Link Development launches Windows 8 app for GITEX

60 MinsShow dates: 14-18 October 2012, Dubai World Trade Centre | AT GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK | Exhibition hours: 11am -6pm

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Open source is Middle East’s golden opportunity: Microsoft

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Symantec shares best practices for SMB cloud adoption

Interquartz debuts industrial telephones

Strategic ICT Partner Technology Partners

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More than 138,000 visitors to Gitex, the foremost technology show in the region, will have a seamless high-tech Gitex experience this year thanks to the collaboration between Microsoft, LINK Development and The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organisers of Gitex Technology Week 2012.

Collaboration between the three corporations, each an industry leader, led to showcasing the most trending application built on Microsoft technology, even before the official launch of Windows 8 towards the end of October. The app will provide show visitors an easy navigation path through different parts of GITEX.

This new world premier for Dubai and the region will give visitors an exclusive sneak preview and experience of the Windows 8 app for Gitex before the official launch of Windows 8 later this month. Visitors to the technology gala will be greeted with the app and guided through it.

LINK Development has developed a new Windows 8 mobile application exclusively for Gitex to bring the event to life through technology and

to give thousands of international, regional and local visitors to the premier ICT show in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MEASA), a unique way of staying in touch with the latest happenings, announcements and an easy way to find the location of exhibitors stands at the five-day event. This LINK Development Windows 8 app will bring a distinctive experience to GITEX for the first time in the Middle East.

Designed especially for GITEX Technology Week, the new application aims to provide a new

experience to visitors by providing them in-depth prior information about more than 3,500 individual exhibitors from 77 countries and their products and services. Additionally, the visitors will have access to the agenda of the conferences and events throughout the week, thus bringing all the information together at a click of a button. This fast and fluid Gitex app features a high-end professional Windows 8 application design with a ‘par excellence’ usage of the screen, a great touch experience and pinch-to-zoom-in options.

Tarek El Araby, LINK Development’s Commercial Director

Symantec shares best practices for SMB cloud adoption

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Open source is Middle East’s golden opportunity: Microsoft Microsoft surprised some people in the industry when it decided to create a wholly owned subsidiary for its open source business, known as Microsoft Open Technologies.

However, six months on and its Senior Director of Open Source Communities, Gianugo Rabellino, is adamant it was the right direction to take.

He confirmed that Microsoft has significantly increased its investment in open source in the past few years, and that the company has changed as a result.

“We have become more open, we love to listen to our customers and the developers, and we are well known for playing well with others. There are many business reasons for this continued shift – one of them being the cloud, which changes a lot of dynamics. In the continuation of this journey, at a certain point

we realised that Microsoft needed another tool, on top of the many it has, to better engage with open source communities and software,” Rabellino said.

“Doing that with a subsidiary is the most efficient way because it allows us to engage in a clearly defined manner. It is a way for us to be

more responsible, nimble and agile. The open source world moves at a very fast pace so having a separate subsidiary helps. What I really value in open source is the community aspect. Open source means working with others and this is what Microsoft Open Technologies has been built specifically for,” he added.

According to Rabellino, there is no greater region of opportunity for open source than the Middle East, due to its “incredible focus” on youth and entrepreneurship.

“This is where the next big thing is going to happen. I think that the cloud – being the best way to access resources on the cheap – along with open source - being a powerful enabler for people to start putting their ideas into execution - are a great mix. With open source, if you have an idea, you can executive it, you can run it and you have the

Samer Abu-Ltaif, Regional General Manager Microsoft Gulf

ability to show it to a worldwide audience,” Rabellino said.

Most importantly, Rabellino said that open source is the vehicle for new companies to significantly accelerate go-to-market strategies, and for young people to skip the conventional career ladder and make an immediate mark on an industry.

“I’ve been in open source for 20 years and we are now seeing how the most vibrant open source communities today are around the tools that developers use to build applications. We are seeing how open source is becoming a basis for the building blocks. Whenever I think open source I think communities and interaction, and Microsoft is embracing that,” he said.

GITEX visitors can check out Microsoft’s open source offerings at its stand B7-10 in Hall 7.

SafeNet back for an 11th year

Fidelis presents how to combat cyber attacks

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As an 11-year veteran of exhibiting at GITEX, SafeNet understands its importance in the Middle East IT market.

This year, the company is all about authentication-as-a-service and mass storage encryption, supported by its new key management platform.

“GITEX brings together key players from the industry and offers SafeNet the chance to showcase new products. This is the premier IT event in the Middle East, a key market for SafeNet, and is very important for the industry. Businesses plan their product releases and consumers hold their purchases until the event to reap benefits from attractive promotions and prices,” said Miguel Braojos, VP of Sales, SEMEA, SafeNet.

“We are happy to be taking part in GITEX again this year and intend to use it to launch into

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Fidelis Security Systems is attempting to set itself out from the security crowd at GITEX by showing exhibitors how to defend against advanced persistent threats and targeted customised attacks.

Cyber attacks have taken the region by storm this year and as such Fidelis’ GITEX exhibition theme centres on combatting such attacks.

“Today’s IT landscape is a battlefield and companies have been drafted into an epic good vs. evil struggle. We are showing how our award-winning product, Fidelis XPS, has a unique approach to advanced threat defence to give organisations a powerful tool to deal with targeted and customised attacks and APTs,” said Peter G. George, President and CEO, Fidelis Security Systems.

According to George, the ongoing battle to protect

an organisation’s protected and sensitive information requires sustained vigilance, as cybercriminals are determinedly focused on the theft of protected information and continually evolving their methods to bypass security measures.

“Fidelis XPS provides organisations with the network visibility, analysis, and control necessary to manage advanced threats, analyse forensics data more intelligently, and prevent data breach. Fidelis recently became part of General Dynamics and will now offer an even more robust, comprehensive portfolio of cyber security solutions to help organisations combat the most advanced cyber threats,” George said.

“Fidelis XPS defence-in-depth solution, mitigates and prevents the risks of today’s advanced and

persistent threats, with real-time session-level visibility, analysis, and control for bi-directional communications. By examining all network traffic--at protocol, application, user and content levels—either independently or

together for context, Fidelis XPS’ robust controls enhance the network security architecture,” he added.

Fidelis has reported to have seen a very positive response to its advanced threat defence approach in the Middle East.

“The number of Fidelis XPS solution evaluations in the Middle East region has dramatically increased in just the last few months with customers endorsing the value we bring to the market and we are confident we’ve got the best security solution proposition for them,” George said.

“We are confident the Fidelis momentum in the Middle East region is going to continue and that GITEX visitors will find the solution they are looking for in our booth,” he added.

Fidelis is exhibiting with its distributor Spectrami at stand B1-10 in Hall1.

Miguel Braojos, VP of Sales, SEMEA, SafeNet

another year of fantastic growth in the Middle East where we will showcase our market expertise and latest range of products as well as meet a number of existing and potential customers and partners from across the region.

GITEX serves as a reminder that the Middle East boasts one of the fastest growing IT markets in the world,” he added.

SafeNet is known to address a specific segment of customers, with finance institutions, government agencies, telcos and oil and gas companies recognising it as a prime supplier of security and encryption solutions.

The key trends influencing SafeNet’s approach to this year’s GITEX are security-as-a-service, storage encryption and the need to secure big data.

“The enterprise security perimeter is no longer the IT security defense line. Other highlights are increased cyber threat, compliance with international standards of data protection and enhanced data control and governance as major interest and discussion topics in the

IT security space,” Braojos said. “We are helping to build cutting

edge, advanced IT Infrastructure in the MEA region. This in turn, will help consolidate the economic growth and sustainable change paradigm in the region, with the most advanced infrastructure and IT security on par,” he added.

Braojos also refers to this year’s GITEX as a “very special edition” for SafeNet.

“We are presenting so many new and advanced products. Do not miss a pit stop at our stand to have a glimpse of the latest innovations and advances in IT security and encryption, and talk to the top-notch security experts that will be coming to Dubai for the show. Can you afford not to be up to date on IT threats and protection?” Braojos concluded.

SafeNet is exhibiting at stand D2-10 in Hall 2.

Peter G. George, President and CEO, Fidelis Security Systems

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Symantec shares best practices for SMB cloud adoptionWith Symantec announcing that a majority of SMBs in the UAE ready for cloud adoption as per the results of its 2012 SMB Cloud Adoption Survey, the company recommends best practices for selecting the right cloud provider and to ensure they achieve all the simplicity, affordability and efficiency the cloud has to offer.

• Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Research cloud service providers before making any decisions. The service provider’s reputation and how long they have been offering cloud services should trump their actual size. Look for a cloud specialist with reputable technology that knows the industry.

• Understand Your Security Needs: There has been much hype surrounding the security of the cloud, but there is very little difference between the trust you place in your Internet Services Provider (ISP) and/or your other technology vendors. With that in mind, every organisation’s security needs and expectations are different so it’s important to understand how the vendor can meet those needs.

• Know the Basics of Data Back-up: Know how the cloud provider backs up data and in

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the worst-case scenario, what would happen if they went out of business or if you wanted to move data to another provider. Get a feel for the provider’s storage reputation, the number and location of their data centers and redundancy of their infrastructure.

• Secure Good SLAs: The best way to ensure good service is with solid Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with clear contractual language. Look for vendors who define and utilize SLAs as part of their value proposition.

• Evaluate Customer Service Standards: The best customer service departments for cloud services are staffed with cloud specialists who are available 24x7. Ensure that your chosen vendor’s customer service specialists can meet your organization’s needs.

• Test the Service: A key advantage of cloud services is that it makes it easy to deploy a free trial and most vendors offer this to those considering their services. Start small with the trial and once satisfied, you can expand the service to include confidential data and other mission-critical systems.

Conducted in September 2012 through the third party research company YouGov, Symantec’s 2012 SMB Cloud Adoption Survey was conducted in UAE and asked more than 200 small business owners and IT influencers about their views and adoption of cloud services. Research found that 46%– of SMBs in the UAE who are not currently using cloud services for business purposes are considering or are likely to adopt this technology in the near future.

Symantec is located at the entrance of Hall 3, Stand D3-1 with experts on hand to discuss the company’s latest innovations in the security space while indulging audience in demonstration pods in collaboration with its channel partners from across the region. In addition, The Symantec.cloud portfolio and experts from Symantec.cloud will also be showcased in the Cloud Confex in Hall 6, Stand CLD-23.

Interquartz debuts industrial telephones

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PFU rolls out smart scannerPFU, a Fujitsu company, has launched ScanSnap in the Middle East and Africa region at GITEX Technology Week 2012. The portable device has seen strong level of adoption in the US, Europe and Japan, in recent years, with an estimated 1,000 devices sold worldwide daily.

The product is geared towards the user who does not rely on day-to-day scanning, but is however, looking for an easier and smarter way to organise and manage their scanned documents. “It’s designed as more of a productivity tool than a scanning device. If you’re working on an office you have very sporadic scanning requirements and you’re not an expert, so with it you can get these

tasks done very easily, and quickly, and convert them to Word or Excel file, or even scan directly to e-mail or the cloud,” says Paul Brown, Partner Manager, Middle East at PFU.

There are three versions of the device, one completely powered by USB designed for on-the-go use, a second device with a power adopter option, and finally a full-size desktop model, which requires more power. All of these decives use one uniform interface and application that can be used on all three, and is available on the App store to be used on all iPhone and Android devices.

“Scanning technology is an area that’s growing very fast. We still feel that here in the Middle East, there is room for growth as desk scanning

hasn’t been adopted on a wide level. We also have plans to create an Arabised interface for the software for this technology. So with all of this going on it makes sense for us to market this product in the Middle East,” says Brown.

In terms of price, ScanSnap, will start in the range of AED 1,000 and will be available through the company’s distribution and reseller partners. However, Paul sees the value proposition to be very convincing, especially among SMEs who are looking for more simple, smart and flexibly solutions that will save them time. “If you look at the traditional way people scan, the use is very limited, you just get an image file. With ScanSnap, you get new

technology that lets you easily manage and organise all of the documents that you scan. It’s an extremely effective solution available in a box, that provides flexibility and time saving for companies, especially a great value proposition for SMEs,” Brown adds.

PFU has been participating with its distribution partner Forefront Technologies at GITEX for over 17 years, and for Paul this is year number twelve at the annual exhibition. Paul describes GITEX as a “great opportunity to showcase your broad to a broad spectrum of peopleAt this stage, the company’s goal is to get through the education stage, to better familiarise customers with what they can actually do with the product.

UK-based manufacturer Interquartz has exhibited at GITEX for 10 years, but little have been more significant that this year as it marks its 11th year with a new range of phones that target an industrial vertical.

The company has always been associated with the office space, as well as also product phones for hotel rooms, but Charles Wiliams, International Business Director, Interquartz, said it wants to move away from that.

“Previously we were producing for a business environment, like desk phones for offices, and phones for hotel rooms. This is a complete change of scope in that respect because these are outdoor products and are aimed at industrial environments. We did this because the analogue space is not a growing space. IP is the growing trend in the office space, so we wanted to differentiate ourselves by doing

something slightly different to what everyone else is doing,” Williams said.

“We’ve been coming here for 11 years, but this year is different for us. The big product for us this year is the new range of industrial telephones aimed at oil fields and rigs and other

harsh environments. We have an analogue GSM, as well as some flat screen industrial telephones that are fully waterproof and virtually explosion proof. There’s quite a good market for that, particularly in this region,” he added.

The new range of phones is launching this week at GITEX, where Williams hopes to raise awareness as well as meet with distributors.

“We’re here to raise awareness on these phones but also after being here for 11 years I know a lot of people so it’s about meeting those people and meeting up with the distributors throughout the region as well,” he said.

Whilst the types of phones on offer are not new to the market in general, Williams said they do offer new features to the market in terms of what’s inside the phones.

“The phones are self-reporting. That means they can actually tell you what’s

happening with the phone when there is an issue, which the current phones on the market don’t do,” Williams said.

He added that the response in the region so far has been positive, and that he sees the Middle East as a big region for the company moving forward.

“Initially, from the emails we sent out prior to the exhibition, people are responding very well to these new phones so hopefully that continues this week,” he said.

“This will hopefully be a big region for us, and that includes expanding into Africa and Asia. The Middle East is a very strong market. There’s a lot going on and there’s a lot of opportunity. Emerging regions are very significant to our global strategy because they are much less mature and therefore to us as a manufacturer much more attractive.”

Interquartz is exhibiting at stand Z-J36 in Zabeel Hall.

Charles Wiliams, International Business Director, Interquartz