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Article #194Faulkner Systems Flash 09/15/99 - (Part 1 of 2)
From: Missy Harvey
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 00:00
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 00:00
300 lines
19630 bytes
19630 bytes
---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Date: Wednesday, September 15, 1999, 3:50 PM -0400 From: Faulkner Information Services <flash@faulkner.com> To: ??? Subject: Faulkner Systems Flash 09/15/99 - (Part 1 of 2) TOP OF THE NEWS * HP Strikes Series of Deals * Dell to Buy Storage Technology Vendor * Windows 2000 May Have Reduced Scalability * EDS Continues Reorganizing ====================================================================== Agreements/Joint Ventures Adhesive Software and Cascade Systems inked a deal for Cascade to distribute Adhesive's Siteflash software, a Web-site management system. Cascade will market and sell Siteflash as the "Cascade Commerce Server," a piece of Cascade's Cross-Media Relationship Management offering. Allaire and Backsoft, a new enterprise application integration (EAI) startup, reported a strategic partnership that is intended to allow companies to Web-enable their SAP R/3 applications. Backsoft is bringing to market the Talk EAI server, which connects the ColdFusion Web application server with ERP systems. America Online and Medscape formed a three-year, $33 million strategic alliance through which Medscape's content will be brought to AOL's and CompuServe's members. Bulldog Group, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems introduced Content BOSS, an integrated enterprise content management offering designed to enable media-rich organizations to reduce marketing and production costs. Content BOSS combines Bulldog's enterprise content management software and services, Oracle8i with Oracle interMedia, and Sun's servers and network storage. C-Port and IBM reported that the companies have a common interest in defining standard application programming interfaces to make adding new functions to networking systems through software easier, rather than having to modify or replace existing hardware. The companies are also exploring ways to make their semiconductor technologies work more closely together. In addition, C-Port has selected IBM to build its C-5TM Digital Communications Processor and will work with IBM as its key technology provider to enhance future generations of the processor. Compaq and Novell formed a strategic agreement that makes Novell Directory Services (NDS) an integral component of the Compaq NonStop initiative. Novell will port its directory service, NDS, to Compaq's Tru64 UNIX operating system. Compaq will further optimize its ProLiant servers for NDS. In addition, customers will now be able to enhance the performance of their NDS security with Compaq's upcoming AXL200 Accelerator PCI card. Corel entered into a licensing agreement with Ultimatte. The agreement grants Corel the worldwide, perpetual right to distribute the PC and Macintosh versions of Ultimatte's KnockOut software application on a stand alone basis and as part of Corel applications. In addition to the distribution rights, Corel was granted a license to the source code for the KnockOut software. Dell introduced several initiatives that broaden its relationship with SAP AG. The initiative includes the Dell Direct for SAP Program. This program uses Dell's mass-customization technology to factory-install SAP R/3 products on Dell PowerEdge servers and PowerVault storage to exact customer specifications. Further, Dell said it is integrating its Dell Premier Pages with the SAP Business-to-Business Procurement offering. This integration is designed to enable the selection and purchase of Dell systems within the customer's SAP application. eTranslate and MSN LinkExchange signed an agreement in which eTranslate will offer its translation services to small businesses through the LinkExchange Web site. Translation Station, the co-marketed MSN LinkExchange and eTranslate service, will initially launch in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States and later will be expanded to LinkExchange's sites in Japan, France, and Germany. PC vendor Gateway agreed to resell Red Hat's version of Linux on its ALR line of servers. In addition, Red Hat struck a deal to provide Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse with support services for Burlingtion's planned national Linux computer network. The Linux vendor also launched the second phase of its strategy to increase its presence in Japan. It hired the one-time head of Hyperion Solutions' Japanese unit to lead its operations in the country. Hewlett-Packard unveiled three new strategic alliances. Two of the deals, with StarMedia and USA.Net, involve HP's swapping hardware, software, and services for either a slice of revenue, equity in the company, or both. The other, with eOnline, is a more traditionally structured deal. In addition, Hewlett-Packard and SAP AG reported plans to develop an infrastructure for providing joint HP and SAP customers with the products they desire to operate in the Internet world of mySAP.com and e-services. The new offerings will be jointly developed and offered under the HP 5nines:5minutes alliance. Finally, HP, along with Proxim, and Odyssey Software agreed to team to create a developers toolkit that they claim will give enterprises real-time mobile access to information via HP's Windows CE devices. Included are HP's Jornada 680 handheld, Proxim's RangeLAN2 wireless network connection, Odyssey's Cefusion connectivity software, and the Windows CE Toolkit 6.0 for Visual Basic development. Hitachi and Fuji Electric concluded an agreement to launch a joint-venture company. The company will engage chiefly in the development and design of power semiconductors. Establishment of the new company, tentatively named Fuji-Hitachi Power Semiconductor Technologies, is planned for November 1999. IBM created an expanded portal alliance with Lycos to deliver content, commerce, and community services to users of the Options By IBM Rapid Access II Keyboard. The keyboard is designed to allow users with an existing Internet account to launch the IBM- and Lycos-developed Internet start page and Web sites, which users can customize and personalize. IBM also struck a deal with Siemens Information and Communication Networks to apply next generation system-on-a-chip products based on IBM's silicon germanium (SiGe) process technology to high performance mobile network communication systems. The Communication on Air business unit of Siemens Information and Communication Networks will gain access to IBM's SiGe technologies currently in development. In another deal, IBM formed a development agreement with Virage to integrate Virage's VideoLogger and AudioLogger products into IBM's media asset management offering. Microsoft, Softbank and Global Crossing formed a joint venture to bring increased broadband connectivity to the Asian region. The venture, called Asia Global Crossing, is intended to create an advanced fiber optic communications network connecting business centers in the East Asian region to Global Crossing's worldwide fiber optic network. Microsoft and Softbank also committed to purchasing at least $200 million in Global Crossing Network capacity over three years. SAS formed a partnership with Luminate Software through which SAS Institute's systems-management offering, IT Service Vision software, will read, process, and report on performance data collected in SAP AG's R/3 environment by certain products in the Luminate for SAP R/3 product family. These products include Luminate Service Level Analyzer for SAP R/3. Sybase's Internet Applications Division (IAD) and Visual Edge Software formed a strategic partnership to combine Sybase Enterprise Application Server (EAServer) with Visual Edge Madrid for integration with SAP R/3. The partnership, which will consist of joint development and marketing, is intended to ease integration of Web-based applications and back-office systems. Symantec signed a strategic cross-promotion agreement with AT&T through which Symantec will bundle AT&T's WorldNet Service Internet software with retail copies of Norton SystemWorks 2000, Norton Utilities 2000, ACT! 2000, and pcAnywhere. AT&T will include trialware of Norton Utilities 2000 on the AT&T WorldNet Service software CD. Symantec also reported that Scan and Deliver, a component of Norton AntiVirus, now includes automated macro virus analysis and repair technology jointly developed by Symantec and IBM. Unisys and Microsoft formed a marketing and technology alliance. The companies are working together to accelerate the adoption of the Speech Application Programming Interface (SAPI) for speech applications, providing software developers with a set of tools and support programs designed to make speech-based technology easier to deploy. Yahoo formed an agreement with CheckFree through which Yahoo users will be able to pay bills online. Yahoo Bill Pay is designed to allow users to pay bills not only to established companies, but also to individuals. In addition to making payments of differing amounts every month, users can also schedule fixed monthly payments. In a separate deal, Yahoo formed an agreement with Athlete Direct to bring professional athletes to users through the Yahoo Sports All-Star Club. Applications Software Commerce One introduced its Commerce One BuySite 6.0 Electronic Procurement Application, a software release designed to reduce time and effort required for the deployment of e-procurement automation to end users throughout multinational organizations. PeopleSoft unveiled the specifics of PeopleSoft 8, an applications and technology software product featuring an ultra-thin HTML client designed to provide widespread access over low bandwidth networks to PeopleSoft applications for e-commerce. Chip Technology News Hitachi Semiconductor introduced its 512-MB stacked device, which is designed to increase the density of its DRAM chips. The company's Double Density Packaging technique crams two 256-Mbit SDRAM devices into the same space as a single-chip package, letting designers fit twice the DRAM capacity into the same standard module footprint. IBM developed a series of initiatives and products in support of its drive to become a major technology supplier to the communications industry. These initiatives include a Communications Research and Development Center, bringing together IBM's worldwide research, chip development, and network system design skills to focus on new technologies for components used in communications products, and efforts to encourage the development of new applications for communications processors by working with third party companies to establish software standards. Intel unveiled a microprocessor chip intended for use in devices that route information across the Internet. Intel intends the "network processor" microprocessor to replace more expensive chips as the brains of switches and routers that shepherd data through corporate networks and the Internet. Electronic Commerce Second-ranked professional services firm EDS reported plans to launch Internet billing services in Europe. EDS will deliver the services, which use the Internet and intranets to deliver electronic bills and invoices, through its E.solutions unit. Ernst & Young integrated Cisco's Intelligent Contact Management CTI software with Clarify's eFrontOffice customer relationship management package. The integration enables users of eFrontOffice to have direct access to CTI functions such as screen pops, call forwarding, and call handling. Financial News Cap Gemini posted first-half 1999 revenues of FF 14.44 billion (Euros), a rise of 16.2 percent at a constant rate of exchange. Net income was FF 878 million versus FF 454 million in 1998. Earnings per share rose to FF 13 million from FF 7 million. Hewlett-Packard reported it is bolstering its e-services strategic alliance with dbn by providing the netsourcing service provider with $17 million in venture financing through a debt and equity arrangement. Internet/Intranet Dell reported that it is working with a host of e-commerce product providers in its business-to-business commerce initiative. The initiative is designed to enable customers to streamline the purchase of computer systems, peripherals, and services from Dell by linking Dell's internal systems with customers' IT infrastructures via the Internet. Earthlink debuted Home Office, a suite of Internet-based postage and messaging services. The Home Office feature is designed to provide members with easier access to Internet-based postage services introduced by E-Stamp and unified messaging services provided by MessageClick. Oracle reported the availability of OracleMetaLink 2.0, an upgrade to Oracle's customizable, Internet-based technical support service. OracleMetaLink 2.0 is designed to offer features that allow end-users of Oracle products to log and update technical assistance requests online, receive product updates and information tailored to their individual needs, and download product offerings PSINet reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, PSINetworks Japan, received approval for its Type 1 License Application by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in Japan. The Type 1 License allows PSINetworks Japan to own telecommunication facilities in Japan, enabling the extension of PSINet's facilities-based IP network. RAD Data introduced its IP access device, the IPmux. IPmux is an E1 or T1 mulitplexer for IP and Ethernet networks that is designed to transparently convert E1 or T1 circuits to IP packets for transmission over IP without requiring any higher layer processing. Legal News Hewlett-Packard and Repeat-O-Type Stencil Manufacturing settled HP's trademark infringement lawsuit against Repeat-O-Type. The settlement comes after the US District Court in San Francisco entered a substantial judgment in HP's favor and granted permanent injunctions against various Repeat-O-Type business practices. About 340 former employees of IBM's Lexington plant will receive $15.5 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company misled them about an early retirement program. The settlement includes lump-sum payments of past-due benefits, while the remainder of the settlement will be added to future benefit payments. Mergers/Acquisitions Baan signed an agreement to acquire Proloq Holding. Upon completion of the acquisition, Proloq will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Baan. Proloq develops, markets, and supports add-on modules which are based on Baan's development technology and fully integrated in Baan's ERP software. Computer Associates acquired privately-held Innovative DP Designs. CA will continue to develop, market, and support IDI's IMS ToolKit, a suite of 10 integrated IMS data base products, which includes backup and recovery, data base integrity validation, fast utilities, monitoring, and other tasks necessary for the data base administrator. Computer Sciences (CSC) bought TRW Data Services (TDS), a unit of TRW that offers software designed to process high volumes of payments. TDS, which has 200 employees and revenues of about $35 million, will become part of CSC's Financial Services Group. Dell formed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held ConvergeNet Technologies. Dell will exchange about 6.9 million shares of Dell common stock for all outstanding shares and options of ConvergeNet. The transaction has an aggregate value of approximately $340 million. Upon completion of the transaction, Dell will record a one-time charge against after-tax earnings of five to seven cents per share for purchased in-process research and development expenses. European IT services firm Getronics agreed to acquire the activities of Redes Y Systemas de Datos, a Mexican data network services company. Getronics expects the acquisition to provide cross-selling channels and to pave the way for further expansion into Central and South America. Intel entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held NetBoost in an all-cash transaction. NetBoost will provide tools that will be key components supporting Intel's Internet Exchange (IX) Architecture. Metromedia Fiber Network and AboveNet reported the completion of their merger. AboveNet shareholders will receive 1.175 shares of Metromedia Class A common stock. AboveNet will have access to Metromedia's planned network of 1.1 million fiber miles in North America and Europe. Prodigy formed a definitive acquisition agreement through which Prodigy will acquire the more than 80,000 billable subscriber base, 140 employees, and the network infrastructure of the small-business Web hosting company, BizOnThe.Net. Prodigy will pay approximately $100 million in Prodigy stock and cash. PSINet acquired privately-held Netline Comunicaciones. Netline, based in Santiago, serves businesses and consumers with dial-up and dedicated access. Once integrated, Netline customers will have access to PSINet's full portfolio of connectivity services as well as other value-added services such as electronic commerce, global roaming, Internet faxing, and voice-over-IP. PSINet also disclosed the acquisition of Netsystem, based in Buenos Aires. Netsystem will eventually offer the full suite of PSINet products and services. Finally, acquired privately-held Elender Informatikai es Szamitastechnikai, Hungary's second largest ISP. Elender offers dial-up access, leased lines, ISDN, and other Internet related services to business and consumers. The purchase is PSINet's first in Central Europe. Milgo Solutions and TimePlex Group reported that they are combining to create Milgo-Timeplex, an organization that will focus on customer satisfaction and support. Bob Wentworth is President and CEO of the combined companies as a result of the recent acquisition of TimePlex by Platinum Equity Holdings, Milgo Solutions' parent company. Milgo-Timeplex will provide networking services to help customers build, operate, manage, and grow efficient networks. Faulkner Information Service Flash Account flash@faulkner.com 114 Cooper Center Pennsauken, N.J. 08109 (609) 662 2070 http://www.faulkner.com ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
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X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 13e23b,ab67c3bab06ad202,start X-Google-Attributes: gid13e23b,public X-Google-Thread: f7386,ab67c3bab06ad202,start X-Google-Attributes: gidf7386,public X-Google-Thread: fb37e,ab67c3bab06ad202,start X-Google-Attributes: gidfb37e,public X-Google-Thread: fa720,ab67c3bab06ad202,start X-Google-Attributes: gidfa720,public From: Missy Harvey <harvey@andrew.cmu.edu> Subject: Faulkner Systems Flash 09/15/99 - (Part 1 of 2) Date: 1999/09/15 Message-ID: <1111389622.937414260@ES4BB165.LIBRARY.CMU.EDU> X-Deja-AN: 526012345 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Complaints-To: advisor@andrew.cmu.edu X-Trace: bb3.andrew.cmu.edu 937428836 15000 128.2.10.101 (15 Sep 1999 20:53:56 GMT) Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Originator-Info: login-token=Mulberry:01j9dNgfc4v/fGW5z42lfE8OI0xK0VQtq9Orr2j0fACg==; token_authority=postmaster@andrew.cmu.edu X-Added: With Flames (outnews v2.6) Mime-Version: 1.0 NNTP-Posting-Date: 15 Sep 1999 20:53:56 GMT Content-Disposition: inline Newsgroups: cmu.cs.general,cmu.cs.robotics,org.ini.ms,cmu.ece.general