Autodesk launches geospatial solution bundle
Autodesk Inc. announced the availability of a government geospatial bundle that combines Autodesk’s GIS products with Google Earth Pro, allowing users to leverage technical spatial data. The bundle is called the Autodesk Government Geospatial Solution with Google Earth Pro and is available on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Schedule 70.
The combined package enables both professional and technical users to create, manage, share and visualize an integrated data environment that combines geospatial data with the imaging and search capabilities from Google Earth Pro. Using the Autodesk Government Geospatial Solution with Google Earth Pro, government agencies can now make detailed global data accessible to non-engineering users who can easily use and share the information, the company said.
The suite includes a number of software applications:
Autodesk Map 3D 2007 – offering mapping functionality to engineers and geospatial professionals for integrating CAD and GIS information.
Autodesk Raster Design 2007 – offers the ability to visualize and manage raster images, including georeferenced image files, aerial photographs and digital elevation models in an integrated environment.
Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise 2007 – Enables technical workgroups to create HTML-based applications that integrate GIS live datasets. Users can also use MapGuide to publish all Autodesk, Intergraph and ESRI geospatial content for viewing in Google Earth Pro.
Google Earth Pro – available to users who require access to a blend of spatial data and integrates full-earth datasets with detailed datasets from a variety of sources.
Agency technical staff can use Autodesk Map 3D and Raster Design to create, aggregate and edit GIS datasets. These datasets can then be accessed via the Web by Autodesk MapGuide, which can either publish to HTML or KML via beta plug-in software available for free download at the company’s Autodesk Labs Web site. Non-technical agency personnel, using Google Earth Pro, can then access the datasets and leverage them to support their agency business objectives. In addition, Google Earth Pro enables the agency business users to marry the internal agency GIS data with the data in Google Earth Pro.
The Autodesk Government Geospatial Solution with Google Earth Pro is available exclusively to government agencies through DLT Solutions Inc., the Autodesk Master Government Reseller.
I/O Concepts offers enterprise remote connectivity solution
I/O Concepts Inc. announced the availability of Secure Access Management (SAMS), a multi-platform access solution that allows organizations to improve security of remote access while providing a single access point for all of their enterprise computing systems.
The SAMS solution supports a variety of connectivity types and protocols, allowing it to integrate with all major computing platforms and devices. IBM mainframe, iSeries, Linux and Unix platforms are supported. Companies can now use the SAMS product to allow people with different responsibilities in the company to access their company’s computing resources with a single SSL-encrypted, secure entry point into the company.
In addition, to access a company’s computing resources, SAMS provides HIPAA and SOX compliance features that will help companies reach their compliance goals.
The Secure Access Management System is available now and pricing is dependent on the configuration of each organization’s computing environment.
IBM offers faster storage models
IBM announced the expansion of its storage portfolio with the introduction of faster and enhanced systems across its product storage line and the addition of the Enterprise Choice warranty service option for the IBM System Storage DS6000 series. The offerings are designed to provide customers with increased performance and management capabilities, infrastructure simplification and lower costs.
At the high-end, IBM is introducing the IBM System Storage DS8000 Turbo models, updating its flagship DS8000 series. The models, the IBM System Storage DS8100 Turbo and DS8300 Turbo systems, are based on Power5+ processors and demonstrate a performance improvement of up to 15 per cent for transaction processing workload environments, as compared to the previous IBM System Storage DS8000 storage system, according to IBM. The addition of 4 Gbps Fibre Channel and FICON technology allows for the reduction of the number of network resources supporting simplified management and reduced infrastructure costs.
IBM has also announced enhancements to the IBM System Storage DS6000, which will now also support low-cost Fibre Channel ATA drives (FATA), tiered storage options and TPC for Replication. The DS6000 Series will also come with one-standard warranty and the option for customers to take advantage of a flexible Enterprise Choice option for warranty extensions, which allows customers to choose a 24×7 warranty for an additional one year to three years in one-year increments when ordered at the time of original purchase.
The IBM System Storage DS8000 Turbo models and enhancements for the DS6000 series will both be available on Sep. 9 with starting list prices of US$213,400 for the DS8000 Turbo models and of US$102,600 for the enhanced DS6000. Additionally, the server synergy features for the DS8000 Turbo will be available on Nov. 17 and available as an upgrade at no additional charge on systems purchased prior to Nov. 17.
IBM also announced the release of high-end enterprise and gateway solutions, with release of the IBM System Storage N7000 line. The complete line of unified storage products based on NetApp technology are designed to provide end-to-end solutions for environments needing enterprise-class NAS, FC SAN, and iSCSI offerings.
The N series models, IBM System Storage N7600 and N7800, offer Fibre Channel and SATA disk drive support and provide simultaneous NAS, iSCSI and 4 Gbps FC SAN (FCP) attachment. Additionally, they are scalable up to 504TB of physical capacity. The enterprise gateway models, IBM System Storage N7600 and N7800 Gateways, utilize the same technology as the enterprise appliance models and include an option of attachment to IBM, Hitachi and HP storage subsystems. These high-end enterprise solutions are designed to enable customers to consolidate large amounts of IP attached storage under one single point of management.
The N series enterprise appliance models will be available Sep. 1 with a starting price of US$140,500, and the N series enterprise gateway solutions will be available Sep. 22 with a starting price of US$113,500.