storage media solutions need to offer built-in security, be dependable and become widely accepted as a de-facto standard. However, the example of the Floppy Disk sheds some light on a major concern: Backwards compatibility.

Leading Storage companies:

EMC Corporation – EMC solutions and services help organisations of all sizes design, build, and manage intelligent, flexible, and secure information infrastructures.

Quantum Corp. – the leading global storage company specializing in backup, recovery and archive.

QLogic – is a leading supplier of high performance storage networking solutions, which include the controller chips, host adapters (HBAs), and fabric switches that are the backbone for most global corporations.

Finisar Corporation – enable high-speed communications for networking and storage applications over Gigabit Ethernet Local Area Networks (LANs), Fibre Channel Storage Area Networks (SANs), and Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) using both IP and SONET/SDH-based protocols.

Fibrenetix Storage Ltd – is recognized for cutting-edge technology and has successfully developed a comprehensive range of enterprise-class RAID and NAS systems that combine quality, reliability, and the best price/performance ratio in the storage industry.

 

Specific to the Middle East customers are very well informed about the need for data storage and protection. Major Storage Industry Associations such as SNIA, hold their yearly conferences in the region. This is a welcome situation, as the market is very quick in adopting new solutions.

As the market for better and more cost effective data storage devices grows, manufacturers of external storage devices will keep developing products that meet the demand of the market. Most external storage manufacturers such as HP work closely with their partners to deliver storage and server solutions to accelerate their business growth while minimizing costs and risks.

Solid State Disks (SSD) are the drives of the future. They host no moving parts, thus eliminating seek time, latency and other elctro-mechanical delays. They offer numerous advantages from faster access, more durability, low power consumption and less heat dissipation. SSD prices are relatively high, but are expected to drop in a year or two, which is all good news for SME’s looking to retain and access valuable data.