London – 8th April, 2014 – Adapt has attracted two experienced industry executives away from Colt and Rackspace to join its senior management team. Tom Needs has joined as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Scotty Morgan is the new Sales and Marketing Director.

The seniority of these key hires reflects Adapt’s growing appeal to executives who bring deep experience and a demonstrable track record of outstanding growth in the managed infrastructure service sector. Both Needs and Morgan will play a vital role in the company’s continued rapid growth.

Commenting on the appointments Stewart Smythe, CEO at Adapt, said: “Tom and Scotty understand the growth opportunity at Adapt.  They bring the kind of operational skills needed to make a big impact on the business as we scale our offerings upwards and outwards.”

Needs joins the team after working at Rackspace for three years, where he led their Enterprise business in EMEA.  Prior to that he spent nine years at Attenda. He has a reputation for building valued customer relationships and delivering outstanding service experience to enterprise, mid-market, SaaS and Ecommerce customers. Needs will play a key role in both driving Adapt’s customer value strategy forward and proposition development. 

Morgan has over 15 years of sales and marketing experience in the IT services sector. He has a proven track record for growing revenues founded on relationship-based sales and market development. He joins Adapt from Colt’s infrastructure managed services division where he was part of the sales leadership team across Europe. Before that, Morgan delivered rapid revenue growth at Computacenter and BTGS.

Smythe concluded: “Adapt’s ongoing success and growth continues to attract our industry’s top talent. Tom and Scotty have enjoyed and delivered accelerated development throughout their careers and Adapt will provide them the opportunity to continue that at Board level. At the heart of our success is an outstanding and customised enterprise service – attracting such exciting talent will allow us to build momentum and stay ahead of our market.”

About Adapt
Adapt is an award-winning, end-to-end managed services provider.  We help customers make the transition to highly secure, scalable, enterprise-class IT that delivers real-world advantage, enabling change and innovation.

Adapt services increase agility. Our integrated offering spans the entire IT infrastructure from end-to-end infrastructure management and cloud-based services through to colocation, hosting and complex world-class networking solutions, underpinned by flexible, OPEX-based commercial models. www.adapt.com

Adapt media contacts
Emily Gallagher/Kate Langley
Touchdown PR
+44 (0) 1252 717 040
adapt@touchdownpr.com

International services and outsourcing provider Serco has purchased the UNIT4 Agresso Local Government ERP Platform to underpin business services at Lincolnshire County Council.  The software will be used in delivering a range of support services, including finance, human resources, payroll, recruitment, invoice processing and income management.

“The new system will give us the flexibility we need to improve efficiency and reduce costs,” said Judith Hetherington Smith, Chief Information and Commissioning Officer at Lincolnshire County Council.

"It will cut back on administration and improve collaboration between departments, while its real-time reporting will mean strategic decisions can be made using the very latest information.

"The end result will be more streamlined and effective processes, bringing taxpayers much better value for money."

The deal forms part of a larger contract, awarded to Serco, to deliver support and customer services to the council, bringing savings of more than £14m over five years. Sean Hanson, Regional Director at Serco, added: “We’re very excited about this partnership and the benefits we believe it will deliver to the council and local communities across Lincolnshire. "By introducing new technology and ways of working, we'll help improve services and drive efficiencies for the authority.

"However, the most important thing is a smooth transition, with no drop in service for citizens and council staff, something that we'll be working on over the next year.”

UNIT4 is already the number one provider of back office systems in local government, and this announcement builds upon that existing momentum.

“This is our first project working with Serco and we're delighted to be working with both them and Lincolnshire County Council,” said Anwen Robinson, Managing Director of UNIT4 Business Software Ltd. “This deal is indicative of the swing in momentum in the public sector ERP market over the last 24 months away from ‘big ERP’ to technology vendors that offer greater technical and commercial flexibility.”

9 April 2014 Nearly 50 per cent of people experience problems with their Internet at least once a day, new research has revealed.

The figure paints a worrying picture of the UK’s rural broadband provision. In total, the Government has already invested £530million in to fibre broadbandand former Culture Secretary Maria Miller has been reported as wanting the UK’s Internet to be among the best in the world.

According to the research which asked 142 people about their broadband the most common problems include slow Internet and a dropped connection, with 64.7 per cent reporting the former and 17.61 per cent reporting the latter. The survey was issued by Mole Valley Farmers, in conjunction with Europasat, and sent to customers of the organisation which mostly serves farmers and rural dwellers.
 
A total of 44.37 per cent of respondents had trouble with their Internet at least once a day – and more than half of those (26.76 per cent) stated problems occurred several times a day. Speed also continues to be a problem with 23.94 per cent receiving advertised speeds of 2Mbps or less. The Government target is 24Mbps.

“Put simply, those in rural locations must not be left behind. The government’s promise of superfast broadband for everyone needs to be delivered” said Andy Skarzynski, Head of Ecommerce at Mole Valley Farmers. “We hear anecdotally from our customers, many of whom live in rural areas, how poor Internet connections delay day-to-day business and this survey shows how widespread the problem is.

“With Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) confirming all Common Agricultural Policy will be delivered through an entirely new single online application system by 2015, the Government needs to make rural locations a priority when it comes to superfast broadband.”

The importance of the Internet was also highlighted by the research. Around a fifth (21.13 per cent) of people stated their job would not be possible without a connection, while 31.69 per cent said the Internet was extremely important for their job. A massive 84.51 per cent of respondents go online several times a day.

Despite the survey showing the need for an alternative broadband solution, more than a third (35.21 per cent) of people did not know they could get Internet with download speeds of up to 20Mbps through satellite technology.

“Those who are still heralding fibre as a ‘one size fits all solution’ need to face up to the fact that for the 95 per cent of the UK that it will benefit, there is five per cent that it won’t work for,” said Andrew Walwyn, Managing Director, Europasat. “These people wake up daily to life in the digital dark ages and that is not good enough. There is alternative technology out there that can provide a solution and the Government needs to do more to promote and create access to these.”

Of the 142 people who took the survey, 66.9 per cent live in the South West and 33.10 per cent work in Agriculture, suggesting the problem largely affects rural areas. This is likely to be due to homes being further away from a cabinet, meaning they would not receive the full benefit of fibre optic broadband, which is how the Government is upgrading Internet across the UK.

Satellite Internet works in a way similar to satellite television services and can be used anywhere, as long as the user can have a dish installed to their property with a clear view of the southern sky. It is proven to provide a consistent, reliable and fast connection and people who use it for business-related purposes have reported savings of time and money, enabling them in some cases to grow their business.

The survey results follow an announcement that the Government will release £250million extra funding to local authorities for broadband provision. Areas set to benefit include Devon and Somerset, Shropshire, Hereford and Gloucestershire, South Yorkshire, Essex, Hampshire Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, Kent and Medway, East Riding of Yorkshire and Black Country.

“While this funding is not to be scoffed at and is likely to help boost rural access across the UK, it is important not to forget about the final five per cent of the population,” said Walwyn. “Satellite does have its critics but for areas where connection to a fast and reliable network is still a long way off, it is an ideal solution. Unless the Government embrace alternative technologies in their broadband plan, the country’s broadband being among the best in the world will not be possible.”

Customers of Mole Valley Farmers can currently get Europasat Internet for a reduced price of £9.99 per month. For more information about Europasat and the different packages offered see http://www.europasat.com/

For more information about Mole Valley Farmers see http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/

St Pancras Chambers Collection, the brainchild of the owner developers who transformed the Grade I* listed Victorian St Pancras Chambers into a 5-star luxury hotel and apartments, has selected Eurostop retail management solutions to support its new retail venture.  St Pancras Chambers Collection has launched an exclusive range of gifts which will be available for purchase to train travellers after passport control at St Pancras International. St Pancras Chambers Collection is using Eurostop’s e-pos system and e‑rmis suite of head office management applications to automate and facilitate its stock control processes.

It is estimated that up to one million visitors per week travel through St Pancras International, 25% coming for reasons other than travel.  With 90,000 sqft of retail space, London’s best connected and greatest railway interchange hub offers an excellent retail experience in modern, attractive surroundings. 

According to Mr Thang Vo-Ta, Director of St Pancras Chambers Collection, “St Pancras International presents a powerful business proposition for new retail venture like ourselves seeking to capitalise on the huge footfall coming into the station premises.  Having a robust retail management framework is critical to our success.  We believe that Eurostop’s excellent reputation in the high-end specialist retail sector, combined with proven technology that offers the latest functionality in one, simple to use package, will support our first step into retail from day one.”

Phillip Moylan, Sales and Marketing Manager at Eurostop added, “New businesses such as St Pancras Chambers Collection need all the support they can get to stand out from the crowd and flourish in today’s competitive retail market.  Our single, integrated retail management platform will automate and streamline their back-office processes, giving them the freedom to focus their efforts 100% on providing exceptional customer service that boosts sales and delivers a healthy bottom line.” 

Notes to Editors

About Eurostop
Founded in 1990, with operations in London, Singapore and Shanghai, Eurostop provides complete solutions for Retail Management for the Fashion, Footwear and General Merchandise sectors encompassing both hardware and software.

Eurostop’s flagship products consist of:

e-rmis: A suite of head office management applications.

e-pos: EPOS system for standalone shops, concessions and franchises that can be easily integrated with e-rmis for larger users.

m-pos: a mobile version of e­‑pos enables sales transactions and stock enquires from anywhere within the store. 

e-commerce: Custom e‑commerce solutions for Independent retailers that provides a hosted and fully integrated service.

e-cubes: Data Mining.  A bespoke reporting tool which allows the slicing and dicing of data as well as selective publication of results and graphical representation.

e-time: The capture of staff working hours which aids in monitoring both stores’ and staff performances and productivity.

e-fulfilment: Intelligent optimisation of e-commerce orders for multi-channel retailers.

Paperless Receipts: Receipts by email

All Eurostop’s solutions can be fully integrated with other management and business systems, and all major ERP systems.

As well as advising on and supplying suitable hardware, Eurostop also undertakes training, support and custom development.  Its systems are available in several different languages including Chinese.

Eurostop has accreditation for Chip and PIN solutions, and together with partner Anderson Zaks provides a Chip and PIN managed service.

High profile customers include:  Aquascutum, Ann Summers, Ben Sherman, Daks, Ghost, Joseph, Marie-Chantel, Matches, Lotus Cars, Paul & Joe, Pavers Shoes, Pentland Brands Plc, Speedo, SuperGroup, Trespass and many more.

For more information visit: www.eurostop.com or contact:

For further information St Pancras Chambers Collection please visit / contact: www.spccollection.com

Tel: 0207 535 2255,  Email: info@spccollection.com

Editors’ Contacts
Phillip Moylan
Eurostop Limited
Tel: 020 8991 2700
Email: phillipm@eurostop.co.uk

Andreina West
PR Artistry Limited
Tel: 01491 639500
email: andreina@pra-ltd.co.uk

Flexible communication skills training for businesses and staff members of Spain’s construction sector

Munich – Wednesday 9th April 2014 – Speexx has been selected as the preferred language training provider for Spain’s Labour Foundation for Construction. In this project, Speexx will help to build the Foundation’s new online language learning platform.

The Labour Foundation for Construction is a reference entity for the entire construction sector within Spain. Its main focus points are the prevention of health and safety risks in the workplace, as well as education, innovation, sustainability and new technologies. With over 400 different educational offers, the Foundation has now added online language training to its portfolio. This is a significant step in the Foundation’s implementation of cloud-based learning solutions for communication skills training. The primary languages offered by the Foundation and Speexx will be English, French and German.

The goal of the foreign language and communication courses is to support professionals who need to improve their skills in a flexible way. Students choose from a variety of options which are suited to their individual learning needs. The course modules include online courseware, personalised coaching and live communication skills training via virtual classroom or telephone sessions. This way, students boost their communicative skills in a real-life business situation. Professional Speexx language trainers are also available to give guidance and support throughout the course. The online platform will allow students to learn at their own pace, while enabling HR Managers to compare and measure learning results.

“The current economic climate and high-speed globalisation have created an intensified internationalisation process for organisations and businesses of this sector”, explains David de Teresa, Commercial Director of the Foundation. “The quest for business opportunities beyond borders affects organisations of all sizes. In order to adapt to this change, we have decided to boost our language training offer for employees of the construction sector as well as similar industries”.

Elena Giménez, Head of Speexx Spain, comments, “The construction industry is key to our country’s economy, and Spanish companies represent a leading example of this sector. This partnership between the Foundation and Speexx will give professionals access to a high quality language training solution, anytime and anywhere. A strong knowledge of Business English and other languages is key to professional learning and development, both within and beyond Spain’s borders.”

eCommera, a global software-as-a-service (SaaS) and big data company that was formed to help retailers profit from the move to omni-channel commerce, today announced the appointment of Kevin Sterneckert as chief marketing officer (CMO).  Sterneckert, who most recently served as the lead retail analyst for Gartner, brings with him more than 20 years of experience in retail leadership and an unparalleled understanding of how retailers are solving complex challenges today and in the years ahead.

As Gartner Research Vice President, Sterneckert oversaw analysis of hundreds of retail-focused software solutions each year, offering the industry expert analysis of the possibilities of big data, the future of merchandise life cycles and the path to create excellence in the supply chain. He formerly served as the senior director of global product strategy at Oracle Retail, and as the vice president of retail for DemandTec.  Kevin’s retail experience includes serving as chief information officer of a billion-dollar grocer and managing the operations development in the US, as well as directing the supply chain activities in Mexico City, for Walmart Supercenters.

“Hundreds of software companies and retailers have relied upon Kevin over the past decade to guide their technology capabilities, hone their commerce prowess and achieve success in this rapidly-changing retail market,” said Andrew McGregor, CEO of eCommera. “eCommera is on the leading edge of a monumental shift in the industry, and Kevin is an industry thought leader and authority who can amplify the eCommera brand worldwide to achieve our growth objectives.”

“As I analysed the landscape of technology and software providers, eCommera stood out to me in its ability to leverage big data to solve complex, business critical issues in retail,” said Sterneckert. “I’m thrilled to step into this role at this exciting time for the company and the industry. Retailers have begun to realise the vital nature of commerce that is transparent, accurate, immediate and frictionless across the entire enterprise - from first touch to fulfilment.”

eCommera secured a $41 million funding round in February 2014. The company’s “Decision Intelligent Commerce” solution was built exclusively for retailers, and 70 leading retailers and global brands across 32 countries find success through its cloud commerce, order management and big data platforms. Notable customers include Asda Direct, House of Fraser, Neiman Marcus, Brooks Brothers, Lifetime Brands, Bouclair and Clarins.

“Retail has undergone a profound transformation over the past few years, and will only grow more complex in the foreseeable future,” said Sterneckert, “Those companies armed with the ability to solve cross-organisational and all-channel issues through big data predictive analytics, synced commerce platforms and order management that exceeds customer expectations are those that will survive now and thrive in years to come.”

Follow Sterneckert on Twitter, and gain more information about eCommera at www.ecommera.com, on Twitter or on LinkedIn. 

About eCommera
eCommera is a cloud delivered software company that combines big data analytics, commerce and order management platforms to reduce friction, create seamless customer experiences and allow the world’s most innovative retailers to leap ahead of competition. With eCommera, retailers across the globe are able to sell across any channel, fulfil from any location and do so profitably. The company serves over 70 retailers and global brands across 32 countries. In 2013 eCommera added to its DynamicCommerce and DynamicAction product portfolio through the acquisition of OrderDynamics one of the leaders in Order Management software. Today eCommera has offices in Asia, Europe and North America.

UK online retail businesses are so overwhelmed by their own data that they are struggling to use it to commercial advantage effectively or quickly enough, says a new report by Decision-Intelligent Commerce solutions provider eCommera and Retail Week.

61% of retailers admitted that data silos impacted their ability to rapidly understand and respond to performance dips and spikes.  More than a third (37%) of  these companies admitted that their marketing, merchandising and operations teams work independently when assessing business performance, and the same proportion acknowledged that gaining an integrated view across departments is a significant challenge. This, despite an acknowledgement by 41% of participants that retailers who manage to interpret and act on big data will beat out their competition.

The survey revealed that retailers are trying to bridge this divide using data analytics tools, but many feel blinded rather than empowered by the information available. Nearly 50% of retailers believe their current business intelligence tools fall short of their needs with only 16% confidently stated that their analytics provided the organisational visibility they require.

In a quest to achieve an accurate overview, some 44% of retailers use between two and five reports, spreadsheets and analytics to determine and track the performance of each department.

This data disconnection is interfering with online retailers’ top priorities of increasing revenue and profits. Only 23% of those surveyed felt they could quickly make sense of the data available to them in order to take the right business decisions.

“In the online world, the level of co-ordination required is extraordinary,” said Michael Ross, co-founder and Chief Scientist of eCommera. “

Whereas a physical retailer can rattle off what their key KPIs are, most people don’t understand the drivers of an online business and there are a lot of people focussing on the wrong metrics.

“Data is powerful but only if it’s accessible and being used to full effect.  At the moment, retailers are making important decisions based on disconnected, incomplete and potentially incorrect data.”

To download the full report, please visit: www.ecommera.com

Notes to editors
Michael Ross will deliver the keynote address at Fashion Digital UK at the Lancaster Hotel in London on Tuesday 8 April.

http://www.ecommera.com/news-events/events/fashion-digital-uk

About eCommera
eCommera is the leading provider of Decision-Intelligent Commerce solutions to omni-channel retailers.

Decision-Intelligent Commerce breaks down the channel, operational and functional silos in retail. It provides a unified approach centered on the customer and delivers the operational insight, direction and recommended actions that business users require to maximize profit.

eCommera’s Decision Intelligent tools, extensive retail expertise and unique methodologies ensure its clients can bypass the complexities and learning curves in this new age of retail and accelerate to consistently high performance.

DynamicAction™ and DynamicCommerce™ (powered by Demandware) from eCommera are ground-breaking cloud-based products that deliver prioritized, decision-ready actions and a complete commerce platform to enable retailers to make the greatest positive impact on their current performance, profitability and long-term growth.

eCommera supports almost 130 eCommerce sites for its customers across 29 countries. Customers include leading brands and retailers such as ASDA, Brooks Brothers, Clarins, Coty, FitFlop, Hamleys, House of Fraser, Jaeger, MATCHESFASHION.com, Space NK and others.

For more information, please visit: www.ecommera.com

April 2014:  Leading independent file transfer specialists Pro2col has today confirmed it will be exhibiting at InfoSec from 29 April to 1st May 2014 at Earl’s Court.  Pro2col, who is celebrating its tenth birthday, is also pleased to announce an exclusive agreement with Thru to distribute their file transfer solution here in the UK and Ireland.

Visitors to Stand O64 at InfoSec will be able to seek independent advice from the Pro2col team as to the best solutions for secure and efficient file transfer processes.  Any business signing up at the show will receive a free one to one audit.

James Lewis of Pro2col comments, “This past year has seen demand increase for our services from companies worldwide, resulting in the opening of our US office in Tampa.  As an independent consultancy, our customers benefit from knowing that we’re not restricted to selecting from a small product portfolio.  They also know our wealth of experience means we understand their requirements and can really get to grips with identifying the solution that fits their business needs and budget.  This past year we’ve added Cleo to our portfolio and I am delighted to have signed the agreement with Thru, who will be with us at the show.

The recently signed agreement means Pro2col has become the first partner in the UK to offer the cloud based managed file transfer platform from Thru.  With more than ten years of innovation and experience, Thru’s platform meets the reliability, flexibility, scalability and security needs of enterprise customers.  With over 5,000 installations in 70 countries, Thru handles billions of transactions annually. 

“We strongly believe that Pro2col’s unique experience and knowledge in this market will position us to jointly deliver solutions and services that meet the most demanding enterprise applications,” comments Denis Brotzel, SVP Corporate Development and Global Alliances at Thru.  “Our target for the region is 50% year over year growth in our customer base over the next 12 months, and we are confident that Pro2col will help us reach our goal.”

Further Information

Marketing Manager
Tel: 0333 123 1240
Email: ll@pro2col.com

As enterprises around the world adapt to the increasing adoption and maturation of Cloud, the focus is now shifting to address strategy and infrastructure in order to realise its full potential and overcome any challenges. Cloud is an enabler, driving agility, efficiency, productivity and competitive edge for businesses, and these advantages, and the associated risks, will be explored at this year’s sixth annual Cloud World Forum.

The event will throw a spotlight on the concept of hybrid Cloud environments and examine the implications of implementing the technology and how to take advantage of it. The integrated solution, utilising both public and private Cloud models, offers the scalability, flexibility and cost-effectiveness of public Clouds, and the security of private. 

Intel, HP and Microsoft are among the industry’s leading vendors sponsoring the event and highlighting interesting use cases for hybrid Cloud as part of the agenda.

Microsoft’s UK CTO Cloud, Rob Fraser, will chair the agenda’s Strategic Cloud track which will centre on Cloud models (public, private and hybrid), services, return on investment and sector specific Cloud. A host of Microsoft spokespeople will participate across the agenda, giving keynotes, presentations and taking part in panel discussions, including: John Shewchuk, Microsoft Technical Fellow; Anand Krishnan, General Manager, Microsoft; Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Technical Fellow, and many more.

Georgios Kipouros, Head of Production, Cloud World Series, said: “Although there are significant advantages to the Cloud, the reality is that businesses are having to manage increasingly complex environments. It is important to highlight this topic as part of the agenda because although the pros of Cloud certainly outweigh the cons, now is the time to explore the solutions that are available so that companies can smooth the way for future virtualised operations and infrastructures.”

Jeannot Muller, VP, Head of Global Infrastructure Architecture, DHL, will also take part in the agenda, delivering a session about Deciphering Hybrid Cloud Concepts for Multinational Companies.

2014’s event will see the leading Cloud vendors gather to showcase their latest solutions on the show floor, including: Microsoft, Salesforce, AWS, Google and many more. The Forum also features an exclusive C-level keynote Future Cloud theatre with CIOs and CTOs from leading end-users, such as: Coca Cola, UEFA, BBC, BMW, Marks & Spencer, UBS, CERN and Lufthansa.

The Cloud World Forum will take place on 17-18 June 2014, at the Olympia National Hall, London, UK. As EMEA’s largest and most comprehensive Cloud event it boasts an impressive agenda, with more than 240 speakers participating from 74 countries.

For more information, to plan your visit, to view the full event programme, or to register for the event, please visitwww.cloudwf.com or call +44 (0)207 017 5506. Alternatively, keep up to date with the event on Twitter @CloudWSeries or using #CloudWF.

Further Information

Service Delivery Executive
Tel: +44 (0)1522 883640
Email: enquires@realwire.com

ChannelCloud’s Citrix validation boosts opportunities for channel partners to get to market quickly with a well-established, validated service provider that has a proven technical infrastructure and business approach.

ChannelCloud, a cutting edge provider of comprehensive Cloud Solutions in the UK, has announced that it has been recognised by Citrix as a Diamond Validated, White-Label Hosting Partner across EMEA. Diamond Validation is the highest standard for Citrix Service Provider partners. Citrix Diamond Validation requires that Service Provider partners meet stringent guidelines around Architecture, SLA performance and Scalability.

ChannelCloud offers a turn-key, Citrix based, Cloud solution which enables channel members to quickly go to market, with a complete Cloud offering, in their own name with self-defined margins. The ChannelCloud partner program offers the guidance, tools and training required to transition from the traditional Break/Fix and Managed Services delivery models to the more lucrative Cloud Service Provider delivery model.

Paul Byrne, CEO of ChannelCloud, commented: “Having worked towards Diamond Validation over the last 18 months, we are truly delighted that our efforts have been recognised by Citrix. Our complete Cloud Solution, coupled with our business transformation toolset for traditional IT Service Providers, has earned us many plaudits within Citrix. It was a gargantuan effort on behalf of my colleagues in getting to where we are today, so I’m also very pleased for them.

“The end result is that we are now the quickest route to market for traditional IT Service Providers wishing to deliver complete, Citrix-based, Cloud Solutions in their own name without the need for capital investment.”

Scott Swanburg, Senior Director – Service Provider Business – Citrix, said: “ChannelCloud is an excellent example of a service provider partner who researched exactly how to be successful in the hosted cloud market, built a very solid technology structure aligned with the prescriptive Citrix Reference Architecture, and chose to be forward-thinking for the benefit of their end user customers and reseller partners. The Citrix Diamond Validation status is a great achievement for ChannelCloud and a sign of their hard work for both business and technical success.”

Byrne concluded: “Citrix Diamond Validation serves to further reinforce that ChannelCloud operates in line with industry best practice. This Citrix validation will enable us to gain even more credibility and differentiate ourselves further in a sometimes crowded marketplace.”

For more details about the Citrix Service Provider Programme White Label Hosting Partners, the benefits of the Citrix DaaS infrastructure and a global list of participating partners, please follow the link: http://www.citrix.com/partner-programs/service-provider/white-label-hosting-partners.html

London, UK – 08 April 2014 – With 75% of businesses in the cloud[1], and an estimated 200 Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) in the UK, the cloud computing sector is a huge growth market. Whether your business is new to the cloud or has been implementing it for some time, Adapt’s second cloud webinar will discuss what is next. The live event, entitled “The Right Cloud for your Business” will offer views from Cisco and VMware on what businesses should consider when planning their next cloud investment.

The webinar starts at 13:30 GMT, on Thursday 10 April 2014. Moderated by Kevin Linsell, Adapt’s Head of Service Development, the webinar’s panelists include Cloud Specialists from Cisco and VMware.

The debate will focus on the different stages of the cloud journey, exploring what drives business change - from compelling events to trends in technology. The webinar will discuss how businesses view different cloud options, in respect to their requirements, and how they can ensure they are optimising the right cloud environments across workloads. The panelists will also be participating in a Q&A session following the discussion.

To register for the webinar, please visit: http://www.adapt.com/whats-new/events/webinar-10th-april-2014-the-right-cloud-for-your-business-with-views-from-cisco-and-vmware.html

About Adapt
Adapt is an award-winning, end-to-end managed services provider.  We help customers make the transition to highly secure, scalable, enterprise-class IT that delivers real-world advantage, enabling change and innovation.

Adapt services increase agility. Our integrated offering spans the entire IT infrastructure from end-to-end infrastructure management and cloud-based services through to colocation, hosting and complex world-class networking solutions, underpinned by flexible, OPEX-based commercial models. www.adapt.com

Contact
For more info and to join the webinar contact:
Emily Gallagher/Kate Langley
Touchdown PR
01252 717040
adapt@touchdownpr.com

[1] Cloud Industry Forum, 2013.

Mirantis, the OpenStack vendor and Parallels, a leading hosting and cloud services enablement provider, today announced a collaboration to integrate Mirantis OpenStack with Parallels Automation.  This integration will allow service providers using Parallels Automation to easily offer OpenStack IaaS services to their customers using the Mirantis OpenStack distribution.

Parallels Automation is a hosting and cloud services delivery platform used by hundreds of service providers worldwide, from the largest telecom operators in the world to top hosters and providers of vertical solutions.  With Parallels Automation, service providers can deploy new services faster, reduce operational costs and increase average revenue per user.

“As OpenStack gains momentum around the world with more and more service providers, Parallels is natural partner for Mirantis,” said Boris Renski, executive vice president and co-founder of Mirantis. “Cloud operators will benefit in two key ways.  Service providers will be able to provision and meter OpenStack infrastructure using Parallels Automation.  And by supporting Parallels Containers as an alternative technology, service providers will have more choice when it comes to container technology in OpenStack.”

Mirantis OpenStack will be integrated with Parallels Automation using the APS 2 standard, making it easy for service providers to quickly bring OpenStack-based IaaS services to market. The Parallels Automation platform allows for seamless provisioning of these new services, as well as the consolidated billing with other offerings in the service provider’s environment.

“OpenStack is a priority for our service provider customers,” said John Zanni, chief marketing officer, Parallels. “We’re pleased to collaborate with Mirantis in developing an offering for our customers that makes it easier for them to be successful in delivering and monetising OpenStack solutions.”

The Mirantis OpenStack integration with Parallels Automation gives service providers, telecommunication companies, hosting providers, managed service providers and other cloud operators a range of benefits, including:

• Immediate access to the fast-growing OpenStack market at lower cost and shortened time to market. No need to customize OpenStack to work with Parallels Automation or invest in provisioning, billing, monitoring, resource allocation, or service enablement wrappers for their OpenStack offering

• A consistent end user experience. Cloud customers get a self-service environment in which they can provision and operate their OpenStack cloud within the same infrastructure footprint they already use with their preferred service provider

• No OpenStack lock-in. As the first zero-lock-in distribution, Mirantis OpenStack promises cloud-operators and cloud consumers alike a proven, working open source cloud environment free of opaque hooks or proprietary packaging.

London, UK, 9th April 2014 – Eight out of ten (79%) small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) say their website is critical or very important to their business but only 28% are happy with their company’s Google rankings. In fact, research undertaken by Browser Media at The Business Show in London shows that only four in ten (43%) of these SMEs are actively investing in marketing their website to improve their web presence.

Joe Friedlein, founder and managing director at Browser Media said: “It’s heartening to find that SMEs understand that their website can be a valuable business asset but equally concerning that only half invest in promoting it more broadly. It’s a bit like setting up a new retail outlet and then only telling family and friends how to find you. In order to attract new customers and grow their businesses, these SMEs need to think like a big brand and make more noise online.”

Of those businesses who do invest in digital marketing, just over half (69%) undertake this solely in-house, a third (31%) have some levels of agency support or outsource entirely. However, those businesses that seek external expertise are more satisfied with their online presence and visibility than those who undertake the work in house.

SME owners and managers were most familiar with the following online marketing disciplines:

• social media marketing (91%)
• email marketing (89%)
• SEO (79%)

and least familiar with:

• content marketing (52%)
• affiliate marketing (48%
• inbound marketing (35%)

Joe Friedlein, concluded: “It’s understandably chicken and egg - lots of small and micro business know they need to invest in digital marketing and that it will grow their business, but they can only cut their cloth according to their means. If these businesses can’t afford long-term activity, then ensuring their website is well optimised is be a good place to start. That way, they have a solid platform from which to build on additional activity as and when they can afford it.”

For more information or to see the associated infographic and blog post, please visit:

www.browsermedia.co.uk/2014/04/02/smes-frustrated-websites/

Notes to editors:
The research was carried out amongst 188 SME owners and managers at The Business Show, December 2013.

About Browser Media:
Browser Media was born as an SEO agency but has embraced the ‘inbound marketing’ philosophy. The agency has always practiced a PR-led approach to search engine marketing and modern SEO is now proving itself to be based on building authority rather than keywords and meta tags.

Browser Media’s services include online strategy, SEO, PPC, online PR, social media and analytics/CRO.

The company was founded in 2005 by Managing Director Joe Friedlein, and from humble beginnings has grown into a highly respected and award winning marketing agency that boasts a wide portfolio of clients including Scribbler, John Lewis, Colt, Scandinavian Airlines, Virgin Balloon Flights and Navman.

For further information please contact:
Ali Cort PR Director Browser Media 0207 099 0945

Distributed on behalf of Browser Media by NeonDrum news distribution service (http://www.neondrum.com)

Further Information

Director
Tel: +44 7747 017654
Email: nicky@evokedset.com

London, UK – 9 April, 2014 – Auriga Consulting Ltd (Auriga), the expert data, ICT and security consultancy, today suggested the dependency created by software licensing models such as Windows XP could spur migration to the Cloud. Windows XP reached end-of-life on 8 April, with support for the platform due to be fully withdrawn by July 2015. Many organisations have yet to make the transition, with the UK government recently devoting another £5.5 million to pay for continued support. The security threat posed by the withdrawal of support could endanger the viability of the software licensing model, particularly if organisations choose to migrate software services en masse to the Cloud.

The ICO and Gartner have both warned of the security dangers in the continued use of Windows XP. The software platform is expected to become a prime target for malware when support terminates and hackers begin to exploit unpatched or newly discovered vulnerabilities. Microsoft will continue to offer antivirus signatures and security scanning from Security Essentials until at least July 2015 but antivirus typically only stops a small percentage of new malware. Every new vulnerability found in Windows 7 or 8 which is not patched in XP could potentially pose a threat and become a zero day attack.

Cloud-based software services could rise to become a contender to the software licensing model. As services transition to the cloud and the client device transitions from a fully operational personal computer to a dumb terminal, users will no doubt begin to ask why they should continue to expose themselves to security vulnerabilities, maintenance licensing costs, and the additional software costs that constitute the majority cost of a client operating system. By jettisoning the client device, the enterprise can massively reduce the requirement for processing power and stands to benefit from a hugely increased client hardware life-cycle or desktop extension program. 

“The end-of-life of Windows XP isn’t just the death throes of a software service; it’s potentially the death knell for the software licensing model. There is an over-reliance upon the software service provider to ensure sustained support which creates an unhealthy dependency. But I wonder how much of these client licenses are dedicated to the provision of a web browser? Will the user need such client licenses anymore if they are purely using the Cloud? The Cloud is no longer a nascent market, and advances in how data is handled and secured now mean this is a viable alternative to established software services housed on the end device. Potentially, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t see a mass migration to the Cloud and this could render the licensing model obsolete,” said Louise T. Dunne, Managing Director, Auriga. 

About Auriga
Auriga Consulting Ltd (Auriga) is an expert consultancy specialising in Data Management, Information Assurance, Corporate Governance, Business Process Modelling, Analysis, ICT and Security. We advocate data as the most valuable part of your business and combine superior security and assurance knowledge with a wealth of business management consultancy and efficiency skills. Using a unique set of methodologies we embed security by overlaying it onto business process and analysing data.  

Auriga reported a turnover of more than £1million in its first full year of trading, cementing its reputation as one of the most dynamic and versatile solutions providers in the marketplace today. We have worked on some of the most demanding projects in the UK for customers from the public and private sectors, advising upon the architectures and business processes adopted for the G-Cloud project, NHS and social services databases, and leading the BSi’s largest audited UK organisation successfully through ISO 27001. To find out more, please go to www.aurigaconsulting.com or follow us on Twitter @AurigaConsult. 

Secure Retail, a specialist provider of payments hardware and software, has today been announced as a preferred distributor of PowaPOS to the UK’s retail and hospitality industries. This new tablet based solution provides the next generation in retail and hospitality point of sale (POS) systems.

Developed as part of the Powa vision to enable online and offline payments everywhere, PowaPOS is the first all in one tablet based POS combines all industry-leading features, including: universal OS support (iOS, Android and Windows) an integrated high speed thermal printer, Bluetooth 2D barcode/ QR code scanner, cash drawer, and multiple expansion ports to allow for integration of existing external peripherals including payment devices.

Officially launched by Powa Technologies at the Electronic Transactions Association TRANSACT 14 in Las Vegas., the tablet POS has a combined developer program and user-friendly software development kit (SDK) that provides advanced tools and support infrastructure to simplify integration with other products and services.

David Russell, sales director for UK-based Secure Retail, added, “With the unique design of the PowaPOS, it gives Secure Retail a real opportunity to take the UK by storm and capitalise on the emerging tablet-based POS market. The flexible multi-platform solution, along with a user friendly SDK, will give our customers and partners a fantastic product choice and the speed to market to deliver a market leading solution to the retail and hospitality industries”.

“The PowaPOS platform is a ground-up redefinition of how POS and payments should be delivered today,” said Jeffrey C. Dumbrell, CEO, PowaPOS.  “Now, thousands of developers have the tools to integrate secure smart card-based payments into their advanced cloud-based applications.” 

Dumbrell continued, “Reaction to our solution has proven the demand is there, as we have already established partnerships on every continent with providers now ready to deliver this technology to merchants around the globe. In the UK we are pleased to announce our appointment of Secure Retail and I am delighted to be re-engaging with such an established and recognised payments specialist in the UK and Ireland.”

About Powa Technologies (www.powa.com)
Powa is an international commerce specialist that creates technologies to seamlessly integrate the physical and digital worlds and enable commerce online, offline and everywhere. The Powa suite of commerce solutions caters to a world where consumers hold the future in their hands – be it a laptop, tablet or mobile device. With PowaTag, PowaPOS and PowaWeb, Powa removes the final barriers to instant global transactions. The company was founded by award-winning entrepreneur Dan Wagner. Previously, Dan established Venda – the world's largest 'on demand' ecommerce provider - and Locayta – sophisticated search and profiling technology. Both are now global leaders in their fields. With more than 200 employees, Powa Technologies is based in London, UK, and is extending its global reach with offices in Atlanta, New York, San Diego, Miami, Toronto, Singapore and Beijing.

About Secure Retail
Secure Retail is the specialist provider of payments hardware and services for the retail, hospitality and unattended sectors, providing the backbone to our customers’ secure payments strategy.

We deliver the highest levels of security across your hardware, software and network infrastructure, providing solutions that minimise your business exposure and complexity, to meet the rigorous demands of the latest PCI standards.

As a distributor of hardware to the channel and direct end users, we are dedicated to managing your payments devices throughout their full product life from installation all the way to decommissioning. Our solutions for fixed, mobile, attended or unattended devices deliver the most comprehensive support structure available and using Secure Retail means that you can have complete traceability of your estate. Through control of the supply and management of payments devices we provide you and your customers with real peace of mind.

Secure Retail is the preferred distributor of VeriFone payment terminals and a provider of Miura, Atos, PowaPOS and Displaydata technology; ranging from portable and fixed PIN entry devices, mobile POS, tablets, unattended terminals and electronic shelf edge labelling. We also provide complementary cradling and tethering solutions from Tailwind, Us and Ergonomic Solutions.

For more information visit the website: http://www.secure-retail.com/

Further Information

Account Manager
Email: alyssa@fieldworksmarketing.co.uk

London, 9th April 2014: Cloud server provider, ElasticHosts, today announced the launch of its new Elastic Containers; the first cloud servers to be billed based purely on consumption, rather than capacity, delivering substantial cost savings. ElasticHosts’ breakthrough auto-scaling container technology elastically expands and contracts to meet customer demands, entirely eliminating the need for manual provisioning. Elastic Containers are available to all Linux users from ElasticHosts’ global datacentres, backed by Solid State Drive (SSD) storage for added performance. Elastic Containers require no additional software or server configuration; customers simply sign up for the service and capacity is continuously available.

This revolutionary technology promises to disrupt the cloud market by offering:

• The industry’s first and only usage-based billing system: Traditional capacity-based IaaS billing is focused on provisioning capacity in blocks; yet concerns over performance and availability force companies to pay for a buffer of excess space that they are not actually using. By billing for actual usage, rather than available capacity, customers can run their servers with space continuously available for immediate scaling at no additional cost; they only pay for what they actually use, right down to the MB.

• Auto-scaling for continuous high performance availability: The cost of a website or application failure can run into the millions of pounds; therefore servers need to be running with sufficient capacity at all times. By using Elastic Containers, companies can now handle all their usage peaks and troughs effortlessly, automatically scaling each container up to 64GB RAM. This provides peace of mind that capacity will be instantly available when needed, ensuring continuity of service without downtime.

• Self-managing infrastructure: Currently, aside from deploying complex software to automate the process, companies are forced to provision and adjust capacity manually, which can be costly, time consuming and inaccurate. ElasticHosts’ auto-scaling, elastic infrastructure expands and contracts automatically, completely removing the need for manual management or provisioning; companies can simply turn on the service and forget about it.

Richard Davies, CEO and Co-Founder of ElasticHosts, comments: "We've analysed hundreds of servers from some of our largest customers and noticed two major differences: firstly, a server running a typical workload will see 50% cost saving versus other major IaaS clouds, since typically less than 50% of total capacity is used through a full weekly cycle. Secondly, a server which frequently runs below its peak capacity, either due to idle periods or because it only occasionally needs to handle a large load, can save 75% or more. To help customers take full advantage of these savings, we are billing in 15 minute intervals based on usage, as opposed to the common industry practice of hourly billing based on available capacity."

Elastic Containers represent the next generation of cloud server technology. Recent advances in the Linux kernel have enabled ElasticHosts to bring its new elastic auto-scaling, next-generation Elastic Containers to the masses. Aside from disrupting the cloud market, Elastic Containers will also impact the load balancer and disaster recovery markets:

• Eliminate load balancers: To scale, but avoid paying for unused capacity, companies currently deploy load balanced clusters and add and remove cloud servers from these according to demand. With ElasticHosts’ next-generation Elastic Containers this crude and imprecise block-based approach can be avoided, as all peaks and troughs in demand are handled within the container. By billing on usage, rather than capacity, immediate and automatic scaling up and down is always possible at no extra cost and with no additional software or hardware – such as load balancers.

• Reduce disaster recovery costs:Current disaster recovery solutions are very expensive, with companies replicating 50-100% of their servers as ‘hot spares’ and constantly provisioning them at full capacity. This means they are effectively paying for capacity twice. Elastic Containers can strip out 80% or more of these costs, as a fully-configured version of the primary server – commonly known as a ‘hot spare’ – can be running continuously. This version is ready for action if needed, but runs at a minimal cost, since actual usage is very low on the idle ‘hot spare’.

Davies concludes: “We have been building towards this elastic vision for six years and now the technology has caught up to enable it. We were one of the first European cloud infrastructure companies in 2008, first to use the Linux KVM hypervisor, first to offer free choice of server sizing and first to offer SSD at all instance sizes. Now our breakthrough next-generation Elastic Containers are the first and only cloud servers that can provide truly elastic, intelligent auto-scaling. Companies no longer have to sacrifice performance to reduce costs; they can have their cake and eat it too; the future of cloud is here!”

About ElasticHosts
ElasticHosts is a global Cloud Server provider that offers easy-to-use Cloud Servers with instant, flexible computing capacity. As well as Elastic Containers, ElasticHosts also offers traditional Virtual Machines, Managed Cloud Servers and Reseller Programs. The company has thousands of customers in over 60 countries worldwide, and has 9 data centres located in UK, Europe, US, Canada, Asia and Australia. Its headquarters are in London, UK. ElasticHosts is committed to developing simple, flexible and cost-effective cloud services for businesses worldwide.

About Linux Containers
Recent advances in the mainline Linux kernel now support containers, an operating system-level virtualisation method. Containers offer higher flexibility and lower performance overhead than traditional hypervisor-based virtualisation.

Basingstoke, U.K: (April 7, 2014) – Barracuda Networks, Inc. (NYSE: CUDA), a leading provider of cloud-connected security and storage solutions, today announced new certifications for Barracuda Backup that extend official support to Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server ecosystems. Organisations running Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server ecosystems now have an alternate solution that further facilitates backup and recovery of their business critical data.

Barracuda also offers guest machine protection for Red Hat Enterprise Linux guest instances  running on RHEL KVM, RHEV, Hyper-V or Vmware-based hypervisors, and support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server on Hyper-V and VMware at the host level.

“Barracuda Backup provides customers with a cost-effective solution to manage backup demands through a single-vendor offering,” said Rod Mathews, GM Storage, Barracuda. “Administrators supporting Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server environments will benefit from quick backups and disaster recovery options that allow them to restore individual files or perform bare metal restores.”

“Our strong partner ecosystem is a major differentiator for Red Hat and contributes to the success of our industry-leading enterprise Linux platform. We’re thrilled to now count Barracuda as part of that ecosystem,” said Mike Werner, senior director, global technology programs, Red Hat.

Barracuda Backup eliminates the cumbersome multi-vendor approach and includes an appliance, all the software, backup agents, and redundant offsite replication to simplify the backup process. Barracuda’s advanced source-based and global deduplication reduces the space needed for storage, along with backup and replication windows. Barracuda Backup protects environments ranging from 500 GB – 100 TB at a single location, while offering an interface that supports multi-site deployments.

“The certification of Barracuda Backup provides SUSE Linux Enterprise Server customers with a seamless data protection offering for their environments,” said Darren Davis, director of ISV relations for SUSE. “Barracuda’s technology and support infrastructure provides our customers with a valuable, tested backup offering to keep data safe and businesses running.”

To learn more about Barracuda Backup, please visit https://www.barracuda.com/products/backupservice.

To learn more about Barracuda Backup on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, visit the Red Hat partner portal http://redhat.force.com/catalog/PCProductDetail?id=a1k600000008t2rAAA.

To learn more about Barracuda Backup on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, visit the SUSE partner portal https://www.suse.com/susePSC/viewVersionPage?versionId=15222.

About Barracuda Networks, Inc. (NYSE: CUDA)
Barracuda provides cloud-connected security and storage solutions that simplify IT. These powerful, easy-to-use, and affordable solutions are trusted by more than 150,000 organisations worldwide and are delivered in appliance, virtual appliance, cloud, and hybrid deployments. Barracuda’s customer-centric business model focuses on delivering high-value, subscription-based IT solutions that provide end-to-end network and data security. For additional information, please visit www.barracuda.com.

Barracuda, Barracuda Networks, and the Barracuda Networks logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Barracuda Networks, Inc. in the U.S. or other regions.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the functionality and performance of Barracuda Backup.  You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond the Company’s control and that could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Factors that could materially affect the Company’s business and financial results include, but are not limited to customer response to the Company’s products, as well as those factors set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s filings with the SEC. The Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update the forward-looking information to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date of this press release.

Assistive technology specialist, Inclusive Technology, has been named a finalist in the prestigious 2014 SIIA Education CODiE Awards for ‘ChooseIt! Maker 3’, a highly versatile and intuitive program that enables teachers to create personalised learning activities for children with special needs and to download them to an iPad or Android tablet.

The US CODiE Awards recognise outstanding achievement and vision in the software and information industries.  “This year’s finalists are breaking ground with new business models and innovative products. We are pleased to recognise the best in educational technology with these products,” said Karen Billings, vice president of the SIIA Education Division.

Inclusive Technology provides the very best special educational needs software, switches and computer access devices, simple communication aids, eye gaze and assistive technology for learners with a physical disability, sensory impairment or learning difficulty.   ChooseIt! Maker 3, part of the Inclusive Technology’s product portfolio, is an exceptionally versatile on-line tool enabling teachers and parents to turn their photographs, symbols, text and sounds into engaging cause and effect or linear on-screen question and answer activities, games, quizzes and more. .

With access to SymbolStix and Widgit Symbol libraries and giving touch, eye gaze optimisation and full switch control, it is ideal for a range of users including those with autism spectrum disorders, communication difficulties, language impairment, developmental disabilities, Down’s Syndrome, Aphasia and traumatic brain injury.

This latest accolade for ChooseIt! Maker 3 comes just a few months after it was voted “Best Special Needs Resource” at the UK’s BETT Awards in London. The product was also a finalist in the UK’s 2014 Education Resources Awards in March.

“We are honoured to be a finalist in the CODiE Awards ‘Best Solution for Special Needs’ in Washington D.C.,” said Martin Littler, Chairman and CEO, Inclusive Technology . “Students with special needs are each unique and, uniquely, ChooseIt! Maker 3 allows teachers to make apps and activities which meet the interests and needs of each student. The apps and activities can then be played off line on the student’s own iPad or Android tablet. ChooseIt! Maker 3 is already widely used across the United States and the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and 50 other countries around the world.”

The CODiE winners will be announced during the Education Industry Summit, the United States’ leading education technology conference, in San Francisco in May.

For more details email inclusive@inclusive.co.uk.

Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK – April 9, 2014 – Talend, the global big data integration software leader, has announced it is working with Blue Yonder, a leading provider of SaaS-based predictive analytics. This enables business customers to make faster and more accurate demand forecasts, saving costs and driving up profits as a direct result.

Using Talend connectors to any source, Talend’s native big data integration solution enables businesses to extract data for use in Forward Demand, Blue Yonder’s SaaS-based demand planning and forecasting solution.  By integrating increased data volumes more quickly into Forward Demand customers obtain faster and more precise results.

Blue Yonder and Talend are working together on a range of projects, delivering joint solutions to customers. The two companies are collaborating on projects in numerous sectors including retail, banking, finance, utilities and a range of other vertical markets.

“Working with Talend will bring far-reaching benefits both to ourselves and to our customers,” says Ralf Werneth, senior manager alliances, Blue Yonder. “Historically, we connected to our customer’s data sources using custom interfaces. Data Integration was time-consuming but required to enable access to additional resources of data,” he adds. “Thanks to Talend’s next generation integration capability our customers can significantly reduce custom development. For the customer, this translates directly into reduced development costs, associated maintenance and improved time-to-value.”

François Chiche, vice president, alliances at Talend said: “Our partnership with Blue Yonder highlights once again the power of big data. Talend collects the data Blue Yonder and its customers need and makes it available to them. Blue Yonder’s strength is supporting data driven decision management and its SaaS Solution Forward Demand delivers precise forecasts from massive volumes of data in real time. It’s a perfect fit.”

The companies will co-present at the 2nd Annual Analytics, Insight & Smart Data Retail Summit in London (8th – 10th April)http://www.analyticsretail.com/Speakers.aspx  and also have a joint webinar ‘Business Success Via Predictive Analytics’ available on demand athttps://info.talend.com/en_bd_businesssuccess_predictiveanalytics.html.

About Blue Yonder
Blue Yonder is the leading SaaS provider for predictive analytics in the European market. The company’s technology automates mass decisions in real time, resulting in accurate and precise forecasts.  Founded in 2008 and based in Karlsruhe, Germany, Blue Yonder provides industry-specific forecasting software that provides specialised business units within the enterprise with simple and quick access to big data, enabling organisations all over the world to become ‘predictive enterprises’. Using scientifically-based and innovative technologies such as predictive modelling and machine-learning approaches, Blue Yonder can automate the decision-making processes and create accurate forecasts. With customers including OTTO, dm, Vodafone, and Crate&Barrel, Blue Yonder has numerous application examples for big data from the most diverse sectors.

In January 2014, Blue Yonder launched the Data Science Academy to provide relevant expertise to businesses and specifically train decision-makers from management, data scientists, analysts and IT staff to use big data and predictive analytics more strategically in their enterprises. Blue Yonder's work has been recognised by many industry awards, including the Data Mining Cup, which Blue Yonder has won three times, and the 2013 FOCUS Digital Star Award.

About Talend
Talend’s integration solutions allow data-driven organisations to gain instant value from all their data. Through native support of modern big data platforms, Talend takes the complexity out of integration efforts and equips IT departments to be more responsive to the demands of the business, at a predictable cost.  Based on open source technologies, Talend’s scalable, future-proof solutions address all existing and emerging requirements of integration.  

More than 4,000 enterprise customers worldwide rely on Talend’s solutions and services.  Privately-held and dual-headquartered in Los Altos, CA and Suresnes, France, the company has offices in North America, Europe and Asia, along with a global network of technical and services partners.  For more information, please visit www.talend.com and follow us on Twitter: @Talend.

For more information, please contact:
Emi O'Connor
t: 01252 727 313, ext. 273
m: 07584 172 271
e: emio@whiteoaks.co.uk

Company acquisitions can have a devastating impact on information security and management, with the employees of acquired firms more preoccupied with the potential impact on their role than with the need to effectively integrate the information of both companies, according to new European research[1] by storage and information management company Iron Mountain. This lack of focus during an acquisition could leave information at increased risk of loss or exposure. The picture is different when companies merge, and employees stay focused on integration and ensuring company information remains well managed.

The top two information concerns of employees at acquired firms are: confusion around responsibilities for managing the information (34 per cent) and the prospect of change to their information management systems (33 per cent). Just over a quarter of employees (27 per cent) at acquired firms worry about consolidating different sets of customer or company records, and less than one in five (17 per cent) worry about how to deal with data discrepancies, duplication and overlap. This contrasts sharply with the concerns of staff at the acquiring firm, where 41 per cent worry about integrating the two data sets and 34 per cent are concerned about the quality of the data.

Furthermore, one in three employees of acquired firms say there are no policies for integrating records or protecting customer data compared to just 19 per cent of those at the acquiring firm. Paper records are a serious concern, with 44 per cent of newly acquired firms saying there is no process for integrating paper into new digital systems, and 31 per cent saying the same for the storage of the paper archive.

The picture for company mergers is very different, with employees at both firms focused equally on addressing the main aspects of information management. Nearly three quarters (71 per cent) of employees feel supported in record integration during a merger, and nearly two thirds (62 per cent) feel the same about the protection of customer data.

Discussing the findings, Charlotte Marshall, Managing Director of Iron Mountain in the UK, Ireland and Norway said: “Information management is often an afterthought when companies merge. However, given the value of information and the desire of merging firms to rationalise cost structures, it should be a priority. Joining forces with or acquiring another organisation provides an opportunity for firms to re-evaluate their information management programmes and make the changes required to drive consistency, increase security and improve access to information.”

“Our study shows that the emotional impact of acquisitions can cause employees to lose focus on how information is managed. Information on paper is particularly vulnerable, with many firms having no effective storage or integration plans in place, thereby leaving potentially valuable data at increased risk of loss or exposure. Because employees can feel insecure and unsupported during times of change, communication is key. Consistent and clear instruction on how to deal with the information challenges ahead will help employees to understand how information should be managed going forward, where the key responsibilities lie, and what advantages new information management processes can bring.”

[1] Opinion Matters for Iron Mountain, the study surveyed 1,257 office workers who work in either manufacturing & engineering, legal, financial, pharmaceutical or insurance firms in the UK, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain.