Friday, August 31, 2012

Mysterious Wiper malware possibly connected to Stuxnet and Duqu

Security researchers from Kaspersky Lab have uncovered information suggesting a possible link between the mysterious malware that attacked Iranian oil ministry computers in April and the Stuxnet and Duqu cyber espionage threats. Following April reports that data was destroyed on multiple servers in Iran, possibly by a new piece of malware, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) asked security vendor Kaspersky Lab to investigate the incidents.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/mysterious-wiper-malware-possibly-connected-stuxnet-and-duqu-201372

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Oracle, Red Hat team on CAMP cloud standard

Enterprise software rivals Red Hat and Oracle, along with a number of other software and online services providers, have collaborated on a standard that they hope will ease the use of PaaS (platform as a service) among customers. "Starting and stopping an application really ought to be standardized to make it easier for customers to manage their applications across different platforms," said Jeff Mischkinsky, Oracle senior director for Oracle's Fusion middleware, who was involved in the development of the standard.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/oracle-red-hat-team-camp-cloud-standard-201385

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Data center hub arises in central Oregon

Apple and Facebook this month each filed plans to expand data center operations in Prineville, Ore., a small community that's on its way to becoming one of the top data center locations in the U.S.

Once the latest projects are completed, the two tech firms will be running a combined 1.2 million square feet of data center space, and each company owns enough land in the city to expand well beyond that.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/data-center/data-center-hub-arises-in-central-oregon-201315?source=rss_data_center

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VMware will integrate Intel's TXT security into vSphere 5.1

The latest version of VMware's vSphere cloud platform will integrate Intel's trusted execution technology (TXT), a Xeon server feature that provides a new layer of hardware-based security.

Intel cloud infrastructure group general manager Jason Waxman said in a statement that the move will help address key cloud security threats.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/vmware-will-integrate-intels-txt-security-vsphere-51-201253?source=rss_cloud_computing

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North American Contact Center Survey Reveals Costs, Benefits

January 2011 -- Noble Systems Corporation, a global provider of contact center technology solutions, today announced the results of a survey of almost 700 independent contact centers throughout North America...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/95/north-american-contact-center-survey-reveals-costs/

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2012 Best in Americas Awards Gala Rocks Orlando

Delegates from North and South America attended a lavish gala dinner to rock out with the best in the Contact Center World at the World Famous Hard Rock Live concert venue in Orlando

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/2012-best-in-americas-awards-gala-rocks-orlando.aspx

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VMware seeks to virtualize the entire data center with vCloud Suite 5.1

VMworld: VMware seeks to virtualize the enter data center with vCloud Suite 5.1

In an aggressive bid to rule the emerging software-defined data center (SDDC), VMware unveiled at VMworld today its

Source: https://www.infoworld.com/t/virtualization/vmware-seeks-virtualize-the-entire-data-center-vcloud-suite-51-200994?source=rss_virtualization

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Kill timer found in Shamoon malware suggests possible connection to Saudi Aramco attack

A timer found in the Shamoon cyber-sabotage malware discovered last week matches the exact time and date when a hacktivist group claims to have disabled thousands of computers from the network of Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/kill-timer-found-in-shamoon-malware-suggests-possible-connection-saudi-aramco-attack-200837?source=rss_security

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New Lead Dialing Software Saves Businesses from FTC Fines

A call center management software firm has announced the incorporation of Do Not Call scrubbing features within its list dialing service bundle enabling businesses to double verify they are in compliance with the Federal Trade Commission’s registry...

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-news/new-lead-dialing-software-saves-businesses-from-ftc-fines.aspx

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Apache Cassandra database upgrade due this fall

With its popularity growing, Apache's Cassandra database for high-volume, real-time data management will be fitted with technical and query language improvements in the fall.

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/data-explosion/apache-cassandra-database-upgrade-due-fall-199749?source=rss_data_center

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Stay in the Game with an IVR System

IVR systems are integral parts of a business' customer relationship management strategies, and as such, every decision maker should be aware of the advantages IVR systems can give where customer communication and retention is concerned.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/133356/stay-in-the-game-with-an-ivr-system/

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Oft-cited cybercrime cost estimates called out as inflated

President Barack Obama said it in a major speech on cybersecurity. U.S. senators said it while promoting their Cyber Security Act of 2012. Gen. Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency and head of the U.S. Cyber Command, said it while warning of "the greatest transfer of wealth in history" through the theft of intellectual property. "It" was that the costs of cybercrime are $250 billion each year according to Symantec and $1 trillion each year accoridng to McAfee.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/oft-cited-cybercrime-cost-estimates-called-out-inflated-201211?source=rss_security

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Some Oracle database users face support window's end, price hike

Oracle database customers running version 11g Release 1 have until the end of this month to upgrade, or else face increased annual maintenance fees. The vendor provides five years of Premier Support after a new product becomes generally available, as 11gR2 did in August 2007. After that, Extended Support is available for another three years, but at extra cost.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/data-management/some-oracle-database-users-face-support-windows-end-price-hike-201416

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Windows 8 tablet growth hinges on pricing

Windows 8 tablets, which are expected to start shipping by the end of October, will grab less than 2 percent of the global tablet shipments by year end. But depending on how they're priced, Microsoft and its partners could see dramatic growth rates in 2013, according to an ABI Research study.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/windows-8-tablet-growth-hinges-pricing-200718?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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IBM goes big on new mainframe with fastest chip, flash memory

IBM's latest mainframe, the zEnterprise EC12, is big on data analytics and hybrid clouds.

This system, announced Tuesday, includes a new 5.5GHz, six-core processor, versus the 5.2GHz, quad-core processor that shipped with the zEnterprise 196, announced two years ago last month.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/computer-hardware/ibm-goes-big-new-mainframe-fastest-chip-flash-memory-201124?source=rss_business_intelligence

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The perfect Trojan horse

Six weeks ago, I wrote about the challenges of controlling data ingress and egress on a normal business network and offered a frightening scenario based on the possibility of creating an all-but-undetectable back door in a network firewall with the use of common technologies. As if that weren't enough to worry about, it seems that evil could also be lurking in the nearest power strip.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/data-center/the-perfect-trojan-horse-199242?source=rss_data_center

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Letter to ContactCenterWorld from an Award Winning Contact Center Professional

Rebecca Holmes, award winning contact center professional (2012) from MassMutual sent this in about her recent experience with our best practice conference.

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/letter-to-contactcenterworld-from-an-award-winning-contact-center-professional.aspx

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7th Annual Top Ranking Performers (Best Practices) in Europe, Middle East & Africa

Learn, network and benchmark your contact center, customer service center, help desk with the very best in Europe, Middle East & Africa. A ContactCenterWorld.com event

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/html/ev/ev_f07b0cdfb03c45ae82acf0ccf88de2a3.aspx

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Eleven communications trends for 2011

What's in store for the communications world in the year ahead? Here's one safe prediction: Users, both in the workplace and in their daily lives, are going to want more. More multimedia. Constant connectivity.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/4756/eleven-communications-trends-for-2011/

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Alpha Recovery Deploys Hosted Debt Collection Solution by Latitude Software (NASDAQ:ININ)

Collection agency uses hosted software suite to optimize customer service, minimize costs, and realize a faster return-on-investment.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/8928/alpha-recovery-deploys-hosted-debt-collection-solu/

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IT's 9 biggest security threats

IT's 9 biggest security threats

Years ago the typical hacking scenario involved a lone attacker and maybe some buddies working late at night on Mountain Dew, looking for public-facing IP addresses.

Source: http://akamai.infoworld.com/d/security/its-9-biggest-security-threats-200828?source=rss_security

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Why passwords are failing us -- still!

Passwords weren't the only fail in last week's widely publicized "epic hack" of tech journalist Mat Honan -- Amazon, Apple and, to a lesser extent, Google and Honan himself share the blame.

Source: http://akamai.infoworld.com/d/security/why-passwords-are-failing-us-still-200158?source=rss_security

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Big data analytics today lets businesses play 'Moneyball'

Hype continues to surround big data analytics. But hype or not, data-driven decision-making is becoming central to management decisions at most enterprises. They are taking inspiration from Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team that turned to data analytics (known as Sabermetrics in baseball and made popular in the movie "Moneyball") to assemble a competitive baseball team despite the organization's limited financial resources.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/business-intelligence/big-data-analytics-today-lets-businesses-play-moneyball-200835?source=rss_data_management

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

7th Annual Top Ranking Performers (Best Practices) in Asia Pacific

Learn, network and benchmark your contact center, customer service center, help desk with the very best in Asia Pacific. A ContactCenterWorld.com event

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/html/ev/ev_ba2fabda85de42418377213861ccbe4d.aspx

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Hosted Call Centers Benefit from PaaS

The coolest thing about PaaS is that users do not have to be a hard core developer. Instead, this revolutionary technology to benefit the hosted call center ensures that development is available to various skills levels. ...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/108417/hosted-call-centers-benefit-from-paas/

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18 great IT tools for Android

These Android apps, from network sniffers to SNMP MIB browsers to SSH tools, will come in handy for network and IT pros
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These Android apps, from network sniffers to SNMP MIB browsers to SSH tools, will come in handy for network and IT pros
External Source: 
infoworld.com
Redirect Unpublished Slideshow to: 
http://www.infoworld.com/slideshow/62844

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/slideshow/62844/18-great-it-tools-android-201185?source=rss_infoworld_top_stories_

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Surprise! iOS and Android printing gotchas

The whole point of Apple's AirPrint is to make printing something that just works -- no driver installation, no setup, no adding printers. If they're available, they're simply there, ready to use. In fact, the AirPrint technology works just as promised, but when we reviewed various products to extend AirPrint to existing printers, we discovered that iOS apps aren't always AirPrint savvy, causing all sorts of gotchas.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/mobile-technology/surprise-ios-and-android-printing-gotchas-199586?source=rss_networking

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The states where iPads and iPhones are at most risk

It's a fear we all have: dropping our smartphone or tablet, watching a device that costs $500 or more crack or shatter. Or perhaps spilling beer, soda, or coffee onto it, then seeing it go dead as the liquid finds its way into an open port. (Never mind the toilet drops!)

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/the-states-where-ipads-and-iphones-are-most-risk-200080?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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How consumerization gives business an edge

Kraft Foods, a forward-thinking giant when it comes to consumer taste, was anything but when it came to IT. Simply put, the company was mired in the old-school culture of rigid centralized information technology. Not anymore.

Kraft was one of the first major enterprises to recognize the value that consumer devices could produce for business -- and deploying the iPhone back in 2008, well before smartphones had become must-carry devices.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/consumerization-of-it/how-consumerization-gives-business-edge-199285?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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Unpatched Java vulnerability exploited in targeted attacks, researchers say

Attackers are exploiting a new and unpatched vulnerability that affects the latest version of Java -- Java 7 Update 6 -- in order to infect computers with malware, according to researchers from security vendor FireEye.

So far, the vulnerability has been exploited in limited targeted attacks, FireEye's senior staff scientist Atif Mushtaq said Sunday in a blog post. "Most of the recent Java run-time environments i.e., JRE 1.7x are vulnerable."

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/unpatched-java-vulnerability-exploited-in-targeted-attacks-researchers-say-201057?source=rss_security

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TantaComm Introduces Centralize for Call Recording and Quality Monitoring Functions

TantaComm, a provider of interaction recording, call compliance, and quality management solutions for BPOs, recently formalized its Centralize product for broad distribution.

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-news/tantacomm-introduces-centralize-a-consolidation-platform-for-call-recording-and.aspx

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Buggy McAfee antivirus update causes problems for home and business users

A buggy update released Friday by security vendor McAfee for its consumer and enterprise antivirus products, left the computers of its customers unprotected and, in some cases, unable to access the Internet.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/buggy-mcafee-antivirus-update-causes-problems-home-and-business-users-200622?source=rss_security

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ERP vendors Syspro, Unit4 launch app stores

The app store model popularized by Apple is gaining further adoption in the world of ERP (enterprise-resource-planning) software, with new stores announced this week by Syspro and Unit4.

Syspro's app store, which was announced on Friday, will be available "shortly" and will eventually feature thousands of applications, the company said in a statement. Publishers can provide their offerings on the store for no charge, receive a one-time payment, "or protect intellectual property through Syspro's licensing model," it added.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/applications/erp-vendors-syspro-unit4-launch-app-stores-196735?source=rss_business_intelligence

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Wave good-bye to VMware's unloved vSphere vRAM 'vTax'

After what may be considered a failed, year-long licensing experiment, EMC VMware is ready to tear down a virtual wall it created for itself with the institution of a new licensing model introduced with VMware vSphere 5.0 in July 2011.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/wave-good-bye-vmwares-unloved-vsphere-vram-vtax-200980?source=rss_virtualization

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The 'iPad Mini': A new hook for iTunes

OK, I was wrong when I repeatedly dismissed the rumors that Apple would unveil an "iPad Mini" this year. This weekend, the Wall Street Journal, Apple's traditional venue for official leaks, reported the "iPad Mini" would be unveiled in October.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/the-ipad-mini-new-hook-itunes-200993?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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Deploying to a public cloud? Deal with data integration first

If your organization has moved past all the excuses to use the public cloud, congratulations! But did you think through your data-integration strategy before deployment? If not, you'll find it difficult to maintain your corporate data in a public cloud.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/deploying-public-cloud-deal-data-integration-first-200587?source=rss_cloud_computing

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The perfect Trojan horse

Six weeks ago, I wrote about the challenges of controlling data ingress and egress on a normal business network and offered a frightening scenario based on the possibility of creating an all-but-undetectable back door in a network firewall with the use of common technologies. As if that weren't enough to worry about, it seems that evil could also be lurking in the nearest power strip.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/data-center/the-perfect-trojan-horse-199242?source=rss_data_center

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Windows 8 and the touchy future of PCs

In my post last week, I asked for two simple changes to Windows 8: Allow users to uninstall Metro, and bring back the Start menu. The bottom line is that Metro is terrible with a mouse. It's a touch interface, period.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/windows-8-and-the-touchy-future-of-pcs-200996?source=rss_the_industry_standard

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 shines bright

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

For years we've been reading about the alleged iPad killer, a mythical device that never arrives. There have been impressive Android tablets in recent months, but on the whole, it's been clear to everyone but the most ardent Android fanboy that Apple's iPad is the superior tablet in almost every way.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/review-samsung-galaxy-note-101-shines-bright-200024?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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Communications-in-the-Cloud Trends: Video Interview with Interactive Intelligence and Ventana Research

Cloud-based communications solutions will see significant traction over the next several years and beyond according to Ventana Research vice president and research director, Richard Snow and Interactive Intelligence chief marketing officer, Joe Staples.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/7456/communications-in-the-cloud-trends-video-interview/

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Changing the Way We Talk About the Cloud - Knowledge@W.P. Carey

So what is the reality of the cloud? Earlier this year Filandro spearheaded Meritage's transition to a cloud-based CRM (customer relationship management) solution. Today, he offers a seasoned perspective on the associated challenges and opportunities: "Cloud is a great story but it still brings with it a set of intrinsic risks and challenges that...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/109489/changing-the-way-we-talk-about-the-cloud-knowledge/

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The Call Center Selection Process

If you are looking for a call center to outsource your processes, you must keep some essential points in mind. Of course there are many call centers out there that can provide you the basic services, but are they all really good? You bet not.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/113118/the-call-center-selection-process/

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Calculate 'return on agility' to find the cloud's real value

Werner Vogel, the CTO of Amazon.com, wrote a thoughtful blog last week that focuses on how to determine the true value of using its technology, looking at both total cost of ownership (TCO) and the return on agility. The blog stated that customers "struggle with how to account for the return on agility, the fact that they are now able to pursue business opportunities much faster at much lower cost points than before."

Source: http://images.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/calculate-return-agility-find-the-clouds-real-value-200800?source=rss_cloud_computing

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Top 3 Methods for Improving Call Center Quality

In a recent survey of call center supervisors and managers, participants were asked to rate the most important and effective ways to improve the customer service levels their call center agents provide. Call recording, monitoring and a performance dashboards came out on top of that list.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/8993/top-3-methods-for-improving-call-center-quality/

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2012 Best in Asia Pacific Announced

Delegates from all over Asia Pacific met, networked and partied with the cream of the crop at the annual 2012 Top Ranking Performers Gala Dinner which this year was held in Singapore.

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/2012-best-in-asia-pacific-announced.aspx

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West Nile Concerns Lead to Flood of Phone Calls

Calls to emergency services on the rise

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-news/west-nile-concerns-lead-to-flood-of-phone-calls.aspx

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Top 3 Methods for Improving Call Center Quality

In a recent survey of call center supervisors and managers, participants were asked to rate the most important and effective ways to improve the customer service levels their call center agents provide. Call recording, monitoring and a performance dashboards came out on top of that list.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/8993/top-3-methods-for-improving-call-center-quality/

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'Shadow IT' can be the cloud's best friend

"Shadow IT" -- where users acquire and manage IT resources outside the control of corporate IT -- is the bane of many IT organizations. We've seen numerous instances of this over the years, including the use of PCs, the Web, the iPhone, and now cloud computing resources without a formal policy and support from corporate IT.

Source: http://images.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/shadow-it-can-be-the-clouds-best-friend-199996?source=rss_cloud_computing

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From developers to DBAs: The hottest outsourced IT jobs

From developers to DBAs: The hottest outsourced IT jobs

Around one-third of organizations will spend more money on IT outsourcing over the next 18 months, while 48 percent plant to hire more contractors, according to IT staffing agency Bluewolf's recent report, entitled "2012-2013 State of IT Outsourcin

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/it-jobs/developers-dbas-the-hottest-outsourced-it-jobs-200588?source=rss_the_industry_standard

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Review: MokaFive's VDI tailors to BYOD

VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) is one of the hottest technologies going, and there are nearly as many ways to deploy it as there are companies providing the solutions. Some VDI solutions are server-based, running on "big iron" in a data center like their virtual server cousins.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/review-mokafives-vdi-tailors-byod-199265?source=rss_virtualization

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4 Critical Questions About The Cloud

Four questions that executives at insurance companies and other businesses should be asking about the value and security of the cloud computing model. ...and more �

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/138710/4-critical-questions-about-the-cloud/

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WOW - Award Winner Western Power Australia Celebrates!

Western Power is a State Government owned corporation that builds, maintains and operates the electricity network in the south west corner of Western Australia

Ben Oxford shares his experiences with members of ContactCenterWorld - Western Power Australia are proud to be winners and representing Asia Pacific in this years global contact center awards!

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/wow-award-winner-western-power-australia-celebrates.aspx

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Letter to ContactCenterWorld from an Award Winning Contact Center Professional

Rebecca Holmes, award winning contact center professional (2012) from MassMutual sent this in about her recent experience with our best practice conference.

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/letter-to-contactcenterworld-from-an-award-winning-contact-center-professional.aspx

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Moose Hotline Launches to Prevent Collisions

The advocacy group SOPAC — also known as the Save Our People Coalition — has set up the line to help people spread the word when they see a moose by a road or highway.

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-news/moose-hotline-launches-to-prevent-collisions.aspx

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Dell offers dedicated servers to build private clouds

Dell on Thursday said it will offer dedicated servers in its data centers and off-premises application and storage services for companies looking to establish private clouds.

Dell's Cloud Dedicated program intends to reduce the stress of companies hosting servers locally by moving workloads off premises to Dell's data centers. Dell will deliver IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service) offerings through the private cloud, which could reduce the costs involved in deploying servers and managing services locally.

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/dell-offers-dedicated-servers-build-private-clouds-200857?source=rss_cloud_computing

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Energy Star 2.0 for servers coming in November

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week released the third draft of the Energy Star 2.0 specification for servers, which is expected to be finalized on Nov. 9. The specification is expected to be implemented in servers on Aug. 13 next year, according to the draft specification documents. The new specification is the successor to Energy Star 1.0 for servers that went into effect in May 2009. Companies like Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and IBM offer servers that qualify under the Energy Star 1.0 specification guidelines.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/computer-hardware/energy-star-20-servers-coming-in-november-200942

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Will a Double-Dip Recession reverse the trend of buyers "delaying outsourcing ...

Organizations have always been wary of outsourcing during recessions. While today it delivers cost-reduction to clients in spades (proven emphatically during our recent state-of-outsourcing study), many organizations have proven, in the past, to push it down the priority-list of radical cost-reduction measures, when they fear for their very existence. With the threat of a "Double-Dip" recession very much a grim reality, HfS believes this cycle is likely to be broken. Let's discuss.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/143687/will-a-double-dip-recession-reverse-the-trend-of-b/

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Sunday, August 26, 2012

IDC: PC growth to slow down to 0.9 percent in 2012

Growth in the PC market is expected to be slower than last year, after mid-year shipments slowed as consumers were hit by weak economic conditions, and also postponed purchases to evaluate Windows 8 and Ultrabook products while considering spending on media tablets and smartphones, IDC said. The PC market is expected to grow by only 0.9 percent this year, down from 1.7 percent last year, although growth may pick up to 6.5 percent in 2013, the research firm said on Thursday.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/computer-hardware/idc-pc-growth-slow-down-09-percent-in-2012-200900

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New security standard pushes for better support for digital certificates

There is no silver bullet when it comes to encryption. Even the most complex, invulnerable encryption today could be child's play in the future. The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) is publishing new encryption standards for public review to try and keep up with the times and stay a step ahead of the bad guys.

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/security/new-security-standard-pushes-better-support-digital-certificates-200246?source=rss_security

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Top 3 Methods for Improving Call Center Quality

In a recent survey of call center supervisors and managers, participants were asked to rate the most important and effective ways to improve the customer service levels their call center agents provide. Call recording, monitoring and a performance dashboards came out on top of that list.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/8993/top-3-methods-for-improving-call-center-quality/

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South Korean court rules both Apple and Samsung infringed patents

A South Korean court ruled Friday that Apple and Samsung have infringed on each other's patents, ordering small monetary damages and a temporary halt in sales of multiple devices from both companies, including the iPhone 4 and Galaxy S series. The Seoul Central District Court said Apple violated two of Samsung's wireless patents, while Samsung infringed one utility patent held by Apple. The iPhone maker's claims that Samsung copied its designs were denied.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/south-korean-court-rules-both-apple-and-samsung-infringed-patents-200902

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Big data analytics today lets businesses play 'Moneyball'

Hype continues to surround big data analytics. But hype or not, data-driven decision-making is becoming central to management decisions at most enterprises. They are taking inspiration from Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team that turned to data analytics (known as Sabermetrics in baseball and made popular in the movie "Moneyball") to assemble a competitive baseball team despite the organization's limited financial resources.

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/business-intelligence/big-data-analytics-today-lets-businesses-play-moneyball-200835?source=rss_data_management

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ICS-CERT warns of SSL security flaw in RuggedCom industrial networking devices

Industrial Ethernet switches and other devices produced by industrial networking equipment manufacturer RuggedCom contain a vulnerability that could be exploited to compromise SSL-based communications between them and their users, according to a security researcher from security startup Cylance.

Source: https://www.infoworld.com/d/security/ics-cert-warns-of-ssl-security-flaw-in-ruggedcom-industrial-networking-devices-200759?source=rss_security

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SAP pointing HANA in-memory database at social sentiment analysis

SAP is coupling its HANA in-memory database with software for measuring market trends and customers' moods through the analysis of unstructured social media data, the vendor announced Wednesday.

HANA, which became generally available last year, places data into RAM for processing rather than constantly reading and writing it to disks, providing a performance improvement that SAP has claimed can be nothing short of dazzling.

Source: https://www.infoworld.com/d/business-intelligence/sap-pointing-hana-in-memory-database-social-sentiment-analysis-199128?source=rss_business_intelligence

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Cloud Based Contact Center Software a Safe Bet

"The cloud" is about as big a buzz word right now as any technology in the contact center software space. The question is does it have the clout to follow through on the hype, or is it about as ephemeral as the atmospheric phenomenon it gets its name sake from?

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/13897/cloud-based-contact-center-software-a-safe-bet/

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 shines bright

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

For years we've been reading about the alleged iPad killer, a mythical device that never arrives. There have been impressive Android tablets in recent months, but on the whole, it's been clear to everyone but the most ardent Android fanboy that Apple's iPad is the superior tablet in almost every way.

Source: http://akamai.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/review-samsung-galaxy-note-101-shines-bright-200024?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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HP reports $8.9B Q3 loss on writedowns, weak sales, lowers full-year forecast

Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday announced a $8.9 billion loss for its third quarter ended July 31 due to writedowns and weak hardware sales and also said full-year results would be at the low end of its previous guidance.

Earlier this month, HP said it would take an $8 billion "impairment of goodwill" writedown against its services division. "Goodwill" refers to less tangible assets, such as brand strength, that are considered when figuring out a company's total value. HP's $13.9 billion acquisition of services provider EDS has been roundly criticized as too costly.

Source: http://akamai.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/hp-reports-89b-q3-loss-writedowns-weak-sales-lowers-full-year-forecast-200781?source=rss_the_industry_standard

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AuthenTec brings government-grade encryption to Android

AuthenTec, which Apple said in July it would acquire for $356 million, has introduced a government-grade data encryption platform for Android smartphones and tablets.

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/authentec-brings-government-grade-encryption-android-200715?source=rss_security

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Most firms have no big data plans

A majority high-level IT managers and data storage professionals have no plans to deploy big data analytics, according to a new data storage survey by market research firm TheInfoPro.

Fifty-six percent of respondents indicated they will not be deploying big data analytics applications even beyond 2013, the survey of 255 IT professionals found. Half of those surveyed were data storage professionals at the analyst level; the other half comprised IT mangers, vice presidents and CIOs.

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/storage/most-firms-have-no-big-data-plans-198997?source=rss_business_intelligence

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Saturday, August 25, 2012

Can't Take Your Call…

This really happened to me!

I contacted a government department by phone and the call was picked up quickly. Great I thought and the agent sounded very happy to take my call. I told her I wanted to discuss a situation and she replied “I am sorry, you will have to call back as we are too busy to take any calls as we have a backlog”. Surprised, I asked her what she meant and she told me that they can’t take any calls as they are too busy but I could e-mail them. I asked if that would be answered any quicker to which she responded, “I don’t know – you may want to call back later”.

How confusing I thought – she was talking to me telling me she couldn’t talk to me … - just when I thought some of these government departments were getting switched on to service!

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/tips.aspx?id=363feb6ce1cb487aa2fc53a75c6bcb92

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Changing the Channel

Research reveals how consumers will contact customer service within the next two years. Contact centers need to evolve, as customers increase their demands for more responsive, higher-quality service in the modern multimedia world, according to research from Avaya

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/114621/changing-the-channel/

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Report card: Apple a year after Steve Jobs

Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook

Credit: Reuters

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/report-card-apple-year-after-steve-jobs-200758?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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2012 Top Ranking Performers Conference - Never Been? Read What Delegates Said!

We asked "If you had to write a paragraph to summarise the conference for someone who has never attended, what would you write?"

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/2012-top-ranking-performers-conference-never-been-read-what-delegates-said.aspx

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What the software-defined data center really means

You know the story of how the Internet was created: The military wanted a redundant "network of networks" and figured out how to do it with a new protocol using existing networking equipment.

Something nearly as historic is happening now, again using existing infrastructure: the software-defined data center.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/data-center/what-the-software-defined-data-center-really-means-199930?source=rss_data_center

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Why is Nicira worth $1.2 billion?

At a cloud conference in June, I was introduced to Martin (pronounced "martini" without the second "i") Casado, the 35-year-old CTO of network virtualization startup Nicira. In the space of about 10 minutes, Casado convinced me that we're at the dawn of the age of Software Defined Everything.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/virtualization/why-nicira-worth-12-billion-199402?source=rss_data_center

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VMware leaps into software-defined networking with Nicira acquisition

VMware announced it intends to purchase networking virtualization software startup Nicira for approximately $1.26 billion, VMware's largest acquisition to date. The purchase price reflects just how serious VMware is about the evolving software-defined networking (SDN) market.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/vmware-leaps-software-defined-networking-nicira-acquisition-198884?source=rss_virtualization

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3 rules for doing BYOD right

It's a compelling statistic: 83 percent of companies now allow employees to use their own mobile devices for work -- the quintessential definition of "bring your own device" -- according to the most recent data from Aberdeen Research. Once you factor out the very-high-security industries such as defense, you're left with, in essence, all companies.

BYOD adoption rates January 2008 to July 2012 (source: Aberdeen Research)

Source: http://podcasts.infoworld.com/d/consumerization-of-it/3-rules-doing-byod-right-200539?source=rss_security

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Top 3 Methods for Improving Call Center Quality

In a recent survey of call center supervisors and managers, participants were asked to rate the most important and effective ways to improve the customer service levels their call center agents provide. Call recording, monitoring and a performance dashboards came out on top of that list.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/8993/top-3-methods-for-improving-call-center-quality/

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IDC: Analytics software market will remain strong

The global market for business analytics software grew roughly 14 percent in 2011, fueled by pervasive hype about "big data" as well as new technological innovations, according to a report unveiled by analyst firm IDC on Wednesday.

Between now and 2016, the business analytics market will have a compound annual growth rate of 9.8 percent, reaching $50.7 billion, IDC said.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/business-intelligence/idc-analytics-software-market-will-remain-strong-197498?source=rss_business_intelligence

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The easy, low-cost, secure plan for enabling BYOD

You'd think it was 2010 with the reports and studies raising fear of unbridled IT costs, massive loss of corporate secrets, and general Armageddon, all for supporting mobile and home users.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/consumerization-of-it/the-easy-low-cost-secure-plan-enabling-byod-197784?source=rss_consumerization_of_it

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Startup Piston Cloud says it's built a better OpenStack installer

Startup Piston Cloud says it's built a better OpenStack installer

There's been much buzz surrounding OpenStack as cloud players including http://www.infoworld.com/t/private-cloud/startup-piston-cloud-says-its-built-better-openstack-installer-200696?source=rss_cloud_computing

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4 tech trends in IT disaster recovery

As we've seen in recent years, natural disasters can lead to long-term downtime for organizations. Because earthquakes, hurricanes, snow storms, or other events can put data centers and other corporate facilities out of commission for a while, it's vital that companies have in place a comprehensive disaster recovery plan.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/data-center/4-tech-trends-in-it-disaster-recovery-198179?source=rss_data_center

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4 questions to ask before starting a big data initiative

Through many surveys, executives have identified that big data initiatives rank high on the projects lists for 2012 and 2013. It's not surprising, since the promise that big data can improve and streamline presentations, gain insights to consumer purchasing habits and, in the healthcare industry, even help save lives is simply too important to ignore.

However, several key questions must be answered:

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/business-intelligence/4-questions-ask-starting-big-data-initiative-200650?source=rss_data_management

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The "Uncentered" Call Center

Today's hosted, virtual call center solutions like are a revelation to anyone who remembers the way call centers used to operate. Today's contact centers can now tap into resources without being constrained by geography. Agents can be located anywhere...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/95327/the-uncentered-call-center/

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Salesforce Communities mixes business with social

Salesforce.com today revealed Salesforce Communities, a platform that lets companies create social networks with Facebook-esque features for employees to engage with customers, business partners, and one another.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/social-networking/salesforce-communities-mixes-business-social-200031?source=rss_cloud_computing

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Mobile Voice Conference: It’s all about Talk!

Apple’s Siri has led consumers to understand that speech recognition works and can be friendly. More such services for mobile phones and TVs will get similar publicity. Customer service operations can take advantage of this paradigm shift to increase automation rates by adopting an “assistant” model. The assistant can be at the end of a conventional phone call or start as an ap

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/html/ev/ev_66fd77768bc348bc8f4f5eba915b3db2.aspx

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Google to pay record-setting $22.5 million fine over privacy practices

Google will pay a historic fine to settle U.S. government charges that it violated privacy laws when it tracked users of Apple's Safari browser via cookies.

The $22.5 million civil penalty is the largest ever secured by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for a violation of one of its orders.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/the-industry-standard/google-pay-record-setting-225-million-fine-over-privacy-practices-199796?source=rss_the_industry_standard

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ICS-CERT warns of SSL security flaw in RuggedCom industrial networking devices

Industrial Ethernet switches and other devices produced by industrial networking equipment manufacturer RuggedCom contain a vulnerability that could be exploited to compromise SSL-based communications between them and their users, according to a security researcher from security startup Cylance.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/ics-cert-warns-of-ssl-security-flaw-in-ruggedcom-industrial-networking-devices-200759?source=rss_networking

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Voice Recognition: Technologies and Global Markets

Given the continued adoption of wireless devices and the seemingly insatiable consumer and business demand for unlimited access to information, it is likely that many enterprising companies will choose voice recognition solutions, either hosted at their site or shared in a cloud-computing environment, for competitive advantage even when the short-term economic landscape remains murky. This report will analyze in depth, voice recognition technologies and the market and applications they serve.

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/76930/voice-recognition-technologies-and-global-markets/

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Boost the Power of the IVR System via Integration with Core Business Applications

The days when interactive voice response (IVR) technology was a one-way transaction are thankfully over, particularly as banks and other financial institutions are concerned. As more and more people are doing their banking online or via a mobile device, the growth of newer, more advanced IVR technologies has been very welcome. And the days of siloed IVR systems...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/110290/boost-the-power-of-the-ivr-system-via-integration-/

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Businesses fill Hadoop skills needs with partners

As enterprise adoption of Hadoop booms, the pool of IT personnel able to build and maintain deployments hasn't kept pace. In May, analyst firm IDC pegged the compound annual growth rate for the Hadoop software market at more than 60 percent, forecasting an ascent to $812.8 million in 2016 from a base of $77 million in 2011.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/business-intelligence/businesses-fill-hadoop-skills-needs-partners-198740?source=rss_business_intelligence

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VMware leaps into software-defined networking with Nicira acquisition

VMware announced it intends to purchase networking virtualization software startup Nicira for approximately $1.26 billion, VMware's largest acquisition to date. The purchase price reflects just how serious VMware is about the evolving software-defined networking (SDN) market.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/vmware-leaps-software-defined-networking-nicira-acquisition-198884?source=rss_data_center

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

2012 Best in Asia Pacific Announced

Delegates from all over Asia Pacific met, networked and partied with the cream of the crop at the annual 2012 Top Ranking Performers Gala Dinner which this year was held in Singapore.

Source: http://www.contactcenterworld.com/view/contact-center-article/2012-best-in-asia-pacific-announced.aspx

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Study: Call Centers Employing Could-Based Solutions Can Benefit From Lowered Costs

Findings in a new Frost & Sullivan report titled, "Premise vs. Hosted Contact Center: Total Cost of Ownership Analysis," indicate that call centers using cloud-based solutions can benefit from reduction in the cost of their contact handling and workforce optimization infrastructure. The report states that by opting for cloud-based offerings...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/118519/study-call-centers-employing-could-based-solutions/

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Review: MokaFive's VDI tailors to BYOD

VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) is one of the hottest technologies going, and there are nearly as many ways to deploy it as there are companies providing the solutions. Some VDI solutions are server-based, running on "big iron" in a data center like their virtual server cousins.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/review-mokafives-vdi-tailors-byod-199265?source=rss_virtualization

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HP aims three-part effort at network virtualization

Hewlett-Packard is readying three new software capabilities that are designed to help enterprises pool their computing and storage resources across a network.

The advances should make it easier for IT departments to link data centers spread around the world, shield multiple tenants' virtual machines from each other, and control storage from virtualized appliances.

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/networking/hp-aims-three-part-effort-network-virtualization-200048?source=rss_virtualization

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Knowlagent Selects High-Tech BtoB PR and Marketing Firm Arketi Group as Agency of Record

"The ROI that Knowlagent delivers to call centers is tremendous, and what they are doing embodies the business value cloud-based solutions are able to deliver today." Arketi Group is a PR and digital marketing firm that helps business-to ...

Source: http://usan.hivefire.com/articles/163230/knowlagent-selects-high-tech-btob-pr-and-marketing/

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