This post was written by Christie Feeder
Samsung’s Q1 Ultra delivers several notable improvements over the original Q1. Its base model substitutes a physical 60-gigabyte hard drive for the fast but expensive flash-based drive on the original Q1. Though it saves on cost, the downside to a physical drive is that it’s more prone to damage and it drains more energy. The processor’s lower operating frequency, coupled with just 1GB of cache memory, makes for a very leisurely stroll. The Q1 Ultra certainly is not for everybody but it is a good substitute mobile computer for specialized needs.
Sony’s Vaio UX is one of best designs offering a solid feel in your hands and a hideaway keyboard that’s revealed when you slide up a bright 4.5-inch touch screen. Every control button seems to be laid out perfectly, with none of the awkwardness of some rivals. Its screen is a joy to use. As for its keyboard the reach of your thumbs might become a problem, particularly if you have smaller hands. All in all, it is better designed than most, but cheaper—and more mobile—alternatives abound.
3Com’s Gigabit Switch 8 is designed for the needs of the small office, with the network with high performance, speed of delivery so that data can be more. It automatically finds the fastest connection speed, the autosensing 10/100/1000 ports automatically adjust to the speed of network devices communicating at 1000, 100, or 10 Mbps, so the switch can accommodate a range of workgroup applications. So do not hesitate to use the 3Com Gigabit Switch 8, because of the high-speed, high-quality and reliability.
Citrix Systems and Microsoft Inc. have co-developed an all-in-one device for delivering applications to branch offices. The new Citrix Branch Repeater is the latest in a breed of products aimed at simplifying remote office IT infrastructure by consolidating functions into a single piece of hardware. Citrix Branch Repeater is intended for “application delivery,” including application virtualization, network optimization, and some Windows services. Unlike Cisco, Citrix and Microsoft didn’t include routing capabilities in the box. Inside Citrix Branch Repeater is a stripped-down version of Windows with file and print services, authentication, and networking services such as DHCP and DNS.
Telstra has rolled out 10,000 new Polycom phones across the company to provide Telstra IP telephony services to staff. The phones and services, the next step in the company’s upgrade from its internal CustomNet system, will operate across a single data network. According to the company, eliminating dual networks would lead to improved efficiency, productivity benefits and cost savings. The features would also improve employee efficiency. Telstra staff is now reaping the benefits of a network-based system that leverages the Telstra Next IP network to deliver high-definition voice and mobility.
ROBOBAK(TM) announced a new version of its software that cuts the time required for full remote backups of Microsoft Exchange databases by up to 90 percent or more. The result makes it possible for storage administrators to once again get a handle on email data protection requirements that have been increasingly spiraling out of control. It also provides them with the assurance that their email databases, containing multiple gigabytes or terabytes of corporate-critical information, can be easily and reliably backed up offsite.
SMC Networks announced the availability of the newest in its arsenal of networking products that make business more efficient for the SMB/e: the SMCBR21VPN Barricade™ VPN Router. The new SMCBR21VPN broadband router has a Virtual Private Network (VPN) server built in, enabling it to establish authenticated and encrypted tunnels for communication across the Internet. This makes SMCBR21VPN an ideal solution for remote corporate network access, whether from the branch office or a telecommuter. The new SMCBR21VPN Barricade VPN Router is available now at an MSRP of $449.99.
Cisco Systems Inc. has introduced a video surveillance solution based on the Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR) platform. The solution converges physical security over an IP network and can also work with non-IP video surveillance equipment to enable a migration to IP-enabled video surveillance. The solution will allow the large installed base of over 4 million Cisco ISR and new customers to deploy video surveillance as part of their existing infrastructure, while helping to reduce the total cost of ownership, improve operational flexibility, combine physical and network security, and enhance performance and reliability. The Cisco Video Surveillance solution is especially important in branch office deployments such as retail, banking and government where technical expertise is not readily available.
NETGEAR has announced that it has recently secured a QR 270,000 contract to implement a virtual private network (VPN) solution that will link the ‘Zakat Fund’ Headquarters to its 10 branch offices all over Qatar. Utilising its VPN Firewall routers FV538 and DGFV338, NETGEAR will implement the VPN solution using ADSL Internet services, thereby eliminating the need for costly dedicated link or static IP from the ISP. NETGEAR’s comprehensive and affordable solution offers wired and wireless connectivity with business class protection for small office and remote/branch office users.
FalconStor Software Inc. has launched the FalconStor(R) Virtual Tape Library (VTL) OpenStorage Option for integration with the Veritas NetBackup OpenStorage API from Symantec. The FalconStor VTL OpenStorage Option, qualified by Symantec, ensures business continuity by speeding up and simplifying backup and recovery through integration of intelligent disk devices to NetBackup using high-speed Fibre Channel connections. The combination of FalconStor VTL and NetBackup simplifies management and increases flexibility in the storage backup and retrieval processes with such disk-based backup features as: