IBM software offers portal solution
IBM announced the release of a portal server for departments looking to start a small portal project and then build and expand. Websphere Portal Server is designed as the software foundation for building applications and services that reside within a portal, best known as a common entry point for business users who need to share information regardless of where the information resides.
The portal server offering simplifies the creation and delivery of portal components by leveraging service-oriented architecture (SOA). Portal Server leverages a Web 2.0 Ajax-based interface, which includes standards-based applications using popular file formats to deliver Web content through Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds.
Additional features include:
- simplified integration with applications such as Oracle, SAP and BEA, based on IBM’s open standards strategy.
- access to nearly 1,000 business partner applications available at IBM’s Portal Catalog.
- personalization and customization features, such as the use of rules for business users to show or hide pages to help businesses improve productivity.
Businesses that start with portal server as their foundation portal can upgrade to other offerings in the WebSphere Portal family with WebSphere Portal Enable and WebSphere Portal Extend.
Portal Server is available in two packages, purchasing 20 user packs for US$2,500 USD or purchasing on a per processor basis for US$50,000. IBM WebSphere Portal Enable is US$95,000 USD per processor while IBM WebSphere Portal Extend is US$130,000 per processor.
Iomega introduces 320GB eSATA/USB drive
Iomega Corp. announced the availability of the Iomega Desktop Hard Drive eSATA/USB 2.0 320GB. Iomega’s eSATA interface allows for triple the transfer rate of USB 2.0.
Iomega’s eSATA drive gets its speed advantage by utilizing the same type of high-speed interface as an internal hard drive. It ships with an included eSATA PCI card and cable that can upgrade most PC motherboards to eSATA capability.
With the eSATA drive, users can add multiple Iomega eSATA drives. The drives can be stacked or mounted vertically with the built-in drive stand.
EMC Retrospect Express, included with the drive, offers automated protection for Windows and Mac users. Users can back up open files, verify backup integrity during the backup, have scheduled backups proceed even without logging in and recover individual files or a complete system to any point in time.
The drive comes with an eSATA PCI card and cable, a USB 2.0 cable, a power cable and a Quick Start guide and Solutions CD.
The Iomega Desktop Hard Drive eSATA/USB 2.0 320 GB is available now for US$239.95.
Teradata ships NCR server for enterprise data warehouses
Teradata, a division of NCR Corp., has begun shipping the NCR 5450 Server. The NCR 5450 server is a component of Teradata Warehouse 8.1, a suite of software, hardware and professional consulting services.
The NCR 5450 Server was designed to support mission critical applications, allowing businesses to incrementally grow their data warehouse by integrating, or coexisting, new NCR servers into their older system configuration.
The server improves its capability to handle increased data volumes along with heavier decision support and complex mixed-workloads versus previous models. These mixed-workloads include both deep analytics for strategic intelligence as well as the short, real-time data load and access requirements that support operational intelligence. As the business grows, the NCR 5450 Server can grow to a 4.2 petabyte-size warehouse capable of complex and demanding workloads for global businesses.
The NCR 5450 Server uses Intel Xeon 3.8 GHz processor technology with Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T). The NCR 5450 Server leverages the EM64T functionality to support both 32-bit and 64-bit data warehouse solutions.
Customers may select UNIX, Windows or the 64 bit Linux operating system.