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The WAVE Report on Digital Media
3D --- Media Creation --- Shared Space ---Published by 4th Wave, Inc.--- Issue #0508------------------2/25/05 |
The WAVE Report is Searchable on
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New Embedded Processors to Be Foundation for Devices from the Car to the Factory Floor
0508.2 File-Sharing Options
0508.3 Holographic Technology
0508.4 Internet Filtering
Updated Version of 3000 Enterprise Filter and Enterprise Filter Now Available
0508.5 Advanced JAVA Programming
Building and Deploying Enhanced Java Swing-based Rich Internet Applications.
0508.6 Large Scale LED Displays
Lighthouse Technologies Breaks New Ground with Enhanced Resolution LED Panels
0508.7 Industry Standards
0508.8 Litigious Graphics
PixAlert Introduces First Software Suite to Protect Corporate PCs from Inappropriate, Illegal Images
0508.9 Fortress ISP
Powersurge Techologies’ New Hosting and Support Network Insures Security and Reliability
0508.10 RFID Proliferation
0508.11 Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
Service Oriented Architecture is a Business Imperative, Requires Governance
0508.12 Software Business Prospects
Software Industry Mergers and Acquisitions up Sharply in 2004; On Pace for an Even Better 2005
0508.13 Understanding VoIP
0508.14 Measuring VoIP Effectiveness
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0508.1 Story of the Issue
***New Embedded Processors to Be Foundation for Devices from the Car to the Factory Floor
NUREMBERG, Germany
Feb. 22, 2005
Intel Corporation has announced that recently introduced processors and a corresponding chipset are now available for embedded market segments such as communications infrastructure, industrial box and panel PCs and in-car infotainment. This announcement demonstrates Intel's commitment to provide modular standards-based building blocks such as embedded processors to a wide variety of industries in addition to providing cost-effective and faster time to market solutions.
Intel's processors are used in a vast array of embedded designs that require high-performance, low-power consumption and extended lifecycle support. The new processors are some of the highest-performing, lower-power processors for the embedded market segments and the chipset features improved integrated graphics. Developers designing with these embedded processors and corresponding chipset will find they are well suited for small form factor designs such as the new COM (computer-on-module) Express form factor specifications that deliver high performance and I/O density for embedded applications.
The introductions today include the Intel Pentium M Processor 760 and Mobile Intel 915GM Express Chipset, Intel Celeron M Processor 370 and Intel Celeron M Processor Ultra Low Voltage 373.
Siemens chose to design in the Intel Pentium M Processor 760 and corresponding chipset because of the engineering flexibility and lower cost it provides for their rugged industrial Simatic Box PC 627 and Panel PC 677 along with a long product life cycle. They explained that the low thermal envelope allowed a more compact cooling solution and the integrated graphics functionality provided by the chipset decreased system cost by not requiring the use of a graphics card
E.E.P.D., which manufacturers single board computers, will be upgrading its Envader IV series targeted for in-car infotainment systems with the Intel Pentium M Processor 760 and Mobile Intel 915GM Express Chipset, providing in-car computing and Internet access for business and entertainment. E.E.P.D. currently uses Intel's embedded processors in the Envader III series which provides in-car infotainment for BMW M. The move to the new processor and chipset will improve graphics and reduce cost by eliminating the need for a graphics card.
Pricing and Availability
The Intel Pentium M Processor 760 is priced at $415 at 10,000-unit quantities. The Mobile Intel 915GM Express chipset is priced at $41 in 25,000-unit quantities. The Intel Celeron M Processor 370 is priced at $131 at 10,000-unit quantities. The Intel Celeron M Processor ULV 373 is priced at $158 at 10,000-unit quantities. All these components are currently available for purchase. A development kit based on the new chipset will be available in early March.
http://www.intel.com/pressroom
***More Government is not a Good File-sharing Preventative
WASHINGTON
Recent controversies over file-sharing and copyright policy have spawned hot debate in the courts and the halls of Congress, but a study issued today by the Cato Institute argues that government interference in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks would hinder technological evolution. A better solution, according to the report, would be for government to step aside and allow the market to find a solution through digital rights management (DRM).
In “Peer-to-Peer Networking and Digital Rights Management: How Market Tools Can Solve Copyright Problems,” Michael A. Einhorn and Bill Rosenblatt illustrate how P2P technology and DRM can coexist peacefully in a market system, essentially quashing the complaints of consumer advocates who argue that DRM puts too much control in the hands of copyright holders.
“By preserving property rights made possible through new market techniques, DRM encourages producers to innovate because they are more certain of an eventual reward,” the authors argue. As evidence, they offer the case of iTunes, Apple’s pay-per-download music service that launched in 2003. “The percentage of U.S. downloaders who actually paid for a song at one point or another increased from 8 percent to 22 percent in the first 12 months after the launch of iTunes,” they write.
Einhorn and Rosenblatt argue that these market operations are greatly preferable to government technology controls or mandatory compulsory licensing schemes for both producers and consumers. They write that “an overly protective system of copyright is a detriment in the eyes of consumers who have grown accustomed to a range of copying capabilities, legally fair or not.”
Ultimately, the authors conclude that “the government should act to protect property rights, including copyrights, but it should not pick winners or discourage any technology from competing in the new marketplace.”
Policy Analysis no 534:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3670
***Bringing Home the Holograms; Making Holograms Previously Required a PhD Education in Physics and Some Big Research Money; Now Litiholo Says You Can Do It in Your Kitchen
NEWPORT NEWS, Va.
Feb. 22, 2005
Litiholo, a division of Liti Holographics, Inc., has made holograms so simple you can make them in your own home. And while the concept of a holographic butler is still not possible, the Litiholo Hologram Kit does provide everything you need to make real holograms, including a new film material that develops the holograms "instantly." The Hologram Kit retails for $139.
Of particular interest is the Litiholo "Instant Hologram" Film, which creates the holograms without any processing, much like Polaroid film for traditional photographs. The kit sets up easily on any solid table or surface, and takes up about 12 inches of space. After exposing one of the film plates to the laser light for a few minutes, the hologram is visible by looking through the film plate to see an image that looks like you could reach around and grab it.
Liti launched the Hologram Kit in October of last year, selling primarily through their website and gaining some exposure from the Slashdot website. The kit has since been picked up by several major educational distributors such as Sargent-Welch and American 3B Scientific.
***Updated Version of 3000 Enterprise Filter and Enterprise Filter Now Available
ORANGE, CA
February 17, 2005
8e6 Technologies, a provider of appliance-based Internet Filtering and Reporting solutions, has begun shipment of an updated versions of its flagship R3000 Enterprise Filter and Enterprise Reporter.
The R3000 Enterprise Filter was released in November 2003 and was a replacement for the company's R2000 appliance. These appliances are in use by thousands of customers worldwide.
Some of the key features added to the R3000 in this release include:
Real-Time Probe; allows an administrator to monitor a user's Internet usage in real time to determine if that user is using the Internet appropriately. Reports generated by the probe can be emailed for further review.
"X-Strike" blocking; Administrators can set criteria for blocking a user's access to "unacceptable" Internet sites and locking a user's workstation after the user makes a specified number of attempts to access such sites.
Google Safe Search; Can block access to inappropriate content within the Google search engine
Customer Feedback Module (CFM) – This "auto learning" feature lets the most frequently visited non-categorized URLs from participating customers on a daily basis. The selected URLs will be reviewed and added to 8e6's standard library categories.
SNMP – SNMP compliance allows network administrators to use Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to monitor R3000s their networks. SNMP can monitor: traffic sent/received, CPU load, amount of free disk space, time since last reboot, and memory use.
In addition to the new version of the R3000, 8e6 is also releasing the Enterprise Reporter 3.5. This upgrade includes several performance and reliability enhancing changes including new versions of Linux and MySQL.
Current customers of 8e6's Filtering and Reporting appliances will be able to upgrade their software through the products' user interface upon their next database download. The company offers a line of filtering appliances starting at $1995.
0508.5 Advanced JAVA Programming
***New Interactive Demos and No-Cost Trial Downloads Showcase XTT v.5.0's Unprecedented, Ultra-Thin Client Flexibility and Time-Saving RAD Capabilities for Building and Deploying Enhanced Java Swing-based Rich Internet Applications.
CHESHIRE, Conn.
February 22, 2005
No-cost interactive demonstrations and trial formats of InsiTech's groundbreaking XTT (XML Tunneling Technology) Smart Web Tools are being made available to progressive Java developers looking for ultra thin-client solutions to Rich Internet Application development and deployment. Java-based application developers are invited to try the latest generations of XTT via InsiTech's website.
XTT is a pure Java, standards-based, GUI construction environment that automates development of thin-client Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) without the need for proprietary plug-ins or downloads. Currently available are interactive demos and community trial formats of XTT Version 5, which allows developers to create highly interactive and intuitive Web applications with the same richness and functionality as desktop applications but with the reach of the browser. XTT is not an IDE. Rather, it extends the capabilities of leading Java IDEs including NetBeans, Eclipse, Sun Java Studio, JBuilder and now IBM WSAD.
XTT leverages SOA-based architectures by providing seamless integration with disparate data sources including Relational Databases, Web services and - in Version 5.0 - the full remoting of objects from leading Object/Persistence layers such as JDO and Hibernate. XTT's Form Wizard or Object Form Wizard can be used to rapidly create UIs using an intuitive point-and-click interface. New in Version 5.0 is the XTT Visual Form Generator integrated with MagicDraw 9.0 that enables business analysts to create form models in UML and then generate the whole application at one time directly from the UML model.
About XTT
Built in pure Java, InsiTech's XTT Smart Web Client development framework is the first to effectively change the Java development paradigm by bringing ultra-thin rich GUI Java solutions to the desktop.
Until now Java-based Web applications have been typically using Java in the application server to construct the user interface through one of many Java based Web UI frameworks. This approach while relatively fast and effective on the server does not drastically improve end user experience when rendering complex work flows and multi-step transactions.
XTT provides a unique Java Application Construction Environment that enables building smarter, richer, thinner, swing-based Internet applications by providing an intuitive rapid application environment for the developer while delivering rich, complex, stand-alone Web application functionality to the end- user's desktop.
Since the need for infrastructure design and data synchronization models is managed by XTT, it permits the average developer to write the business logic in a standard fashion, in standard Java, greatly enhancing developer productivity, improving ROI and reducing risk.
Instead of re-inventing a whole new client technology, XTT takes Java and makes all the existing standards and any 3rd party components work together seamlessly, thus eliminating the majority of pitfalls from Java projects. Since the need for infrastructure design and data synchronization models is managed by XTT, it allows the average developer to write the business logic in a standard fashion, in standard Java, and thus greatly enhancing ROI and reducing the risk.
The resulting XTT application is thin and distributable automatically, deployment decisions can be taken at any point, deciding whether all, or part of an application will be browser-based, self-updateable Java Web Start- based, or as a desktop application.
A Standards-Based Approach
InsiTech took a standards-based approach when designing and developing the XTT framework. The underlying goal of XTT's Rich, Ultra Thin-client architecture was to achieve a distributable, rich Java client with all of the benefits of a browser-based application but without the need of a browser.
XTT's main architectural underpinnings include:
A standards-based, small footprint, high performance cross-platform runtime environment for application clients;
A point-and-click wizard-based development environment that is designed for robust and straightforward integration with disparate data sources including SOA, RDBMS, Web services, and Object Persistence layers (JDO, and Hibernate);
A suite of powerful visual development components that enable the rapid creation of Rich Internet Applications. In fact, XTT is not an IDE unto itself; rather it extends the capabilities of the leading Java IDEs (NetBeans, Eclipse, Sun Java Studio, and JBuilder);
A patented communication 'tunnel' to and from the Java Client that uses XML over HTTP/HTTPS thereby avoiding the fat client problems of RMI development;
A set of visual forms that are compiled Java classes averaging approximately 10kb in size (prior to jar packaging);
A development infrastructure that automates the "plumbing" responsible for data marshalling, selects, updates, inserts, deletes, as well as remote method calls (RMI) and web services - with XTT there is no custom coding required
XTT applications are developed in a manner very similar to local Swing-based applications with one main difference - the XTT framework spares developers of managing the technology 'plumbing' needed when connecting to various disparate data sources, remote Java logic, Web services, and even Object/Persistence layers. The resulting XTT application provides developers an ultra-thin application that can be easily deployed over any network including the Internet.
0508.6 Large Scale LED Displays
***Lighthouse Technologies Breaks New Ground with Enhanced Resolution LED Panels; 25mm Indoor/Outdoor Panels Simulate 12.5mm Pixel Pitch Resolution
IRVINE, Calif.
Feb. 22, 2005
Lighthouse Technologies, Ltd. broke new ground with the introduction of the P12-Enhanced Resolution (ER) indoor/outdoor light emitting diode (LED) panels, which use advanced digital processing to enhance resolution to include more detailed information on a smaller screen. With a 12.5mm dot pitch resolution, the P12-ER allows more images, graphics and text to be displayed on 25mm panels.
The P12-ER are the first LED panels to combine the benefits of Lighthouse's M4 color uniformity, 14-bit grayscale and resolution-enhancing technology. Aggressively priced to offer performance which surpasses today's virtual pixel display products, the P12-ER is best suited for advertising and stadium applications that require mid-size screens with high-resolution for longer viewing distances.
Recognizing the demand for a wider variety of LED signage, P12-ER is the first in a line of enhanced resolution products Lighthouse plans to introduce in 2005. The internal architecture of the onboard processor in each panel features Lighthouse's proprietary technology, enabling a high-resolution screen with better quality imaging at an affordable price.
Lighthouse's new enhanced resolution screen is ideal for applications requiring detailed images and information, including both indoor and outdoor advertising displays, sports venues and retail signage. The P12-ER features high brightness of 5000 NITS, wide viewing angles and crisp picture quality. The product's 12.5mm dot pitch resolution, 14-bit grayscale processing and Lighthouse's M4 color and brightness correction systems provides excellent presentation quality in a cost-effective package.
The P12-ER is available now and pricing varies with application. Other features of the P12-ER include:
-- 140-degree horizontal viewing angle
-- 1,600 -per-m2 pixel density
-- 4.4 trillion color capability
-- 50/60-frame-per-second frame rate
-- Display input for RGB HV, SDI, RGB, YUV, YC, Composite, PAL/NTSC, VGA overlay (HDTV and HDSDI optional)
-- Lifetime 50,000 hours to half brightness
The P12-ER has already been installed in two sites with positive results. Other Lighthouse LED panels and screens can be found all over the world, from Piccadilly Circus in London, to the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Padres Stadiums, to the Dubai Airport in UAE, to wirelessly controlled billboard signage in New York City.
http://www.lighthouse-tech.com
***Mobile Marketing Association Announces Formation of Best Practices and Metrics Research Working Groups
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.
Feb. 22, 2005
The Mobile Marketing Association has announced the formation of two new working groups: the MMA Best Practices Committee and the MMA Metrics Research Committee. The Best Practices group is led by Mike Baker, President and COO of Enpocket and the Metrics group is led by Jean Berberich, Systems Manager for Procter and Gamble and vice-chaired by Irene Waldman of Visa U.S.A.
Best Practices Committee
The Best Practices committee will work this year to establish a set of guidelines and recommendations for effective, efficient execution of mobile marketing campaigns via SMS, MMS, wireless web and PDA. Core principles will focus on ensuring consumer privacy and a positive, welcomed experience with the medium.
The Best Practices committee will meet in Atlanta on March 3.
Metrics Committee
The Metrics committee will work this year to establish the parameters for accurate cross-media return-on-investment measurement guidelines for advertisers, brands and carriers using mobile marketing. Although mobile marketing drives the highest responses of any advertising medium, a central resource for ROI measurement principles has not yet been established for the medium, as it has with traditional advertising. This committee will work to provide those guidelines through the MMA this year.
The Metrics committee will meet in New Orleans at CTIA on March 13.
Growing the Industry
With more than 165 million mobile consumers and 2.5 billion SMS messages sent each month, the United States is the second-largest single pool of cell phone users in the world (China is first). The cell phone is by far the most personal communication device for consumers and the most coveted media platform for advertisers.
About the MMA
The Mobile Marketing Association is the premier global association that strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing, M-commerce and supporting technologies. MMA members include agencies, advertisers, handheld device manufacturers, carriers and operators, retailers, software providers and service providers, as well as any company focused on the potential of marketing via mobile devices.
***PixAlert Introduces First Software Suite to Protect Corporate PCs from Inappropriate, Illegal Images Originating From Any Source
WESTFORD, Mass.
Feb. 22, 2005
PixAlert has announced the North American introduction of its flagship product, PixAlert Enterprise. The new technology was previewed last week at the RSA Conference in San Francisco.
Illegal or inappropriate images on corporate PCs can expose directors, management and employees to criminal and civil claims. In fact, according to The Center for Internet Studies, more than 60 percent of companies have disciplined - and more than 30 percent have terminated - employees for inappropriate uses of the Internet.
The PixAlert Enterprise software suite uses patent-pending technology to deliver a powerful multi-source image detection and analysis solution that provides comprehensive protection against inappropriate and illegal images originating from network entry points and PC add-ons. Such sources may include gateways, media, USB ports, 3G cellular and WiFi hotspots.
By implementing PixAlert Enterprise, organizations can better comply with corporate policies on inappropriate and illegal content. PixAlert helps manage employee computer use effectively, while simultaneously reducing security and legal risks, improving IT resource management, providing a protected working environment and enhancing employee productivity. PixAlert's unique screen assessment technology powered by f4i delivers non-intrusive content monitoring and the capability to unobtrusively audit suspect computers in the workplace.
PixAlert Benefits
-- Reduces the risk of civil or criminal litigation
-- Enforces "acceptable use" policies to protect the organization's reputation
-- Helps to curb inappropriate and costly network traffic and storage requirements
-- Improves productivity and return on Internet investment
-- PC/server-based to mitigate risk associated with out- of-band introduction of material from sources such as WiFi, USB keys, Firewire, DVD, memory sticks.
-- Transparently monitors without impeding technology performance or end-user ability to work
PixAlert Monitor
PixAlert Monitor provides multi-source image detection and analysis. It resides on all corporate computer assets, watching screen content for inappropriate or illegal image content. Regardless of the source, when an improper image is viewed, a record is created in a machine specific audit log and an immediate alert is sent to the administrator console. When an alert is received, the designated administrator, who can initiate appropriate action, can view a thumbnail representation of the image, along with the machine name, user name, date-time and the program used.
PixAlert Auditor
PixAlert Auditor provides stored image detection and analysis. It is deployed from a server, run locally on a suspect computer or can be deployed to scan multiple computers on a network. It carries out a full audit scan of the images stored on a corporate computer asset and ranks them on the basis of their inappropriateness. Suspect images, which transgress a pre-defined threshold, are presented to the designated administrator in a user-friendly gallery. The scan provides a full report on its findings and the administrator can add any inappropriate images found to a case file. PixAlert Auditor can also remove inappropriate images stored on computers.
PixAlert Enterprise (Monitor and Auditor) is available immediately for between $18 to $25/client machine. PixAlert also provides a variety of implementation and auditing services that complement its software offering.
***Powersurge Techologies’ New Hosting and Support Network Insures Security and Reliability
INDEPENDENCE, IA
February 19, 2005
National web hosting company, PowerSurge Technologies, announced the addition of a new, state-of-the-art hosting and support network. PowerSurge's new server cluster network offers the highest level of security and is encompassed by dependability.
Their reliable servers are made from true server-class components and feature Duel Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron processors, a minimum of 2GB of RAM in all servers with some of them offering as much as 4 or 8GB.
PowerSurge operates out of its office in Independence, Iowa, but its servers are located in two off-site datacenters. PowerSurge's datacenters in Cedar Falls, Iowa and Fremont, California are laden with security features such as 18-24 inch steel reinforced walls, bulletproof glass, 24-hour surveillance, on-staff guards, biometric scanners and keycard access, HVAC environmental systems, uninterruptible power and also features a self-healing network architecture that virtually eliminates a single point of failure. These benefits continue to solidify PowerSurge Technologies as one of the premier web hosting companies in the world.
***RFID Deployment Accelerating as More Companies Consider Mandates According to Larstan Business Reports
WASHINGTON
Feb. 22, 2005
More and more converts are jumping onto the RFID bandwagon. In the wake of similar moves by Wal-Mart and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), increasing numbers of large companies are adopting RFID--Radio Frequency Identification--to infuse their supply chains with greater efficiencies and cost-savings. Most recently, retail behemoths Kroger and CVS are seriously assessing the adoption of sweeping RFID mandates.
Indeed, newly published reports make it clear that RFID is panning out as the "transformational" innovation its adherents predicted. That's the conclusion of RFID reports that appear in the February issues of the influential business-to-business magazines Logistics Management, Manufacturing Business Technology, and Warehouse Club Focus.
Produced by Larstan Business Reports, the RFID sector impact analysis studies make it clear that the technology is coming into its own, after months of assessment by prospective end users. A powerful catalyst for accelerated adoption: mandates to use RFID, imposed on suppliers last month by Wal-Mart and the DoD. Now, grocery chain Kroger and drug chain CVS are reportedly on the verge of following suit, with other companies likely to follow.
Two-thirds of 669 supply chain and information technology executives responding to an exclusive Larstan survey stated that mandates are why they're currently installing RFID. Larstan's RFID research appears in conjunction with the reports.
Few entities are as vast, or wield as much clout, as Wal-Mart and the Pentagon. Wal-Mart--the largest corporation on the planet--is using RFID to track pallets and containers. The retailer, which posted $65 billion a year in revenue last year, now requires its top 100 suppliers to tag all pallets and containers with RFID.
The shipping industry already occupies the vanguard of leveraging RFID to optimize logistics. "If you talk to bigger shipping players like FedEx, they will tell you that they've been using RFID for a long time," said Mark Palmer, Vice President, Complex Event Processing Line of Business, ObjectStore, a Bedford, MA-based division of Progress Software that specializes in RFID solutions.
http://www.larstan.net/RFID.htm
0508.11 Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
***Service Oriented Architecture is a Business Imperative, Requires Governance
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.
Feb. 22, 2005
A new white paper, entitled "Introduction to SOA Governance," is available to help Web Services professionals examine the benefits of employing Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Governance to enhance the design and deployment of XML and Web Services in the enterprise. The paper provides an analysis of the business drivers behind SOA, the challenges that Service Orientation places on enterprises and the need for SOA Governance.
According to the white paper:
-- The move to SOA is inevitable. It is driven by business requirements for new business processes. However, the shift in technologies and paradigms is putting enterprise business operations and their ability to quickly adapt at risk.
-- SOA requires governance from day one. Services are enterprise assets that will stay with companies for years to come. These Services need to be produced with enterprise quality and adhere to a well-defined set of standards and policies in order to ensure ongoing operations, reduce integration costs and complexities, and limit liabilities and security exposure.
-- Governance defines a new set of requirements. Implementing a Governance solution requires the definition of enterprise policies and establishment of strong auditing and conformance mechanisms to ensure that enterprise policies are being adhered to. Further, it requires analysis, tracking, and improvement of enterprise policies and architecture as the SOA evolves.
The white paper, "Introduction to SOA Governance," can be downloaded for free at
0508.12 Software Business Prospects
***Software Industry Mergers and Acquisitions up Sharply in 2004; On Pace for an Even Better 2005
SAN DIEGO
Feb. 22, 2005
Software Equity Group, L.L.C. (SEG), a software industry mergers and acquisition (M&A) advisory and investment bank, issued its much anticipated 2004 Software Industry Equity Report, a 60 page analysis of software industry mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and venture capital investments of the past year. The Annual Report also includes an insightful forecast of software industry M&A activity and valuations in 2005.
Key Findings:
The software industry accounted for 16% of total North American M&A activity in 2004, leading all other industry sectors. 1,630 software companies sold, up 23% from 2003. The aggregate $52.1 billion spent on software companies was 18% greater than 2003's total as a result of increased valuations, a higher number of transactions, and a surge of "mega" deals.
The median software company M&A valuation in 2004 was 2.4x trailing-twelve-month (TTM) revenue, a steep ascent from 2003's median valuation of 1.6x TTM revenue. The median M&A valuation in Q4 was 2.8x TTM revenue. Software M&A valuations continued to vary widely by product category, ranging from a median 6.9x TTM revenue (Storage Management) to 1.1x TTM revenue (Supply Chain). The Report includes a detailed analysis of more than 60 transactions.
Despite forecasts of relatively flat IT spending in 2005, an array of other factors are expected to spur software deals this year, including cash-swollen balance sheets of public software companies, a record number of private equity firms willing to pay strategic multiples and new buyers entering the M&A market with cash after successful IPOs. SEG projects North American deal volumes will increase 18% in 2005 to 1,925, and median valuations will grow from 2.4x TTM to 2.8x TTM revenue.
***Telchemy Releases VoIP Tech Notes
With the increasing deployment of Voice over IP across enterprise companies and service providers, most industry experts agree that Fault and Performance Management is critical to the success of their VoIP deployments. However, there is some confusion or lack of consensus as to what call quality is and how to best measure it. For example:
What’s the difference between listening, conversational and transmission quality?
What tests can network managers use to measure call quality?
What’s the “E Model?” How is it used?
When should one use MOS scores? R Factors?
To this end, Telchemy, Incorporated has published a “Tech Note: Voice Quality Measurement” to answer these questions and more. The second in Telchemy’s series of educational tech notes, “Voice Quality Measurement” describes commonly used call quality measurement methods, explains metrics in practical terms and describes acceptable voice quality levels for Voice over IP networks.
http://www.telchemy.com/appnotes/TelchemyVoiceQualityMeasurement.pdf
0508.14 Measuring VoIP Effectiveness
***Superconnect Debuts VoIP Monitoring Software
HOUSTON and CARTAGENA, Colombia
Feb. 23
From the conference exhibit floor of Andina Link 2005 in Cartagena, Colombia, Superconnect announced the release of VoIP Aware, Superconnect's revolutionary web-based monitoring application for ensuring the quality and performance of a VoIP (Voice over IP) system. Superconnect's real-time technology is life-altering for VoIP system operators because it allows them to know about problems before their customers do and prevent outages from occurring, a critical issue for providers offering lifeline VoIP telephone service.
VoIP Aware can be deployed onto existing VoIP networks to monitor service quality by directly polling data from customers' VoIP devices as well as analyzing real-time traffic of a VoIP connection to monitor realistic quality and performance. VoIP Aware presents data in live reports, trend reports, graphs, alarms, and can also integrate into a ONE Platform site-wide dashboard display for enterprise customers with multiple ONE Platform deployments.
The Superconnect ONE Platform is a web-based infrastructure for Superconnect's broadband management and monitoring applications. The ONE Platform appliances are multi-processor, use RAID storage, and can be purchased for less than the cost of most off the shelf PC servers. The appliances can be installed in any data center, head-end, or hub rack.
http://sc.com/products/voipaware
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