VMware and Novell announced an expansion to their strategic partnership with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement through which VMware will distribute and support the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating system. Under the agreement, VMware also intends to standardize its virtual appliance-based product offerings on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

Customers who want to deploy SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for VMware in VMware vSphere virtual machines will be entitled to receive a subscription to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server that includes patches and updates as part of their newly purchased qualifying VMware vSphere license and Support and Subscription. Under this agreement, VMware and its extensive network of solution provider partners will also be able to offer customers the option to purchase technical support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server delivered directly by VMware for a seamless support experience. This expanded relationship between VMware and Novell benefits customers by reducing the cost and complexity of deploying and maintaining an enterprise operating system with VMware solutions.

More information at www.vmware.com/go/sles-for-vmware

Array Networks Inc., a global leader in secure application delivery, today announced the launch of the DesktopDirect iPad application, which enables full remote desktop access for enterprise users. Businesses can now provide employees with direct access to their work computers and all Windows applications via the iPad, without risking data leakage – effectively transforming the iPad into a comprehensive business tool. Designed specifically for the iPad, the application takes advantage of the iPad’s full screen size to provide a complete view of remote computer desktops, thereby greatly enhancing productivity for users accessing business applications that are not available for the iPad.

Array Networks designed the DesktopDirect iPad application with two key enterprise challenges in mind: full application availability and security. With just a few clicks, iPad users can work within the familiar environment of their office desktops, from any remote location. Because the application only transmits video, keyboard, and mouse information, Windows compatibility problems and security risks are eliminated completely. Applications and data stay on the office computer, extending existing security and compliance standards to the remote employee’s location.

VMware, Inc.announced the worldwide availability of VMware Fusion 3.1 – the best way to run Windows on the Mac – as a free update to all VMware Fusion 3 users.

With more than 20 new features, key highlights of VMware Fusion 3.1 include:

Faster,Better 3D Graphics Performance,Switch to Mac with Ease,USB EasyConnect,Unity,Support for Larger Virtual Machines,Availability and Pricing.

More information at http://www.vmware.com/company/news/releases/fusion3-1-ga.html

This designation indicates that DSS V6 (Data Storage Software V6) has passed a detailed evaluation and testing process managed by VMware and is now listed on the VMware Hardware Compatibility List.

Passing the extensive VMware specified testing helps ensure that Open-E Data Storage Software V6 (DSS V6) offers the best use with VMware technology and is ready for deployment in customer environments.

The VMware Ready program is a VMware co-branding program for qualified partner products and is a benefit of the VMware Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program. With more than 1,300 members worldwide, the VMware TAP program works with best-of-breed technology partners to provide them a comprehensive set of VMware technical and marketing services, support, tools and expertise to deliver enhanced value to joint customers.

More information about DSS V6 at http://en.open-e.com/news/press-releases/2010/open-e-data-storage-software-v6-dss-v6-achieves-vmware-ready-status/ 

Arkeia Software provides comprehensive backup and recovery solutions for Novell Open Enterprise Server and NetWare platforms by integrating with the Storage Management Services (SMS) API.

Arkeia Network Backup ensures consistent and reliable backup and recovery operations.  SMS also ensures backward and forward compatibility with any new features or interfaces that are added to later versions.  Arkeia Software offers specialized backup agents for GroupWise, eDirectory, and supports Novell Storage Services (NSS) file systems.  Combined with the robust features of the SMS API, the Arkeia Network Backup suite of products provides a comprehensive data protection solution for Novell environments.

For more information about Novell Storage Services File System, Novell GroupWise, Novell eDirectory, Extended Novell Suse Linux Support at http://www.arkeia.com.

Hosting companies face increasing pressures to differentiate their services. Whether you offer dedicated,  shared  or managed hosting, challenges persist such as high churn, increasing support costs, and decreasing ARPU (average revenue per unit). Data backup represents a proven opportunity for hosting companies to expand their service offerings to existing customers.

Hosting companies choose Arkeia Network Backup to build profitable backup businesses because of Arkeia’s speed, flexibility, and support for the technologies used in hosting data centers. Hosting companies use Linux to deliver hosted services because it is a robust, cost-effective, and flexible platform and Arkeia offers the markets strongest support for Linux.

Similarly, hosting companies are starting to adopt virtualization  because it improves the efficiencies of server deployment and management. What more, hosting companies value the consistent architecture, the support for command-line and graphical management, and ease by which Arkeia Network Backup can be customized. Learn more about the technical features that make Arkeia Network Backup a great fit for hosting companies.

Finally, unlike other backup vendors, Arkeia does not sell backup services to compete with hosting companies. Arkeia offers special pricing and extensive technical support to help hosting companies build a profitable backup business. Arkeia’s software application, hardware appliances, and virtual appliances can be combined to allow hosting companies to offer backup services in unique ways to create market differentiation, reduce churn and increase ARPU.

CommuniGate Systems announced the release of VoicePlus; the onlyprofessional quality High Definition IP telephony solution designed specifically for the small office. The product is based on the resilient and battle tested carrier-grade technology that CommuniGate Systems has become renowned for over the past twenty years. Perfect for small businesses that do not have a large IT staff or budget, VoicePlus is exceptionally easy to manage, and practically runs itself!

CommuniGate Systems recognizes the rocketing penetration of Apple products into the enterprise market and have optimized VoicePlus for Apple platforms. VoicePlus can run on a Mac Mini and will consume less power than a Child’s night light at full power. The Mac Mini running VoicePlus can power Enterprises with even more than a 1,000 users, just by adding inexpensive external NAS solutions. VoicePlus echoes the quality and reliability of Apple hardware, making it the first choice for professional business users, including doctors, creative agencies, design agencies, architects, legal offices and any professional organization that needs low power, low noise, low maintenance IP telephony with click and forget about it reliability.

The VoicePlus client technology Pronto! works across all Apple Mac computer platforms, and offers real-time wireless synchronization with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

VoicePlus delivers enterprise grade High Definition IP telephony features in a small business friendly, affordable package:

* CommuniGate Pronto! 3, the Flash based soft-phone and Unified Communications client that runs in any web browser on desktops, laptops or netbooks
* Complete telephony support, including conference calling, call handling, call screening, voicemail and many more enterprise-grade features.
* Powerful admin and user interfaces for feature activation, call planning, administration and provisioning
* Support for a wide range of industry standard HD Voice IP desk phones, including Thomson, Polycom and Snom
* The industry’s lowest hardware requirement and power consumption
* Built-in and optimized HD Voice with special techniques for home office users
* Micro-Dynamic Cluster enabled with 2 cluster node licenses for exceptional five 9’s reliability and performance

VoicePlus is a complete small business communication solution, offering a full IP telephony platform combined with exceptional Unified Communication functions, ready to support the evolving requirements of the small business:

* eDisc, a simple yet powerful way to share files and collaborate, with windows, Mac, or Linux computer systems
* WebCals, a powerful way to publish or subscribe to Calendars, even on external systems such as Outlook/ Exchange users
* Business Grade IM, with support for Multi-party chat rooms, and external integration to Google’s gTalk, and Exchange running the XMPP gateway service
* Email, collaboration tools and much more

recovery solutions for desktop and server operating systems.

Available from now on, these new agents leverage Microsoft Volume Shadow-Copy Services (VSS) and are part of the roll-out of Arkeia Network Backup v8.2. The release supports both Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtual environment and the 2010-editions of Exchange and SharePoint.

With specialized agents, applications and databases such as Exchange Server, SQL Server, SharePoint, and Hyper-V are protected without any interruption in service. Although the Arkeia catalog server is only available on Linux and UNIX platforms, Windows is a supported platform for the media server, allowing organizations to take advantage of storage devices attached to Windows machines.

The standard Windows file agent allows administrators to backup and recover:

* Open files on VSS supported operating systems
* COM+ data structures
* Windows Registry
* Certificate Service
* Event Logs

Additionally, the Windows Server agent can backup Active Directory database and logs with an optional license.

More information at http://www.arkeia.com/microsoft?utm_campaign=Arkeia%20Version%208.2%20GA%20Today%3B%20Microsoft%20VSS%20and%20Novell%20SMS&utm_content=nsscorp@arkeia.com&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_term=www.arkeia.com%2Fwindows 

  complete and widely deployed virtualization platform, has been recognized by a number of publications for excellence as a virtualization infrastructure. VMware vSphere 4 provides the foundation to transform data centers into dynamic and simplified cloud infrastructures, enabling organizations to deliver the next generation of flexible, reliable IT services through private clouds, public clouds, and hybrid cloud environments.

Since its launch in May 2009, VMware vSphere 4 has received the following awards:

ChannelWeb – Best Products of 2009

CRN Netherlands – Outstanding Product of the Year 2009

E-Manufacturing – 2009 Editor’s Choice

eWeek UK –  Lab Analysts Choice Awards 2009

InformationWeek – Best of Interop Awards 2009

InfoWorld – 2009 Technology of the Year Award

NetWorld – Product of the Year 2009

PC Pro – Business Software of the Year 2009

SearchServerVirtualization.com – Product of the Year 2009

ZDNet China – 2009 Annual Virtualization Product

Arkeia Network Backup version 8.1 in the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS partner repository, now available on www.ubuntu.com. Arkeia’s products have been packaged with Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, the previous Ubuntu distribution with Long Term Support (LTS) release.

Arkeia Software was the first professional network backup solution for Linux and has supported the community since 1999. Today, Arkeia continues to provide the deepest and broadest support for Linux and open source with more than 100 Linux platforms supported. Fully-licensed Arkeia Network Backup, Ubuntu Enterprise Edition can be downloaded from the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS partner repository by using the Synaptic Package Manager or with the ‘apt-get Arkeia’ command.

The free Ubuntu Enterprise Edition license includes:
•    One Arkeia Backup Server running on Ubuntu LTS
•    Two Arkeia Backup Agents for Linux / BSD machines or Windows / Mac desktops
•    Up to 250GB of backup to disk
•    Support of any single tape drive

Between continually (and faster) growing data volumes and the need for primary and backup copies in addition to more copies for compliance, business continuity/disaster recovery, and testing, storage remains a major component of IT budgets.

One product helping to address these storage challenges is DSS V6 (Data Storage Software V6), an integrated file and block storage management operating system from Open-E. Unlike many other storage systems, DSS V6 can handle both NAS (file) and SAN (block) activity and supports iSCSI, InfiniBand, and Fibre Channel functionality all in a single unified storage application for file-sharing and storage consolidation.

DSS V6 also provides a mix of advanced features previously only available to companies with large enterprise budgets, which means a DSS-based solution can be used for storage and back-up activities such as high availability (via Automatic Failover and Failback) and disaster recovery (using Remote Mirroring). The results are greater overall performance and value through better data security, increased fault tolerance, and improved availability.

According to Krzysztof Franek, CEO and president of Open-E, Open-E DSS V6 runs on x86-compatible systems and is based on a Linux kernel, the XFS file system, and a number of Linux components. DSS can run either on bare metal systems or as a virtualized appliance, and DSS combines the ease of use that today’s SMEs want with the advanced features that enterprise users (and many smaller businesses) need. Open-E DSS V6 competes with storage server software, which must be installed on hardware, and with storage appliances. 

More information at  http://en.open-e.com/news/

* Ability to disable encryption on Site-to-Site VPN.
* For DNS based health checks public DNS servers can be included as health check targets.
* Mobile Internet connection can stay disconnected when in standby mode.

Several bug fixes are included too.
Note that all Peplink devices should be running the same firmware version (5.1.2) to participate in the same Site-to-Site VPN network. 

Contact NSS Sales department for more information.

Arkeia Network Backup Version 8.2 offers new agents for backup and recovery of VMware and Hyper-V virtual environments. Also new is support for Microsoft Exchange 2010, SharePoint, and SQL Server, as well as Novell’s, GroupWise, eDirectory and iFolder.

V8.2 is scheduled to be generally available in May 2010. For more information contact us  at sales@nss.gr

Balance 1350 is designed to meet the requirement for gigabit throughput and extra WAN ports. With this new flagship model, you can have up to 1.5Gbps throughput and 13 Internet links. The new Balance 580 is another great choice for aggregating extra WAN links. As a high performance mid-range model, the 580 can support up to 250Mbps throughput and 5 Internet links.

1. Site-to-Site VPN Bandwidth Bonding (available with Peplink Balance 210 or above only)

2. USB 3G Modem Supported (available with Peplink Balance 380 or above only)

3. Turbo-charged User QoS (available with Peplink Balance 210 or above only)

4. Classify users in User Groups for different levels: Manager, Staff, Guest (available with Peplink Balance 380 or above only)

5. Bandwidth Control on a group- and user-level (available with Peplink Balance 380 or above only)

6. Traffic Prioritization (available with Peplink Balance 210 or above only)

7. New Outbound Policy: Overflow (available with Peplink Balance 210 or above only)

8. CPU Utilization & Traffic Metter

9. Read-Only User Account

10. Active Session Filter

11. Client List with Bandwidth Infomation

12. VRRP Slave Configuration Synchronization (available with Peplink Balance 210 or above only)

13. Built-in WINS Server

PRX Traffic Manager Developments

The following new features will be available on all PRX Traffic Managers with the next firmware release due before the end of the first quarter of 2010:

– Realtime host and flow statistics
– Extended read-only SNMP support
– Subprotocols enable operators to treat specific application activities individually, for example Skype: Skype-Out, Skype-Voice; BitTorrent: encrypted, unencrypted; MSN: voice, file transfer.

For more information click here

WebDAV access to file storage and file store ACLs
eDisc (File sharing), making the server essentially a FileServer that customers can access any time, any place

File store subscription
Allows to “subscribe” to others’ files and file store folders

AIRSYNC improvements
Extends AIRSYNC support, so now you can sync two business phones with a more accurate synchronization algorithm

Personal contact details propagation
Extends XMPP supports, making it possible to broadcast your contact details changes (including photo or avatar) to other XIMSS/XMPP users

Calendar Publication
WebCals, a powerful way to Publish or Subscribe to Calendars even if the other party is on Exchange, Notes, or using a Mac

Multi-Party IM
Multi-party IM, or “chat rooms” for groupware and improved team collaboration

HD Voice
Support for HD Voice using iSAC codecs from Global IP Solutions

For more information click here

As the battle for the elusive SMB customer moves into FMC, this whitepaper looks at how HD Voice can differentiate and add value to the network operators’ offerings for business subscribers.

HD Voice is a revolution in telephony that has been decades in the making, and now with virtually ubiquitous high speed internet access, VoIP has found its place. VoIP no longer needs to be considered a cheap or toll-dodging alternative, with HD Voice the value is clear.

To download the White Paper press here

Product release includes over 100 new exciting features, including:

• HD Voice: Experience the new standard of voice communications, with exceptional, high definition clarity.
• Pronto ! 3.0: Including a redesigned user interface, improved chat and calling features and exciting new features such as social networking and Twitter .
• eDisk: Secure file-sharing with industry standard access from PC, Mac and Linux operating systems (WebDAV protocol is implemented).
• Calendar Sharing: Subscribe and publish calendars with colleagues, partners and customers over the internet and mobile networks
• Business Grade IM: Reliable, secure instant messaging with chat room and conversation history.

Some of the highlights for the Business focused products (MessagePlus, VoicePlus for the SMB):

High Definition Voice in both MessagePlus and VoicePlus
Dramatically improved features and usability in Pronto! 3.0, including social networking, Twitter and hundreds of other improvements
VoicePlus now includes a 0x2 cluster configuration as standard and brand new, intuitive user interfaces for self care and domain administration