Upcoming Meeting Notice

The Association of Service and Computer Dealers International (ASCDI) is a 30 year old, worldwide non-profit organization made up of companies who provide technology solutions, technical support or value added services to the business community.

Members and non-members are invited to learn how to grow your business, find new business opportunities, hear from industry representatives and enjoy some fabulous networking events at our conferences:

2011 USA FALL RECEPTION
September 14, 2011
Boston, MA

2011 EUROPEAN FALL CONFERENCE
October 26 - 28, 2011
Hamburg, Germany

2012 ASIA
February 2-3, 2012
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Dates for Malaysia are not firm yet. To be announced soon.

Click here for more information on ALL ASCDI MEETINGS, to view the agendas, lodging details, attendee lists and to REGISTER AT THE EARLY BIRD RATE.

Awards
Book review
Cable
Cloud
Dell
HP
IBM
Market
Partners
Social tools

Awards

Global Knowledge recognized as 2011 Microsoft Learning Competency Marketing Acceleration Partner of the Year
Global Knowledge proudly announces it has won the 2011 Microsoft Learning Competency Marketing Acceleration Partner of the Year Award. The company was honored among a global field of top Microsoft partners for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Awards were presented in multiple categories, with winners chosen from a set of more than 3,000 entrants worldwide. The Learning Competency Marketing Acceleration Award honors partners practicing leading-edge marketing and sales activities to drive skills and certification growth. This award recognizes Global Knowledge for demonstrating exceptional performance in market-share shift from grey market content to Official Microsoft Learning Products, leading the certification community, reaching net new markets, and experiencing significant growth in training market share. Global Knowledge also demonstrates alignment with advancing adoption and deployment of Microsoft technologies through training and certification.
Visit www.globalknowledge.com.
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Book review

IPv6 for Enterprise Networks
Reviewed by Jeff Owen, Independent IT Consultant

IPv4 has officially run out of assignable address space, so if you aren’t currently engaged in some level of implementing IPv6 odds are that you will be soon.This book is a guide for introducing and implementing IPv6 into the enterprise network.

Although this book assumes the reader is familiar with IPv6 and networking it is a useful guide and ongoing reference for anyone implementing, or planning to implement, IPv6 in their organization. As such it can help in your evaluation of, planning for, implementation and ongoing management/maintenance of an IPv6 network. It includes Website link information (e.g. ICANN and IANA URLs, IETF RCFs, other Cisco and Microsoft documentation) where appropriate in the text either as reference or additional reading.

Jeff Owen is an independent consultant with 30+ years experience in telecommunications/networking and IT. He can be reached at [email protected].

Authors: Shannon McFarland, Muninder Sambi, Nikhil Sharma, and Sanjay Hooda
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Cisco Press (April 2011)
ISBN – 10: 1-58714-227-9
ISBN – 13: 978-1-58714-227-7
List Price: $65.00; Amazon: $51.23
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Cable

Unique design of communications & data spool saves installation time & cost
An innovative new cable management spool for communications and data applications is now available from Cooper B-Line, a global provider of innovative, labor-saving support systems and enclosure solutions for engineered facility subsystem applications. Like many other products from Cooper B-Line, the adjustable cable management spool is simple to install, saving customers time and cost during installation. With pre-installed screws, the spool can be quickly mounted inside cable pathways, providing a tooless installation. The adjustable cable spool offers a range of benefits for end users, including a unique, expandable design that provides for in-and-out depth adjustability, easily adjusting from 5-inches to 8-inches without requiring tools. The adjustable cable spool’s 1⅛-inch radius serves to protect the cable bend radii. Cooper B-Line's full line of Communications and Data products includes steel and aluminum equipment racks and accessories, cable runways and accessories, cable management products, spring steel fasteners, Flextray wire basket, distribution frames, network bays, unequal flange racks and products for seismic zone 4 applications. 
Visit www.cooperbline.com.
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Cloud

Egnyte delivers the first cloud file sharing solution for HP's TouchPad
Egnyte, a leading provider of cloud file server solutions, announced the launch of Egnyte for the new HP TouchPad. This enterprise-class application delivers easy access to the cloud, while maintaining compliance with business rules set by information technology administrators. Data access with mobile devices is growing, with the average smartphone owner using 89 percent more data each month than a year ago, according to a report by Nielsen. Availability on HP's webOS tablet enhances the Egnyte Cloud File Server offering with an additional access point, providing simple and safe file sharing for mobile business users. Egnyte provides business users: secure access to business files stored in the cloud; easy file sharing using links or attachments; and centralized monitoring and control for IT. Egnyte for HP TouchPad is available now through the HP webOS App Catalog.
Visit www.hp.com/touchpad and www.egnyte.com.
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Dell

Dell KACE delivers first in new line of systems management appliances for small businesses
Dell KACE announced an innovative new line of systems management solutions developed specifically for small businesses. Applying its established technology to a new market segment, Dell KACE’s latest desktop management product offers small business IT managers an easy, cost-effective and reliable solution for routine IT tasks such as: hardware and software inventory, software license compliance and asset tracking and management. In addition, it gives them increased visibility into their IT network, enabling them to proactively address configuration issues before they undermine security. With a strong focus on ease-of-use, the new appliance is a true “plug-and-play” solution that virtually eliminates the repetitive and time-consuming tasks of software and hardware inventory management.
Visit www.dell.com/KACE.
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HP

HP accelerates customers’ path to open, hybrid cloud
HP announced enhanced integration of new VMware software within HP’s Converged Infrastructure, delivering industry-first capabilities that will accelerate the path to an open, hybrid cloud environment for customers. Specifically, HP announced:

• Improved performance, scalability and reliability through extensive VMware platform integration across all elements of HP Converged Infrastructure.

• Simplified maintenance and consistent security for dynamic environments with a unified security and management framework for VMware cloud infrastructure software across network, storage, servers and clients.

• Integrated turnkey solutions for virtualization and cloud that enable customers to transform their VMware virtualization investments into heterogeneous hybrid clouds.

• Single point of accountability with new HP services that provide comprehensive virtualization and cloud solution support.

Visit www.hp.com.
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IBM

IBM expands business in Japan with new cloud data centers
IBM announced a broad expansion of its cloud computing services for customers in Japan and in the Asia Pacific region with the opening of a new IBM Cloud Data Center in Japan and a dedicated data center for LotusLive, IBM's cloud collaboration service. The new facilities will extend IBM's globally-integrated cloud delivery network of cloud computing centers that serve in over 50 countries around the world with centers based in Singapore, Germany, Canada and the United States; and 13 global cloud labs, of which seven are based in Asia Pacific – China, India, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.The new IBM Cloud Data Center located in Makuhari, Japan delivers IBM's SmartCloud enterprise-class services which include a broad spectrum of secure managed services, to run diverse workloads across multiple delivery methods both public and private. For the first time, enterprise clients in Japan can select key characteristics of a public, private and hybrid cloud to match workload requirements from simple Web infrastructure to complex business processes, along five dimensions, including:  security and isolation; availability and performance; technology platforms; management support and deployment; and payment and billing.
Visit www.ibm.com/smartcloud.
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Market

PC market returns to positive growth
Worldwide PC shipments increased 2.6% in the second quarter of 2011 (2Q11), according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. The results are just short of IDC's May projections for 2.9% growth and represent a combination of a hangover from the more than 20% growth in the first half of 2010 as well as competition from smartphones, other consumer products and pressure from lackluster economic conditions. As in 1Q11, the United States and Western Europe were among the weaker regions, reflecting constrained demand in more mature markets, while emerging regions - particularly Latin America and Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) - fared better. "The U.S. PC market continued to contract in 2Q11, largely as a result of three factors. The first is an ongoing contraction in the Mini Notebook (Netbook) market and related inventories. The second is the impact of 2Q10's difficult-to-sustain 12% growth. And third, demand has softened as corporate buyers continue to focus on increasing share of their IT budget in new IT solutions such as cloud and virtualization, and consumer interest shifts to media tablets," says Rajani Singh, research analyst, United States Quarterly PC Tracker. "Given the weakness of 2H10, we expect a better market environment in 2H11 with mid-single digit growth rates in the third quarter's back to school and fourth quarter's holiday season."
Visit www.idc.com.
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Partners

Xerox flies high as Cirque du Soleil official partner
Flexibility, creativity and a legacy of innovation are three things Xerox Corporation has in common with its new partner, Cirque du Soleil. Xerox now is the exclusive provider of office equipment and document technology and services for Cirque du Soleil’s Big Top and Arena Touring shows in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Xerox will work with Cirque du Soleil at its headquarters, satellite offices and on its touring shows to simplify business processes and document management. In addition to providing managed print services, Xerox will help the show develop customized cross-media campaigns to engage new audiences and increase ticket sales. Xerox will host Real Business Live! and premium hospitality events in conjunction with performances to engage, entertain and educate its customers and prospects.
Visit www.xerox.com and www.cirquedusoleil.com.
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Social tools

IDC creates new social business maturity model
The business world has entered a new realm where consumer social networking dynamics have met enterprise reality. A recent social business survey by International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that 41% of respondents have some sort of social business initiative underway. A method of assessing social business maturity is needed both as a planning tool and as a way to determine a business' progress in adopting social technologies and methods. "2011 has seen rapid expansion of business change that is being driven by the social customer, empowered employees, and a convergence of new technical capabilities," said Michael Fauscette, group vice president, Software Business Solutions. "Businesses are deploying and using new social tools at an ever-increasing pace. This business change cycle is challenging the enterprise, but at the same time offering many new business opportunities. IDC has created the social business maturity model to help companies that are growing in their adoption of social business and want to optimize their use of social tools." IDC's Social Business Maturity Model consists of 5 stages: experimentation; compartmentalization; integration; operationalization; and optimization. The IDC study, Social Business Maturity Model (IDC #229292) can be used by organizations to assess their maturity in using social technologies and processes and using the current stage plan effectively for future successes.
Visit www.idc.com.
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