This Week In Products: MS SQL Server 2005, Visual Studio

Developed by Danware Data A/S, it enables help desk professionals to connect directly to end users’ machines in seconds. With NetOp On Demand, it is not necessary to pre-install software prior to receiving remote support. End users simply download a 650K self-executing application from a designated website or internal server, which is then temporarily stored on their computer. The help session is then initiated from the end user’s computer using standard HTTP running through port 80 (most firewalls will allow outbound traffic without restrictions whereas inbound traffic is completely restricted by default). At this point, the end user can disconnect from the support session at any time with NetOp On Demand’s disconnect Hot Key. When the support session is terminated, the application automatically removes itself from the end user’s computer, eliminating the need for administrators to maintain and service installed applications.

NetOp On Demand is priced per support workstation and enables a help desk representative to provide unlimited support sessions. Pricing for a single help desk workstation is $2,995 with volume pricing available.

Infrastructure
Dell tailors PowerEdge to MS SQL Server
Dell announced a database offering featuring quad-socket PowerEdge servers with Intel Xeon dual-core technology and the Microsoft SQL Server database.

Whether single-core or dual-core, PowerEdge 6800 and 6850 servers maintain a common system image and are backward compatible so customers can easily manage and update all of their systems.

Dell’s SQL Server 2005 sizing tool can create full configuration recommendations of the optimal combination of Dell offerings based on specific customer database requirements.

The dual-core PowerEdge 6800 and 6850 servers are available for order today with factory-installed Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (32/64-bit edition) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (32/64-bit edition).

HP packs tools into Total Print Management portfolio
HP introduced an expanded Total Print Management portfolio. The expansion includes enhancements to HP Web Jetadmin, as well as updates to HP Output Management solutions.

The company also unveiled HP Universal Print Driver Series for Windows, which is designed to ease deployment of new HP print drivers for IT managers. HP also introduced a new series of digital projectors, along with the company’s first projector management tool.

HP Web Jetadmin version 8.0 can manage fleets containing both HP and non-HP devices. The tool provides remote deployment, maintenance, supplies replenishment and reporting. Key updates include user- and application-level reporting for more in-depth asset utilization analysis (via Report Generation Plug-in 3.0), as well as the ability to manage select HP Color LaserJet printers to set color controls by user, application or schedule.Predictive and consolidated reporting enables just-in-time arrival and volume pricing of supplies. Also, HP Web Jetadmin 8.0 includes a link to HP SureSupply for assisted reordering through a choice of vendors or directly from HP.

HP Universal Print Driver for Windows provides users with one driver for the HP general office printers in their fleet – virtually all HP PCL 5 and Postscript general office color, as well as black-and-white laser printers, manufactured since 1997. In addition, the driver automatically supports new HP LaserJet printers and multifunction printers, eliminating the need to deploy new drivers when equipment is upgraded or when the printing environment expands.

The enhanced HP Output Distributor 3.5 helps companies improve their business operations while becoming more agile by improving output management capabilities. The application delivers reports in preferred formats through automatic bursting and bundling of content, which is ideal for high-end enterprises with a need for high reliability of document delivery in order to complete business processes.

Wireless
Adesso CyberPad promises mobile versatility
Adesso Inc. announced a line of digital notepads/PC tablets for consumers, executives, artists, mobile professionals, and students.

The CyberPad is designed to alleviate the need to manage multiple devices such as PDAs, notebook PCs, digital cameras and traditional notepads. Resembling a regular 8 1/2 by 11-inch notepad portfolio, the Adesso CyberPad digitally stores exact reproductions of notes or graphics in real time. It includes a clip which accommodates all standard letter-sized paper pads. The CyberPad includes 32MB of internal memory which provides 26 directories (A-Z) with 99 pages available in each – and is further expandable with the integrated SD slot – which can also act as an SD card reader. It then connects to a PC via USB to instantly transfer and manage notes and images.

Once connected to a PC, Adesso’s CyberPad can also convert into a fully-functional PC tablet. Other emerging applications include Internet whiteboard graphics, signature verification for e-commerce as well as handwriting/text conversion.

The CyberPad series is available today for US$199.99.

Fone Folio brings apps to cell phones
Circuit Systems has released Fone Folio, a Windows application that lets users view important Windows files on their cell phone.

With one click, users can move a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file securely from a PC to Circuit Systems’ secure file server. To view the file on a Java- or WAP-enabled cell phone, users simply select it. All data is encrypted and compressed for fast access on a cell phone. The software supports bold, italic, underline, color, justification, vertical alignment, bullets, embedded tables, and text wrap.

The program supports all modern cell phones that use either Java or WAP 2.0. In addition to built-in support for all versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint since version 97, and for Corel WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, and Presentations (version 10 or newer), the software also works with generic text, comma delimited files, and 12 of the most popular image file formats.

Fone Folio runs under Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP, costs US$5.99 per month, and is available online.

Networking
Broadband Command Center aimed at operators
Incognito Software announced the Broadband Command Center (BCC) Appliance, a software-and-hardware package designed for small- to medium-sized broadband operators with hundreds to thousands of subscribers.

The appliance automatically brings customer premise equipment (CPE) online according to the operator’s pre-set rules and dynamically configures CPE based on each subscriber’s unique selection of services. Supported CPE devices include: cable modems, residential gateways, and SIP or PacketCable multimedia terminal adapters (MTAs) and IPTV set top boxes. Before granting network access, the appliance can confirm the subscriber’s billing and service options through an existing customer service system.

The software is pre-installed on servers. The appliance is also available as a redundant server pair for 5-nines reliability to prevent business disruptions.

DualHead2Go offers more monitor displays
Matrox Graphics, Inc. unveiled the DualHead2Go, an external upgrade capable of adding multiple monitor support to compatible laptop and integrated graphics-based desktop PCs that were previously limited to single screen output.

DualHead2Go is a palm-sized box that connects to the existing single monitor output (i.e. external VGA output) of a computer and appears to the system as a single ultra-widescreen monitor with native support for resolutions up to 2560 x 1024, which are twice as wide as standard resolutions. DualHead2Go splits the 2560 x 1024 Microsoft Windows desktop into a right and left half, each of which is then sent to two separate analog monitors.

DualHead2Go is bundled with Matrox PowerDesk SE; a suite of window management software offering users a range of operational modes, utilities and display configurations for optimal management of windows positioning and message pop-ups. DualHead2Go will cost US$169.

Storage
V-Switch puts iSCSI into SAN pool
SANRAD Inc. unveiled its Total iSCSI SAN-V-Switch, enabling users to integrate their existing iSCSI storage arrays into a iSCSI SAN pool of heterogeneous, multi protocol storage devices.

Users can add their iSCSI storage arrays to a pool of SAN storage and then manage that global storage pool with a full spectrum of intelligent storage services, including virtualization, remote replication, data mirroring and snapshots.

The Total iSCSI SAN-V-Switch supports any IETF-compliant iSCSI storage devices, iSCSI arrays and iSCSI systems so customers can maximize their existing investment in storage hardware, especially those who were misled into thinking that iSCSI arrays provided full SAN functionality.

CommVault extends QiNetix Version 6.1 suite
CommVault announced a recovery solution called ContinuousDataReplicator (CDR) software. The CDR solution, for remote offices and data centers that are being consolidated for disaster recovery purposes, continuously captures changes in enterprise applications and remote office data. This platform shares job and media management, security, policy management, index and a common browser interface to help customers maximize data availability at reduced costs.

With CDR, customers can leverage bandwidth-efficient, continuous replication of file and application data between the source and designated targets. In addition, application consistency is provided through Recovery Points,_ a feature that provides referential integrity of application data. The administrator can choose to replicate entire volumes, or select folders or individual directories within a single volume.

Security
Policy Enforcer added to McAfee’s arsenal
McAfee, Inc. announced its system security policy enforcement solution, McAfee Policy Enforcer.Scheduled to be generally available in early 2006, Policy Enforcer blocks network access to managed and unmanaged end-point systems that do not comply with defined IT security policies.

The solution will provide smart policy controls and granular agent and agentless assessment to ensure security application and patch compliance before allowing access to the network.

Additional checks will also be performed to verify that high risk viruses and threats are not present on the endpoint system. The solution will integrate with McAfee Policy Orchestrator 3.6 (ePO).

Senforce ESS offers location awareness
Senforce Technologies announced version 3.1 of its Endpoint Security Suite (Senforce ESS).

Endpoint integrity and compliance checks can take place anytime and anywhere, and do not need to use network admission and network authentication controls to take place. Regardless of the user’s network location, ESS Endpoint Integrity ensures policy compliance and enforcement of security practices, keeping anti-virus, anti-spyware, operating system security patches, and other security solutions up-to-date and running at all times and places. Protecting endpoint PCs from Internet traffic threats, ESS uses kernel-level driver technology for inbound and outbound traffic filtering. Stateful packet inspection, TDI (Transport Driver Interface) filtering, and remote host access control list technologies are designed to protect against hackers, malware and protocol attacks. In addition, it allows administrators to control applications by location.