IBM to Acquire Platform Computing

IBM agreed to acquire Toronto-based Platform Computing, a developed cluster and grid management software for distributed computing environments. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Platform Computing currently serves over 2,000 clients including 23 of the top 30 largest global enterprises. Example customers include CERN, Citigroup, Infineon, Pratt & Whitney, Red Bull Racing, Sanger Institute, Statoil and University of Tokyo.



“IBM considers the acquisition of Platform Computing to be a strategic element for the transformation of HPC into the high growth segment of technical computing and an important part of our smarter computing strategy,�? said Helene Armitage, general manager, IBM Systems Software. http://www.ibm.com

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Progress on Africa Coast to Europe Submarine Cable

ACE, the Africa Coast to Europe submarine cable to be operational in the second half of 2012, landed today at the submarine cable station of Penmarc'h, Brittany, France.


The 17,000 km cable will provide access to the global broadband network for the first time for Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, and Sierra Leone. Mali and Niger will also be connected via the terrestrial network.


At the Penmarc'h station, ACE is connected to Sea-Me-We 3, the world's longest cable. The France Telecom-Orange Group is co-owner of this cable, which links Europe to Japan and Australia via India.
http://www.orange.com

• In June 2010, Alcatel-Lucent was awarded a turnkey contract valued at over US$500 million with Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), a newly formed consortium composed of 20 operators linking Cape Town in South Africa to Penmarch in France via a submarine cable network. With an ultimate design capacity of 5.12 Terabit per second (Tbps), ACE has built-in 40 Gbps. Its 17,000-km coastal route will link South Africa to France - via Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Tenerife (Spain) and Portugal -- and will have 21 landing points along the route. Commercial launch is expected in the first half of 2012.

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Washington Times: CIA Links Huawei to Chinese Intelligence Agency

The CIA-based Open Source Center has published a report linking Huawei Technologies with China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) Communications Department, according to The Washington Times. Huawei reportedly received $228.2 million from China's intelligence agency for research and development during the past three years has had close contact through its chairwoman, Sun Yafang. The report also alleges close ties with the People's Liberation Army.


The report is seen as a set-back for Huawei's attempt to enter the U.S. telecom market, where it has met numerous road blocks.http://bit.ly/nCfL7V

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ARRIS to Acquire BigBand for $53 Million

ARRIS will acquire BigBand Networks (NASDAQ: BBND) for $2.24 per share in cash, equating to approximately $172 million, or $53 million net of estimated BigBand cash on hand.


ARRIS said the acquisition will help it to better address upcoming video network evolution opportunities with a more complete offering. These opportunities include the Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) architecture defined by CableLabs, Local and Targeted Advertising, IP Video Distribution, and Advanced Video Processing and Compression.


BigBand, which is based in Redwood City, California, supplies a range of video-networking and ad-insertion platforms for IPTV operators and cable operators.


Upon closing, ARRIS plans to cut costs at BigBand by eliminating public company expenses and the alignment of sales, marketing, and R&D initiatives. ARRIS also anticipates that the transaction will be neutral to accretive on a non-GAAP basis for ARRIS shareholders by mid-2012 and will offer upside potential thereafter.

"We are both enthusiastic and optimistic about the BigBand acquisition because it builds on our stated business strategy of growing our current businesses into a more complete portfolio including a strong video product suite and investing in the evolution towards network convergence onto an all IP platform," said Bob Stanzione, ARRIS Chairman & CEO. "In addition, the acquisition offers new opportunities to expand our customer base worldwide. We are delighted to welcome the BigBand employees to ARRIS."

The board of directors of BigBand has unanimously recommended that the shareholders of BigBand accept the offer. Redpoint Ventures and ValueAct Capital Partners, holders of 32% of the outstanding shares of BigBand, have agreed to tender their shares in the offer and to vote their shares in favor of the merger agreement and against any other transaction, subject to the provisions of the agreement. Completion of the transaction is expected to occur in late 2011.http://

• For Q2 2011, BigBand reported total revenues of $19.8 million as compared to $26.4 million reported in the second quarter of 2010. GAAP net loss for the second quarter of 2011 was $8.2 million, or ($0.12) per share, compared to GAAP net loss of $9.6 million, or ($0.14) per share, reported in the second quarter of 2010.



• BigBand was founded in 1998 and completed its IPO in March 2007.



• In 2004, BigBand Networks acquired the IP Cable Business Unit of ADC Telecommunications, including its Cuda CMTS and FastFlow product lines.

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NYT's David Pogue: New iPhone Conceals Sheer Magic

Apple's new iPhone 4S earns a glowing review from New York Times columnist David Pogue, who describes Siri as "crazy good, transformative, category-redefining speech recognition."


The positive review builds on news that the iPhone 4S is breaking all sales records.http://nyti.ms/p5j7E4

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Neustar to Acquire TARGUSinfo for $650 Million

Neustar, a global leader in network addressing, routing and policy management, agreed to acquire TARGUSinfo, a leading, independent provider of real-time, on-demand information and analytics services including Caller ID, for approximately $650 million in cash.


TARGUSinfo's services help its customers identify, verify, score and locate their customers and prospects. It processes over 100 billion transactions per year. The company generated approximately $149 million in revenues for the twelve months ended September 30, 2011, representing 20% year-over-year growth, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 45%, excluding the impact of expenses associated with a 2010 TARGUSinfo recapitalization event.


Neustar said the acquisition expands its position in the $30 billion information services market. The transaction combines TARGUSinfo's leadership in Caller ID and online information services, such as lead verification and scoring, with Neustar's strengths in network information services, including address inventory management, network security, and marketing analytics.


"This transaction is a significant and logical step in our growth strategy,�? said Lisa Hook, president and chief executive officer of Neustar. “Neustar has long provided communications, media and marketing companies with insights derived from their own data. By combining with TARGUSinfo, we will be able to offer a much more diverse portfolio of services in the real-time information and analytics market."http://www.neustar.com
http://www.targusinfo.com

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ADTRAN Posts Record Q3 Revenue -- $192 Million

ADTRAN's Q3 2011 sales increased 18% to an all-time record level of $192,194,000 for the quarter, compared to $162,957,000 for the third quarter of 2010. Net income increased to $36,213,000 for the quarter, compared to $32,084,000 for the third quarter of 2010. Earnings per share, assuming dilution, increased to $0.56 for the quarter, compared to $0.50 for the third quarter of 2010.


ADTRAN Chief Executive Officer Tom Stanton stated, "Our Company's strong performance in the quarter included record revenue performances by our three main product areas, Broadband Access, Internetworking and Optical Access. Our Broadband Access category grew a stellar 93% over the third quarter of 2010. Our Internetworking category also showed a strong performance by growing 44%, and our Optical Access category grew 20%. These results allowed the company to achieve its sixth consecutive all-time record revenue quarter. With nearly 80% of our revenues coming from these high growth areas, we feel the Company is well positioned for the future."http://www.adtran.com

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Box.net Raises $81 Million for its Cloud Storage

Box, a start-up based in Palo Alto, California, raised $81 million in a Series D Expansion round of funding.


Box offers a cloud-based storage service that has attracted 7 million individuals and 100,000 businesses. The company reports 250,000 new users per month.


It notes significant traction in the enterprise, with adoption in 77 percent of the Fortune 500, and large deployments with companies including AAA, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, and McAfee, as well as an 18,000-seat deal with Procter & Gamble. Box has also rapidly scaled its team from 125 to nearly 300 employees in 2011 to date, including key senior hires from companies such as Cisco, EMC, Microsoft, NetSuite, and Oracle.


The new funding came from strategic investors salesforce.com and SAP Ventures, along with Bessemer Venture Partners, NEA, and prior investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Draper Fisher Jurvetson Growth. The new investment brings Box's total capital raised to $162 million.
http://www.box.net

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RIM Blames Second BlackBerry Outage on Switch Failure

Research in Motion suffered a second day of widespread outage and slow downs on its BlackBerry service across multiple carrier networks in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. In a tweet, the company blamed the problems on a core switch failure in its infrastructure.
http://www.rim.com

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BelAir's LTE+3G+Wi-Fi Metrocell Also Integrates Backhaul

BelAir Networks introduced a compact LTE+3G+Wi-Fi Metrocell featured integrated wireless backhaul and designed for massive, city-wide, small cell deployments.


The new BelAir2100 LTE/3G/Wi-Fi Metrocell, which builds on the company's existing portfolio of Carrier Wi-Fi solutions, supports multiple licensed bands, Carrier Wi-Fi access and a range of integrated wireless and wireline backhaul options in a small, robust and easy to install base station. The company is aiming the product at metropolitan in-fill coverage. BelAir said its design mitigates interference and enables full RF interoperability between the licensed band and Wi-Fi access radios.


Significantly, the unit will offer a bladed approach for 3G/LTE radio access. This will allow a carrier to use small cell radio modules compatible with their macro RAN infrastructure and perhaps even from the same vendors as their macro gear. The Wi-Fi capabilities could be used for offload from the cellular network or be configured for backhaul in a resilient mesh or point-to-point links. A series of units could be deployed in adjoining and intermeshed small cells requiring only electrical power.


"BelAir Networks has a track record of delivering market-making small cell solutions to help our customers save time, money and deliver improved services," said Bernard Herscovich, president and CEO, BelAir Networks. "We were the first to engineer Wi-Fi for the demanding carrier environment, first to successfully integrate Wi-Fi with licensed bands and now, with the BelAir2100 LTE/3G/Wi-Fi Metrocell, first to unlock the potential for outdoor small cells."


A few of the key features of the new BelAir2100 Metrocell:

• Combination of licensed band access with Carrier Wi-Fi and wireless backhaul in a small, easy to install form factor



• Support for multiple licensed band radios



• Integrated dual 802.11n Carrier Wi-Fi radios support Hotspot 2.0 (including 802.11u) standards for seamless secure roaming



• Scalable management supporting up to 100,000 metrocells in a single network



• Edge-based policy enforcement interfacing with carrier's policy management system



• Edge-based security



• Support for carrier-grade legal intercept



• Network wide mobility



• Integrated wireless and wireline backhaul options including high performance switched mesh.

http://www.belairnetworks.com

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Verizon Wireless Accelerates Bring-Your-Own-Device Trend with Mobile UC Client, Docking Station

Verizon Wireless introduced a Mobile Unified Communications Client (Mobile UC) for Android smartphones, making an employee's personal mobile number and business landline number both instantly accessible from the device. There is a $7 per month charge to use the client.


Calls initiated from the mobile phone's business identity are routed through the existing corporate IP PBX system and display the employee's business number to callers. Employees can access voicemail and other frequently used desk phone features, such as call hold, transfer and conference capabilities, from their smartphones, which helps increase productivity and support the mobile office experience.


Verizon Wireless' Mobile UC Client is compatible with leading IP PBX manufacturers, including Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.1.4 and above and Avaya Communication Manager 5.2 and above.


Verizon Wireless is also offering an enterprise-class Mobile UC Docking Station (sold as a complementary accessory) to connect Android smartphones to a business' Ethernet. Similar to a traditional office phone with standard functions, such as enterprise directory access, "do not disturb," speakerphone and voicemail, the docking station leverages Android smartphones to power the office phone experience. When the mobile phone is docked, it doesn't use wireless minutes for calls. The docking station is available for a one-time purchase price of $125 per station.


"The Mobile Unified Communications Client from Verizon Wireless revolutionizes the concept of the office phone," said Bill Versen, director, Advanced Mobile Communications, Verizon Wireless. "Convenience is key, especially when a professional spends time both in their traditional office as well as going on the road. The Verizon Wireless Mobile Unified Communications Client makes it a seamless, easy-to-use experience that satisfies the customer needs for simplification and lower cost solutions. In addition to being backed by the nation's most reliable network, the whole package is easy to deploy and to manage, so enterprises can reap the benefits of fixed mobile convergence without the need for additional hardware or sacrificing information security."



For more information about Verizon Wireless' Mobile Unified Communications Client, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/unifiedcommunications

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Sprint Sets Climate Protection Commitments

Sprint has joined the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program and set targets for reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Sprint's commitments include:

• Reducing Sprint's own greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2017. Sprint said its Network Vision architecture will be a driver toward reaching this goal.



• Partnering with device manufacturers and suppliers to measure, report and reduce their emissions.



• Identifying opportunities to reduce emissions associated with customers charging their mobile devices.



• Identifying opportunities for Sprint to help other companies reduce their emissions, particularly through our machine-to-machine partnerships.

"Our admission into World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program illustrates Sprint's commitment to making a difference by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Joining the Climate Savers program is an important part of our ongoing climate protection efforts. My hope is that our commitment encourages other companies to follow," stated Sprint CEO Dan Hesse in a keynote address at the CTIA conference in San Diego.


Sprint noted that its renewable energy strategy includes wind, solar, hydrogen fuel cells and geothermal power. Wind power provided more than 93 percent of the electrical energy needed for Sprint's Overland Park, Kan., headquarters campus in 2010. This wind power purchase provided a reduction of 78,173 metric tons of C02 equivalents in 2010. http://www.sprint.com

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Narus Delivers Deep Analysis of IP Traffic

Narus has introduced a cyber analytics application built on its flagship NarusInsight Traffic Intelligence system and designed to deeply analyze IP traffic in real time. The application provides security analysts with unparalleled insight into suspicious, malicious and anomalous network traffic to accelerate investigations.


The NarusInsight CyberAnalytics application examines enormous amounts of network traffic data quickly, reducing the time needed to discover, investigate and understand traffic of interest. Narus said this new tool provides security analysts with visibility into the traffic required to improve the overall health and security of critical networks. More specifically, it improves security analysts' ability to make decisions by proactively looking for “things�? that shouldn't be on their network. Using powerful on-demand analytics for stored “traffic at rest�? and live analytics for streaming “traffic in motion,�? the solution can examine enormous amounts of network traffic data quickly. This reduces the time needed to uncover potential issues that often escape detection using traditional solutions.


The solution also has the ability to visualize “big data�? over a longer period of time. Security analysts can see more relevant network traffic with a longer search window up to days, weeks or even months. Thanks to Narus' experience in metadata, the solution recognizes what data to collect, how to collect it and how to analyze it.


"Most solutions today detect what security analysts already know to look for, as is the case with signature-based attacks," said David Cavuto, director, product engineering, Narus. "NarusInsight CyberAnalytics is all about looking for what we don't know, which involves digging deep into the details of network traffic. This type of network insight is the cornerstone to establishing a healthy, secure network and improving the efficiency and productivity of the operations center." http://www.narus.com

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Narus Releases Early-Warning System for Cyber Attacks

Narus released its next generation cyber protection application built on its NarusInsight Traffic Intelligence system and designed to provide network operators with an early-warning system for cyber attacks such as advanced persistent threats.


The NarusInsight CyberProtection solution provides unprecedented visibility into the network, real-time traffic baselining, pinpoint alerting and continuous monitoring using patented adaptive anomaly detection engines. Narus said its patented adaptive anomaly detection engines continuously monitor the network's behavior, detecting anomalous behavior such as protocol and application tunneling while simultaneously analyzing network traffic in real time. Using these analytical engines, cyber threats are identified early so that network operators can take corrective action quickly.


"NarusInsight CyberProtection is an example of a new generation of adaptive technology used to defend against the fast-changing nature of cyber attacks, such as exfiltration of data and bot activity in an advanced persistent threat environment,�? said Neil Harrington, director, product management, Narus. “Network operators now have a powerful network infrastructure protection tool that provides unprecedented visibility into their entire network. NarusInsight CyberProtection sees what perimeter defenses miss and it detects anomalous behavior early. We help network operators understand normal versus nefarious behavior and provide an early-warning system against attacks." http://www.narus.com

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