The Future of Now East African governments have made it a priority to invest in e-learning. These are exciting times for anyone with interest in education as technology heralds the classroom of tomorrow. Not very long time ago, students were very lucky to have a computer lab in their schools. Fast forward a decade or so later, and the modern classroom being envisaged will be barely recognizable to those of us of a slightly earlier generation. Add interactive projectors with touch screen capabilities, tablets in the hands of children et al and you truly have a Smart Classroom. Benefits of smart learning are myriad. Watching highly engaging visuals and animations makes learning an enjoyable experience of students while research shows that smart classrooms generally improve the overall academic performance of students. Smart classes also enable teachers to assess and evaluate the learning achieved by their students in class using accompanying assessment technology. For teachers, students who miss class do not necessarily have to miss the lecture. Teachers can post the digital notes to the faculty website, or send them via email to the absent student. By the next class there is no reason that everyone is not on the same page. Any self-respecting ICT vendor is already invested heavily in empowering today’s learners. Interactivity, touch, 3D and other emerging technologies are emerging as key battle lines in the war for market share. The future of education is “Smart”. For today's youngsters, ICT is an ordinary part of everyday lives. Children use their smartphones to organise and document their lives, look up information and keep track of their friends. Yet, in many schools they are expected to "power down" and focus on a curriculum that would have looked familiar to their parents before them. Successful societies are the ones that up their game to meet the students at their level.
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Content
Editorial
Interview - 10
WD’s purpose-driven mission In Focus - 12
Tripp Lite-Regional Powerhouse DistriView - 16
FVC‘s Clear Vision for Region Mobility - 18
Newcomer Quantum brings Fresh ideas Insight
Kaspersky on Today’s Security Solutions - 22 Aruba on Creating a Wi-Fi Foundation - 23 Review – 24
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September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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News
Microsoft’s 4Afrika in African IT hubs collaboration scheme
Samsung launches new wireless Printers Samsung has introduced a new range of printers enabled with Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in Kenya. The printers also allow users to print directly from the mobile phones. The five printer models include: C460W Colour Multifunctional Printer, C1810W Colour Printer, SL-M2020, and SL-M2020W Mono Printers and the SL-M2070 Mono Multifunctional Printer. Speaking during the launch, Samsung VP for East & Central Africa Robert Ngeru said: "We understand that all businesses are cost conscious as they look for ways to maximize their profits, and one way of doing this is to check operation costs. What we've done with this range is include unique features such as Plug & Play and Eco Mode, which ease printing by eliminating the headache of installing print drivers and enhance cost-saving by reducing the amount of energy used to print," said Ngeru. The new range of printers also comes with longer lasting toner capacity which, combined with other features such as the polymerized toner, offers users a competitive total cost of ownership.
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Microsoft 4Afrika has announced a new Collaboration Challenge with AfriLabsto increase knowledge sharing across the hub network in Africa and spur innovation. The challenge, officially launched at this year’s DEMO Africa event, is tasking hub members with proposing and delivering an activity, process or tool that fosters collaboration within theAfriLabs network. AfriLabs’ core function is to facilitate collaboration, which requires the right platforms, mechanisms and incentives for hubs and their teams to share information and dialogue. The winning solution will receive $15,000 from Microsoft and technical support to develop it. The hubs within the AfriLabs network will be provided with a more efficient way to learn from each concept and vote for their favourite ideas. All those proposing an application need to design it for the Windows platform and host it on Microsoft Azure, an open and flexible cloud platform with a single software-as-a-service offering that manages the entire lifecycle of an application. The winning individual or team will receive financial, technical and mentorship support from Microsoft to help them execute the concept. “The encouragement of a vibrant innovator ecosystemis essential to the growth of Africa’s knowledge economy,” says Fernando de Sousa, General Manager of Africa Initiatives at Microsoft. “To remain relevant and sustainable, the hubs will need to not only promote innovation, but also focus on their monetization.”
Sophos security solutions now in Kenya Cyberoam has announced the availability of Sophos end-point protection portfolio for its partners in Kenya and Tanzania, opening up more revenue opportunities as well as enabling Cyberoam partners to differentiate with enhanced and unique security portfolio in the process. Cyberoam is now a part of Sophos, which operates out of dual headquarters based in Boston, US and Oxford, UK and protects 100,000 businesses and 100 million users in more than 150 countries. Sophos offers a broad range of protection providing coverage for operating systems, desktops, mobile devices, gateways and Exchange servers. It can manage complex compliance requirements as well as filtering by policy and appliance. Sophos can protect off-network laptops and PCs to manage remote or traveling workforces. Growing adoption of mobility and other forms of endpoints has resulted in intensified demand to bring these endpoints into the work environment of enterprise as well as emerging businesses. Following its acquisition by Sophos early this year, Cyberoam is now making aggressive moves to integrate Sophos security products with its channel to help partners seize greater opportunities in both network and end-point security.
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
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News
Oracle, with Equity Foundation, to train Kenyan students on ICT
E.A. leads Africa in internet access and connectivity Kenya currently leads in African connectivity with the highest bandwidth per person on the continent, the fastest speeds, and some of the lowest internet costs, according to Internet provider Liquid Telecom Kenya CEO Ben Roberts, at the EastAfrica.com conference. Following on from the connection of the continent’s most concentrated cluster of undersea cables; the galloping development of the Kenyan Internet Exchange Point; the creation of thousands of Points of Presence by international and national service and content providers – delivering speedier content; and the achievement of the second cheapest internet costs in Africa Kenya has now emerged in the top position for internet access. “Kenya has achieved a confluence of infrastructure and provision that has positioned it with the highest growth in internet take-up compared to income per capita in Africa,” said Mr Roberts. “It has effectively become an outlier in its internet take-up, and seen Nairobi join Johannesburg as one of Africa’s two regional internet hubs.”
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Oracle Academy in partnership with the Equity Foundation, has launched the Oracle Academy Java Fundamentals training to help develop ICT skills in Kenya. The Oracle Academy Java Fundamentals training will introduce world-class technology to Kenyan high school students from as early as Form 1 and targets the Equity Group Foundations’ Wings to Fly scholars and their classmates, giving them access to more advanced computer skills with realworld application. Dr Helen Gichohi, the Managing Director of Equity Group Foundation was quoted as saying: “Because world economies are increasingly depending on technology, and technology itself has become an important sector globally, efforts must be made to enable Kenyan youth to become computer literate.” The initiative began with the training of thirteen Equity African Leaders Program scholars who participated in a week-long training-of-trainers to prepare them to in turn train upwards of 1,800 students across four high schools. Gilbert Saggia, Country Leader of Oracle Kenya said that ICT skills are a key focus for government, business and industry alike, adding, “With the rapid adoption of technology in Kenya, we need to help ensure that youth is equipped with the right skills to take advantage of career and entrepreneurial opportunities.”
Cyberoam in new special rebate program for Kenya partners Cyberoam has announced a special rebate program for its partners in Kenya. The rebate works on the structure defined under Cyberoam Partner Program which classifies partner community into four categories as follows: Authorized Partners, Silver Partners, Gold Partners and Platinum Partners. This rebate is made available for Gold and Platinum partners. Though the targets for Platinum and Gold Partners are different, they will get the same rebate on achieving their targets. The rebate is on top of other incentives that partners get under the Cyberoam Partner Program. “The partner community at Cyberoam contributes in their different capacities with some specialising in the SMB segment while others have expertise in the enterprise and MSSP business. This ensures that all players get maximum opportunities for growth. To make sure that partners are able to meet their targets and set bigger ones, each year Cyberoam announces several incentives. Such benefits are rarely seen in our business and gives us a unique differentiation over the market.” said Philip Obondy, Channel Manager-Kenya, Cyberoam. To claim the rebate, Cyberoam partners need to login to Cyberoam Partner Portal and upload invoices for the same. On approval of rebate application, reward points will be credited to partner’s account, which will also be communicated by a confirmation mail.
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
SAP kicks off 2nd Skills for Africa Scholarships program
SEACOM deploys two PoPs in Uganda
SAP has announced the second leg of Skills for Africa Initiative backed by the ICT Authority and SAP who have partnered to equip young Kenyans with high – end ICT skills through the SAP Skills for Africa program. The 8-week program will be carried out at Techno Brain offices in Nairobi and will target graduates interested in finance and business development. Kenya Cabinet Secretary Ministry of ICT, Dr Fred Matiang’i said: “We churn out thousands of graduates into the market, but they face a challenge in getting jobs as they do not match the skill set that employers are looking for. We are tackling this head on and our goal is to partner with the private sector to increase the capacity of our people in ICT,” says Matiang’i. At the signing ceremony, ICT Authority and SAP signed a 3-year partnership agreement that will collaborate on innovation and incubation programs; general ICT awareness and literacy; skills development and internship programs; best practice sharing on process improvement and joint research initiatives. SAP, a leading multinational software corporation, says demand for certified professionals in Kenya is soaring but the country only has less than 2 per cent of skilled manpower in the area. The successful candidates will go through a fully sponsored training program, certification and internship placements. The scholarships are targeting candidates that graduated between December 2011 and December 2014. The internships will run in the first quarter of 2015.
Huawei partners Kenya govt for smart driving licenses
Africa’s top network service provider and ICT enabler, SEACOM, has moved to strengthen its pan-African presence with the direct deployment of two Points of Presence (PoPs) in Uganda. With the Uganda Communications Commission giving its clearance to SEACOM Uganda Ltd by issuing the Public Infrastructure Provider licenses, SEACOM will offer a full array of telecom services in Uganda and unleash their associated benefits to Ugandan network operators and service providers. The deployment of the PoPs will further enable onward access to other neighbouring countries such as Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan. Byron Clatterbuck, Chief Commercial Officer at SEACOM, said: “Our new license allows us to own and operate our network all the way between Kampala and our international network. This will help bring more global connectivity to Uganda while improving the quality of the broadband experience for Ugandans,” said Clatterbuck.
Huawei has signed an agreement with the Kenyan government for the issuance of digital driving licenses and new generation number plates. The smart driving licenses will allow the storage and monitoring of drivers habits and record violations through a centralized IT system hosted by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). Huawei is expected to build the mobile technology network that will allow transmission of data from the roads to the NTSA central command system. NTSA director-general Francis Meja said the project has started and expect five items including the launch of the smart driving licenses, motor vehicle registration, fresh car inspection and new licensing regime for public transporters to be completed within 18 months. The licences will have chips containing information such as personal identification number, contacts, past traffic offences, fines previously paid and warnings, and police officers will have devices to read the information and add charge sheets to databases as necessary. This will be backed by the new generation number plates that will be harder to replicate or forge. September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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News In Detail
East African Data Centre in Kshs 1bn expansion as demand soars East Africa Data Centre, the only Tier 3 secure electronic data centre in East and Central Africa, has today announced a Ksh1bn expansion to meet rack space demand that initially forced it to ration allocations to customers. Unveiling the second and third floors of the data centre, the East Africa Data Centre announced that the centre would now be extended to four floors, totalling 2000 sq. m. The data centre, which now houses Kenya’s Internet Exchange Point, has been credited by the global Internet Society as a key factor in driving down internet prices in Kenya, to among the lowest in Africa. The East Africa Data Centre hosts the Points of Presence for global carriers with international coverage, including Tata, Level3, Seacom, and Liquid Telecom, as well as carriers owning fibre network infrastructure, including Safaricom, JamiiTelcom, Access Kenya, Orange Telkom Kenya Ltd, Wananchi Online, and Frontier Optical Network. East Africa Data Centre, a carrierneutral data centre in Nairobi, is the largest and most sophisticated in East Africa, offering secure and reliable space for dedicated hosting, interconnect services, collocation, disaster recovery, network-based services, applications and cloud services. A Tier 3 data centre, built to international standards, it is the only purpose-built data centre in East Africa. It is further playing a key role in enabling financial and corporate organisations to hold data securely, protecting them in the event of cyber crime and offering 24/7 secure housing for their data and back-ups. “The East Africa Data Centre has
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transformed how data traffic is handled in the region. By providing a central point for interconnect services, it has reduced latency, improved data services, reduced costs and made it easier to transfer data across networks,” said Dan Kwach, General Manager East Africa Data Centre. “By keeping African data in Africa we continue to help reduce the costs of internet access while creating an environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurial culture in the field of ICT and local businesses,” said Kwach. Within six months of starting, it had fully sold Phase 1 of the center’s rack space – which houses the servers holding data – amounting to the entire first floor. It has now opened another 500 sq m floor, which is already 90 per cent occupied, and with the third floor already prepped for occupancy, East Africa Data Centre unveiled plans to expand to the fourth floor immediately, to cater for demand. “We had to ration the rack space when we were selling the first floor due to huge demand, until we could get the second floor built and operational and the third floor ready to go quickly. The second floor took roughly 8 months, but now we have the space ready, we can move much quicker and customers can buy the amount they want,” said Kwach. The accelerated expansion in EADC’s rack space has benefitted the engineering and construction services sector, with all of the contractors for the expansion sourced locally. It also comes amid growing concern for data security. In late 2013, Kenya’s Information, Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary,
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
Dan Kwach General Manager, East Africa Data Centre Fred Matiangi, raised the flag on estimates that the country would lose an estimated KSh 2 billion (about US$23 million) through cybercrime, with the number of cyber-attacks detected in Kenyan cyberspace more than doubling last year to 5.4m attacks, compared to 2.6m in 2012. Financial institutions are also introducing potentially vulnerable web and mobile applications, with a recent study that sampled 33 online banking portals finding that only 2 of the 33 portals sampled had adequate online security deployed on their web application. As a result, many financial institutions are now looking into EADC to store their data, reported the Kenya Cyber Security Report 2014. “Banks and financial institutions are the second largest type of occupant at the East Africa Data Centre, at about 30 per cent. With about 43 banks in Kenya, the demand for highly secure stable environments like ours, for use as disaster recovery, high-availability, or primary sites, has been rising,” said Kwach.
News In Detail
Prologix Distribution, a leading VAD in the Middle East, along with its vendors, conducted a series of roadshows in the three prominent East African countries in August 2014. The shows hosted in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, were first of their kinds in the region - in the field of Wireless & Networking, RF & Microwave, Telecom, Test & Measurement and Video Surveillance. The week-long series of Bootcamp Seminars gave the communities of Telecom Operators, ISPs, WISPs, Regulators, System Integrators, Resellers and key end-users from large enterprises a platform to know the latest in technologies related to connectivity. The high-powered show included presentations by Prologix and their top vendors, namely Cambium Networks, Trango Systems, Sangoma Technologies, IDEAL Industries, LevelOne and Secura. The Regional Heads and Technical Experts from the vendors presented to the audience an overview of how their products and solutions can revolutionize the African landscape when it comes to connecting the unconnected. The successful Bootcamp Seminars were held in Dar-es-Salaam, Kampala and Nairobi on August 18th, 20th and 22nd respectively. Mr. Aditya Sahaya, Director – Prologix Distribution, kick started the events by providing a brief on the company’s legacy, and how the organization has been relentlessly striving to cater to the region’s demands through its continuously evolving VAD offerings. Mr. Sahaya explained to the crowd why Africa is the most important territory for them due to the massive growth rate in internet penetration rate each year as against the global statistics, and how the company has an edge over others while working towards extenuating the connectivity barriers through their strategic partnership with key vendors who are masters in providing the solutions to bridge the digital divide. This was followed by an introduction to Cambium Networks, the industry leader in IP wireless broadband
solutions by Mr. Martin de la Serna, VP – Sales, EMEA. Mr. Ionut Croitoru, Regional Sales Manager for Cambium Networks, educated the audience on Cambium’s breakthrough technologies, the robust Point-to-Point (PTP) and Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) products, and also the breakthrough, cost-effective ePMP solutions. This was followed by a session by Mr. John Seaman, VP – Sales at Trango Systems, the world’s largest manufacturer of wireless IP backhaul solutions. Mr. John briefed the audiences in detail on fixed wireless and point-to-point microwave backhaul applications and solutions. The mid-morning break was followed by an interesting session by Mr. Aveek Roy, the Regional Director for APAC & MENA at Sangoma Technologies, the pioneer in the field of communications hardware and software for the last 25 years. Mr. Aveek managed to captivate the audience with his overview on Sangoma’s product portfolio, which includes Voice Telephony Boards, Software
Aditya Sahaya Director, Prologix Distribution
Prologix: Breaking Connectivity Barriers in EA Applications, Gateways, Wireless Products, Session Border Controllers, Microsoft Lync, PBX Appliance etc. Mr. Amit Das, the Head of Sales for Test & Measurement Division at Prologix took the audience through the benefits of using IDEAL Industries’ tools for testing, verification, qualification and certification of copper, fiber optic and wireless backhaul. Mr. Ketan Doshi, AVP – Showroom at Prologix, presented to the audience and overview of LevelOne, the German manufacturer of first class products for Networking and IP Surveillance. Mr. Sahaya rounded up the show by giving a presentation on Secura, the leading company which makes IP and Analog Cameras among other products for Video Surveillance. He
also thanked the audience for their valued presence, before asserting the theme of the roadshow once again – Real Convergence in Connectivity. The takeaway from the show was Mr. Sahaya’s message, which said “Only a company like Prologix Distribution, through its strategic partnerships with top technology providers of the world can provide a converged solution with all components tested and tried for compatibility, and which can provide the ISPs, Mobile Networks Operators (MNOs), Telecom Regulatory Authorities, Government entities like Law Enforcement and Defence, System Integrators and Value Added Resellers all the mechanisms to setup and operate a successful broadband network or mobile connectivity.”
September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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Interview
WD
products such as the My Passport are proving popular within that region.
East Africa portends a potentially lucrative proposition for WD as ICT in general, and mobility in particular reaches new heights. We spoke to Khwaja Saifuddin, Senior Sales DirectorMiddle East, Africa and India for WD on how the brand is looking to execute its strategy in the region
Khwaja Saifuddin Senior Sales Director, MEA & India, WD
Purpose Driven Discuss your market strategy for East Africa Each region within Africa has its own unique market dynamics. East Africa differs from West Africa primarily in the adoption rate of new products. Our strategy is in line with these dynamics wherein we tend to plan our launches in East Africa first, followed by West. The supporting marketing campaigns that we kick off alongside our launches are also designed to specifically address each market's unique requirements. We then proactively monitor the market and react to new factors as and when they arise. Discuss some trends in the African storage market Portable storage is the fastest growing segment in the African storage market as consumers are keen to carry their data with them regardless of whether 10
they are desktop PC or notebook users. The personal cloud market is still in its infancy but we can see this market picking up as high speed internet connectivity increases across the continent. The appetite for storage on the whole is, quite healthy in Africa. What specific storage needs are the cause of demand in the region; are they different from anywhere else? The storage needs in the East African market is largely driven by necessity and not environmental factors. One key generator for the demand for storage is fear of data loss due to device theft or even because of the loss or damage of a computing device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone. As internet connectivity is still somewhat limited, the need to access data at remote locations is driving the demand for portable storage devices. This is why
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
How important is the East African market for WD in the overall MEA market? It is a growing market that has a lot of long term potential, so it is a focus in all of WD’s regional plans and strategies. WD continues to play an active role in E.A through proactive partner engagement . Discuss some areas of future growth for the brand in the region As PC penetration in East Africa continues to grow, the need for storage is also growing. As the global pioneers of storage, WD will continue to grow as well thanks to its vast portfolio of class leading storage products. Government initiatives will help the component side of our business to grow while the rapid pace at which content is being generated is driving the need for external storage products. What are some of the most popular product lines in East Africa? From a component standpoint the WD Green drives are the most popular owing to the balance of low power consumption and performance. The WD Green is also available with the highest available capacity in the industry at 6TB, so it is a popular choice for people with terabytes of data. On the branded side of our business the WD My Passport portable hard drive is the fastest and highest selling product owing to the reasons discussed earlier. Is the African market developed enough for the trends that are pushing storage needs elsewhere like mobility and cloud and Big Data? The market is developed however the existing infrastructure doesn’t yet provide the flexibility to support most global trends. While mobility is a fast growing trend, cloud and big data are still trends that are in its infancy. As the infrastructure improves, I believe, that these global trends will also take hold in Africa as they do offer tangible benefits to consumers and businesses.
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In Focus
TrippLite
Briefly discuss Tripp Lite’s operations in Africa Tripp Lite pioneered the market for Uninterruptable Power Supplies (UPS) for PCs in the early 80’s and has since been a world leader, further expanding into the 3Phase market. Tripp Lite later broadened their power solutions offering by developing pure sine wave power inverters and backup batteries. These solutions are trusted by millions of customers all over the world. Tripp Lite has also developed an array of data centre infrastructure hardware solutions, including a broad line of closed and open frame rack enclosures, power distribution units (including networked and managed PDUs in both single- and 3-phase), cooling solutions, KVM and KVM IP switches and literally thousands of cables and connectivity accessories. In addressing the specific needs of the data centre customer, Tripp Lite adds customization capability to its product
Bill DeCicco Executive VP, International Business, TrippLite
Tripp Lite’s datacentre and power solutions continue to make headway in the East African region. Executive VP, International Business at Tripp Lite Bill DeCicco discusses the reasons behind this momentum
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our customers their best value. Our Service is also top of industry standards. Our customers love our products, but what really sets us apart and keeps them coming back is our commitment to customer service. Tripp Lite is a company with a global presence and extensive resources, but we’re still small enough to provide you with personalized service and respond to your needs in a timely manner. This is borne out with the fact that we operate local service, pre sales and technical support centres across the MEA region through our network of authorized partners. Finally is the wide Availability of our products and solutions. A cornerstone of our corporate strategy is our enormous financial commitment to inventory investment. We maintain a broad assortment of Ready-To-Ship inventory at all times. Africa is no exception as we are proud to be able to stand behind our claim of having the most readily and broadest range of
Power House development practice, enabling a "solution sales" structure for this market. In relation to the Africa region, the company established a presence almost 20 years ago and have expanded steadily over that time. Today, we operate across all countries in the region and have local offices in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa with our regional headquarter and warehouse being based in Dubai. In broad terms, what are the key factors that differentiate Tripp Lite within the busy UPS marketplace? Some of the key differentiators are reliability as Tripp Lite is an engineering-driven company. We design, manufacture and test our products to the most demanding specifications in the industry. We also offer incredible Value combining unique designs, innovative features and breadth of product are not enough. We combine these with aggressive pricing to provide
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
products in the industry throughout MEA. You offer a substantial range of products for the data centre, is there a common theme running through this portfolio? Yes, there is. Our message to the Data Centre manager is simple and stands out in the crowd: Power, Protect and Connect your Infrastructure with Tripp Lite products. The trend in recent years is seeing the convergence of the Data Centre infrastructure groups, Tripp Lite is right there, where Facility and IT converge. Our message of an Integrated Solution means that we offer UPS, PDUs, Racks, Rack accessories, Cooling and Cabling traditionally coming from the facility side and Remote Management in the form of IP KVM and Console Servers coming from the IT side. Our vendor neutral designs integrate seamlessly in any
configuration. Unlike the competition, this entire product range is available in Africa also and not just limited to traditional markets like North America and Europe.
Tripp Lite offers ‘literally thousands of cables and connectivity products’ – why the need for so many, and how do customers begin to understand which one(s) they need? Tripp Lite does offer many different cables and connectivity products. We provide all of the types of cables that are needed to build network infrastructure, Including: Copper up to 100GB, Fibre, USB, Firewire, and power cords. For Audio/Visual display or extension applications Tripp Lite offers a full range of VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, component, composite and more. Our web site offers easy to use product selectors to aid in choosing the product that suits your needs and budget. We are happy to say once again, that all of these products are available across the region.
"Tripp Lite also understands that some sites are more rugged than others and racks that can withstand harsh environments and protect valuable equipment from dust, vibrations and withstand earthquakes are in high demand."
Please can you tell us a little bit about KVM – what do end users need to look for when specifying this, and what does Tripp Lite offer? KVM switches provide the necessary Out Of Band control, from the BIOS level, of remote Application Servers. This is the only way to fix hanging servers with OS issues and to prevent, or at least minimize, critical down time that is the night mare of any business, from small to enterprise. The first thing to look for in a KVM switch, beyond the feature set of secure and remote – over IP – server control, is the real-time user experience while running a remote session. This means a Data Centre admin can remotely fix problems, from his/her desk, with his own keyboard, screen and mouse as if he was physically connected to the server, on premise. The second thing to look for in a KVM solution is cost effective and easy to operate management capability, which becomes an absolute must-have in deployments of 3-5 switches and up. Tripp Lite offers all the above in its full range of desktop to enterprise KVM switches, both analogue and over IP. Full range covers among others 2-4 port DVI, NIAP certified secure KVM, 8-16 port CAT5, 16-32 port multi-user IP KVM. Tripp Lite also offers a line of Console Servers which provide the same out of Band functionality for headless servers which are used mainly for storage. There are a variety of PDUs available. How can end users decide which is right for them, and what are the features that distinguish Tripp Lite products from the competition? One of the main issues that should be addressed in selecting PDUs for a data centre application is the need to balance
the relatively high cost of a switched PDU versus the relatively low cost of a basic PDU model. Basic PDUs are, as their title implies, basic in function. These units provide highly-reliable power distribution to multiple pieces of equipment. Basic PDUs feature multiple outlets, a long input power cord and housing with versatile mounting options. This, for some simpler set ups, would be an adequate solution. Monitored, switched, and ATS PDUs (Auto Transfer Switch) also provide the same reliable power distribution, but with added features. Metered PDUs offer the addition of a digital load meter. The meter allows network managers to monitor the total power consumption (in amps) of equipment connected to the PDU. Monitored PDUs provide remote monitoring and alerts to prevent overloads that can cause downtime. This is made possible by the built-in Ethernet interface that allows users to manage PDUs over the IP network via SNMP, standard web browser, or telnet. Switched PDUs allow network managers the ability to remotely reboot locked devices. The interface allows managers to remotely control power to individual PDU outlets via an Ethernet network connection. This feature also extends runtime for critical equipment during a power failure. Finally, ATS PDUs-- ATS systems normally provide output to all outlets from the primary input cable. If power on the primary input cable is interrupted or becomes unstable, the ATS automatically switches over to the secondary input cable and maintains continuous operation of vital networking equipment without interruption.
Cabinets and racks are becoming more sophisticated – no longer just boxes. Why is this and what advantages do the ‘right’ hardware enclosures offer customers? It is true that a rack is not just a box any more. Many advances have been made in the realms of data security, and environmental concerns. Our rack line consists of products with the most advanced data security mechanisms, from PCI compliant racks and locking collation models to custom cabinets with built-in keypads that can record when the rack was accessed and by who. These racks help protect the end-users sensitive data and invaluable reputation. Tripp Lite also understands that some sites are more rugged than others. Racks that can withstand harsh work environments and protect valuable equipment from dust and vibrations (SR42UBEIS) and racks that can withstand earthquake conditions (SR42UBZ4) are in high demand in Continued on P - 16
September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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In Focus
TrippLite
Continued from P - 13 locations sucks as mining operations and other factory/ manufacturing environments. Network power management – exactly what is it, and how does Tripp Lite help customers with it? Remote Power Management helps the Data Centre manager to monitor and control the Power that runs his Data Centre equipment. This mission-critical operation allows increase of power and energy efficiency and most importantly allows lowering costs by shutting down power to non-functional equipment and by managing picks to avoid overloads that might result in blackouts. Tripp Lite provides its customers, free of charge, with a software application that auto discovers all power related devices on the network – UPSs and PDUs - and provides both the monitoring and remote control of each of these devices. SNMP – How does Tripp Lite help customers with this – again, it’s a busy market? For customer needing to remotely monitor and manage their UPS like any other network device, Tripp Lite offers SNMP capabilities through the use of the SNMPWEBCARD that can be installed into compatible SmartPro and SmartOnline UPS systems. This card provides monitoring via SNMP, TELNET, HTTP, HTTPS, SSH and integrates seamlessly into existing network management systems or can be monitored via the free PowerAlert NMS software. We have both lineinteractive and online models that come
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“network ready.” This means that they have a network card pre-installed in the units .Outside of these models, the SNMPWEBCARD can be added to any compatible units which will make them network manageable for full remote monitoring and management of your UPS systems status and site power data. Additionally, temperature and humidity can also be monitored via an additional environmental probe accessory (ENVIROSENSE) that attaches to the SNMPWEBCARD. SNMP capabilities are also built-in to our Monitored and Switched Power Distribution Systems. Tripp Lite offers technology ‘from the desktop to the data centre’. What benefits does this broad portfolio bring to your enterprise customers? Not every piece of IT equipment is inside the Data Centre; there is plenty outside in the form of desktop PCs, printers, testing labs, R&D labs, QA facilities and more. These environments require the same power protection and remote management one can find inside the Data Centre. Tripp Lite offers complete lines of small to medium sized UPSs, Line conditioners, Inverters and Surge suppressors in case of a brown out or complete power failure together with the range of KVM/Console Server switches for centralized control and management of the IT equipment at use. We provide end to end solutions so that you can deal with one vendor which also ensures compatibility, consistency and easier support. More specifically, are then any particular vertical or geographical markets where
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
you’d like to increase your profile? We are constantly on the lookout to expand into new vertical markets, following our customer needs. We see opportunity in growing markets like solar energy, oil and gas, construction and building. As an international company we are always looking all over the world. We have been here for almost 20 years and have expanded consistently throughout that period and plan to continue to do that based upon business needs and market opportunity. We see the African continent as having huge potential in How important is the Channel to Tripp Lite – both in terms of the progress made to date and for future expansion? Our commitment to the channel is the foundation of Tripp Lite’s business philosophy. Our singular objective is to provide the products, programs and services our channel partners need to maximize their sales and margin opportunities in a very competitive market. Can you give one or two brief examples of how Tripp Lite has helped customers – maybe illustrating the breath of the solutions you can supply? Tripp Lite has helped many businesses large and small stay connected. Recently, Tripp Lite had the opportunity to work with the Kenya Airports Authority. The Airports Authority has employed the use of our SU120KX2 SmartOnline Modular 3-Phase UPS System to protect their critical systems in their newly built data centre that controls all flight control systems.
DistriView
Discuss briefly FVC’s market strategy for East Africa? The African continent is continuously embracing new technology and investing in infrastructure. This means that we need to be here providing the necessary technology and support to our channel partners to help them achieve their goals. We set up an office in Nairobi in 2012 to better serve our partners in this market. As with all our market sectors, we ensure that they (our partners) have all the resources on the ground for our partners to be able to offer the best solutions that suit the needs of the market including training facilities, demo centres and pre- and post-sales technical support. FVC has a markedly strong push into the East African market. Why now? We have not just moved into the market. We have been setting up for some time and even invested in
green field investments, a large number of internet and mobile users resulting in government-level investment in internet and infrastructure. We have observed that the banking sector is very active in Kenya with many years of adoption in mobile banking. Telcos are also very influential in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Educational sector is very attractive in Ethiopia as the government is investing heavily in this sector. Discuss some of the trends in Value Added Distribution in East Africa and how it differs from the rest of the MEA region We do not see a huge difference in VAD in East Africa except we need to combine the strengths of a volume distributor in terms of having better logistics in place to cater to the needs of the very diverse market. We work with resellers and partners to hone in on key
Clear Vision
Ahmed Youssef General Manager, East & West Africa, FVC
Value Added Distributor FVC’s strategy for the region continues to gather pace as East Africa’s ICT market continues to mature. Ahmed Youssef, General Manager, East & West Africa at FVC discusses how the company is playing its part to enable this evolution the market with an office in Nairobi. Through the Kenyan office, we offer sales and pre-sales support to FVC’s existing partners across East Africa including Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda. What are some of the areas of focus in East Africa for FVC? The IT market in East Africa is still developing. The market is mainly driven by infrastructural projects spearheaded by the Government sector and Telco projects. While the region’s sector still lacks momentum and speed, we see huge potential for growth. The East African market is already attractive to global and regional vendors for several reasons including
FVC
opportunities raised by the massive increase in the number of mobile users, infrastructure and connectivity projects, helping them to constantly stay updated on their technology knowhow that, in turn, will help them to understand and anticipate the needs of their customers and how technology can help them deliver these solutions. Which specific technologies and solutions are in more demand in the region and how are you working to fulfill this demand? I can see several trends over the next couple of years in East Africa, including WAN optimization and network performance: This is generated by the lack of (as yet) cost-effective
connectivity and infrastructure combined with the demand for heavy applications running on enterprise networks. FVC works with some very key vendors that offer a wide range of solutions that create new revenue opportunities for our clients. Telepresence and unified communications also shows great potential in the region: This is based on the geographical dispersion across the region, some political instability, and need for expediting the decisionmaking cycle. We see a lot of demand for these solutions especially in education and banking & financial sector for this technology in the region. Finally, Information Security is a growing concern. The Internet is growing very fast which requires high security levels on all aspects of the network. Users are always connected to different devices, and this requires high measure of security. Most active sectors are telcos and banking
September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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Mobility
Quantum
Discuss your market strategy for the Quantum brand specifically for East Africa Africa is a land of diversity in terms of customers and their needs, similarly the number and types of products to fulfil those needs so opportunities lie everywhere in this region. We are focusing on having a consistent growth quarter on quarter in the region fuelled by offering products that add value to the customers and assisting our channel and retail partners to differentiate themselves in this crowded market and ensuring their profitability this is the key to growth.
Parag Mendiratta, Power Quality Sales, East Africa, EATON
What are your growth projections for Quantum tablets in East Africa for 2014/2015? We are currently representing 7 vendor brands and are in process of adding few more in the coming quarters. Quantum Dual Operating System model Q-Pulse100 Wi-Fi and Q-Pulse101 wifi+3G with several new features gives the best in business productivity and mobility using Android 4.2.2 Jelly
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Mohammed Althaf Alam - GM, Quantum
Newcomer Quantum is looking to shake up East Africa’s mobile market through a combination of top-notch tablets and innovative marketing strategy as Mohammed Althaf Alam General Manager, Quantum explains
What value does the Quantum brand offer that was missing in the East African market We started our launching campaign in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq with 3 year warranty, 3 Month swap and 3 year pick up and drop service and still continuing it confidently. We are expanding in Africa and India too. We have achieved success in Saudi Arabia and are a strong leader in IT distribution there. To add to this, we have also achieved significant success in Gulf. We are seeking to emulate the success story here with our move to set up the local office in Nigeria, Kenya & South Africa and bring a strong level of focus on the overall Quantum Business We believe that we are on the track to make finest products for tech-savvy customers. We are constantly focusing on research and development. We believe in the creativity and style. We focused in change, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot.
Fresh Approach Bean and Windows 8. Integrated with Intel's Atom processor, engineered and optimized specifically for tablets, Q-Pulse100 and 101 provides the fastest, most powerful computing experience available on a Windowsbased tablet. A sleek portable design featuring a brilliant high-resolution IPS panel delivers stunning image quality and ultimate mobility. The Dual OS
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
Ready feature gives users the both options to activate Android™ 4.2.2 or Windows 8 for a complete dual boot solution. The growth projection plan is part of a wider strategy to develop its mobile solutions business in East African market. Discuss technology and product upgrades in the next quarter
Quantum’s marketing Partnership with strategies geared "Differentiation in product offering Intel for exclusive for East Africa in has always been a forte of BDL Intel Dual Core coming months processor model and this being implemented in Quantum The marketing for 7” and 7.8” products has generated the demand plan is a unique with sleek design. blend of that we have been focusing on." We are also traditional and bundling up non-traditional this model with methods. We an increase in demand for Tablets and Heli-Q, it’s a remote control flying toy think that people do judge a book to grab the attention of children. People smartphones, we look to seize these who buy Q-Pulse understand and value opportunities along with the OGCC by its cover, but we have figured out this... countries to fuel the Growth for BDL in ways to attract customers. We’re We have also signed Mohamed confident that we’ve got the strategies the Middle East. Aboutrika as a brand ambassador for that will generate word-of-mouth Differentiation in product offering Quantum. Mohamed Aboutrika was recommendations and build brand has always been a forte of BDL and one of the most notable stars in the appeal. this being implemented in Quantum Egyptian national team. Aboutrika products has generated the demand came second in the African Footballer What is your channel strategy in the that we have been focusing on. For of the Year award in 2008 after region? Example today Quantum is the only Emmanuel Adebayor, and was one of We focus on providing the best brand in the Mobility category offering five nominees for the 2006 award, and partnership experience and we are one of the ten nominated for the 2013 a 3 Years Diamond warranty ( 3 Years award. Aboutrika was chosen Africa focused on the long-term relationship. Warranty , 3 Months Swap and 3 Best Player of the Year 4 times in 2006, We always welcome partnerships that Years Pick up and Drop Service) on all 2008, 2012, and 2013. support our goals and enhance our its current products in the ME. Such ability to serve customers in target offering have always been received by What are some of the trends in markets. We care about building a the resellers and retailers with open mobility in Africa and how do you strategic relationship with partners arms as they clearly understand that plan on matching up to them to achieve common goals. We believe this is value for money to the end The growth in the telecom segment that Quantum products complement customer. in Africa has been phenomenal in the the existing product lines that retailers In a nutshell, throughout the world past quarters and this is an area where carry and can also add value to Blue Ocean Strategy is now recognised still tablet brands have not been able their image. We have successfully to have a strong foothold. Quantum as best practice in strategic planning has been working to ensure that this earned consumers’ confidence and and change management. segment is addressed and that it could demonstrated that we are ready to scale capture a significant share. up the operation. Discuss any promotional and The mobile channel market of Africa is another area where we have plans to work closely with partners as this is an area where multiple transactions take place on a daily basis which contributes to a significant business generation. This area has a tremendous potential to fuel growth to Quantum’s business and cannot be ignored. Is the Blue Ocean Strategy applicable for Africa and if so how do you see it evolving there? With Africa showing all signs of being one of the most potential markets with September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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Case Study
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TrippLite
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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Insight
Kaspersky Lab
The endpoint security software used to protect physical computers and servers is what’s known as an agent-based solution. In a non-virtualized environment, the full security software agent and anti-malware database are installed on the machine (server or desktop). Generally, using these agent-based products within a virtualized environment is not very effective. Each virtual machine will require the full agent and full anti-malware signature database to be installed on it. So, if the company has 100 virtual machines running on one virtual host, it’ll have 100 instances of the security agent and 100 instances of the malware signature database on that virtual host. Agent-based security configurations cause the following problems in a virtual environment: Duplication: Every VM will carry an identical set of security components, including an isolated anti-malware engine and signature databases, each of which will need to update independently. This high level of duplication of the antivirus database wastes storage capacity. Instant-on gaps: It is not possible to update security components or databases on an inactive VM. So immediately after booting and before the security update is completed, the VM is vulnerable to attack. Update Storms: A virtual host stores the anti-malware databases and provides this database to the security agent on each virtual machine - simultaneous updates of each virtual
Matvey Joytov Senior Product Markting Manager, Kaspersky Lab
The Balance of Today’s Security Solutions By Matvey Voytov, Senior product marketing manager, Kaspersky Lab machine’s anti-malware database can severely impact the performance of other applications. Scanning Storms: Virtual machines simultaneously start to run a routine security scan, the other applications that are running on that host will be affected. Agentless security applications only need one instance of the anti-malware database and one virtual machine that’s dedicated to security in order to protect every virtual machine that is running on that host. Compared to agent-based security, agentless solutions place much less demand on the host machine’s CPU, memory and storage. Furthermore, with only one dedicated security virtual machine, malware ‘scanning storms’ and security database / application ‘update storms’ are eliminated. In addition, instant on gaps do not occur. However, agentless security also has some limitations. vShield capabilities only allow access to protected VMs at file systems level. This means that other endpoint protection technologies, like Application Control with Dynamic Whitelisting, designed to provide powerful additional layers of security, cannot be implemented. Light Agent: Aiming to be a balance between “agentless”
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The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
and “agent-based,” a light agent security solution uses a dedicated virtual appliance at the hypervisor level to store databases and conduct file-scanning (similar to an agentless configuration). This configuration also installs a small software agent on each virtual machine, which is specially configured to be lightweight and use far less processing power than a traditional software agent. This provides the benefits of performing the “heavy work” away from the VMs, but still having a direct link for performing advanced security tasks on each VM. Even though there is a light agent on each virtual machine, ‘update storms’ do not occur – as there is only one instance of the security database, which is held within the virtual appliance – and ‘scanning storms’ are eliminated. Light agent solutions can deliver security and management technologies that are not provided by agentless products, including: The ability to scan memory – and find memory resident malware; Control tools that can be particularly useful in virtual desktop environments and; Host-based network security – including a firewall and host intrusion prevention system (HIPS).
Insight
Aruba Networks
Creating a Wi-Fi foundation to improve Mobile App experience and support for BYOD By Nawar Hasan, Technical Manager for Middle East and Turkey at Aruba Networks
Nawar Hasan Technical Manager, ME & Turkey, Aruba Networks Smartphones and tablets have become an integral part of our lives. According to a recent Aruba study, GenMobile - an emerging population marked by their preference for all things mobile—would give up coffee and eating out before their mobile devices. Our addiction to smartphones and tablets extends to the workplace. Tucked away in bags and pockets, these devices are the first to connect to company Wi-Fi networks when employees and guests walk on site. Unlike desktop and even laptop computers, we don’t have to be stationary to use work applications on our smartphones and tablets. Instead of a desk phone, GenMobile communicates using apps such as Microsoft Lync,, Hangouts, WebEx and GoToMeeting, which establish peer-topeer voice and video flows. Here are some essential Wi-Fi services, which provide a smartphone and tablet experience that GenMobile can trust.
Push Wi-Fi everywhere:
Wi-Fi coverage must extend pervasively to all parts of a campus, with uniformly good signal levels. RF management techniques should be employed to maximize coverage and network capacity, while avoiding interference. To achieve 100 percent coverage in all areas, the WLAN should be designed with a minimum RF signal (RSSI) level of -67 dBm, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 25 dB and co-channel separation of 20 dB.
Increase Wi-Fi Capacity
with a stable 802.11ac Wi-Fi foundation:
Wi-Fi coverage must be able to handle multiple devices per user and extend to hallways, corners, elevators and even outdoors. Products supporting the 802.11ac gigabit Wi-Fi network standard are now available for indoor and outdoor installation at a price point close to 802.11n.
Deliver a reliable unified communication experience:
Voice and video traffic must have priority handling to ensure that collaboration apps such as Skype, Lync and Hangouts operate reliably. In order to prioritize delay-sensitive unified communication traffic on the Wi-Fi network, IT needs to know it’s there. Integrating the Wi-Fi network with unified communication servers like Microsoft Lync lets IT accurately fingerprint voice and video sessions and gain the visibility they need to prioritize delay-sensitive unified communication traffic that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Wireless screen mirroring:
Smartphones and tablets support wireless screen-sharing protocols such as Apple AirPlay or DLNA technology, which require special handling on workplace Wi-Fi networks. Screen-sharing must be bridged across network segments because personal and guest devices are often on different VLANs than network connected screens, projectors and media devices like Apple TV or Chromecast. IT must also be able to limit wireless screen-sharing based on a user’s role.
Wireless printing:
Wi-Fi networks need special provisions to support Apple AirPrint technology
that allows iPhone and iPad users to locate and send print jobs to networked printers, which are often wired and on a separate VLAN than user devices. In addition to bridging print traffic, the Wi-Fi network should also leverage user location to ensure users are shown only the closest printer.
App sign-on:
Wi-Fi networks can play a part in minimizing the manual entry required on small smartphone and tablet keyboards. Users typically login to the Wi-Fi network with the same username and password they use for accessing web apps like Box and Salesforce.com. Your Wi-Fi network should support SAML and pre-register users with Identity Providers upon successful authentication.
Regain control of cloudbased apps:
To differentiate web traffic for work from personal-use traffic and control it appropriately, invest in nextgeneration mobility firewalls that perform deep packet inspection. These firewalls provide granular application information that lets IT make informed decisions about allocating Wi-Fi bandwidth for mission-critical apps.
Monitor app performance on networks:
Ensure your network management tools have application-awareness, which is key to speedy problem resolution and making informed design decisions. In addition, having a single pane of glass to monitor networks and applications eliminates the need for IT to reproduce errors and correlate data from multiple platforms and people.
September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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Product Review
EPSON
EPSON Workforce Pro WF-5620DWF Key Specs:
PrecisionCore Print Head; DURABrite Ultra Ink Technology; Small Workgroup; All-in-One Functions of Print, Scan, Copy, Fax
Summary:
An economical MFP that counts as the best laser replacement inkjet printer we have seen for small work groups
The Epson WorkForce Pro WF5620DWF is meant as an ecological and low-cost A4 multifunction printer. According to Epson, users can cut up to 50% of their printing costs and up to 80% of their energy use with this A4 multifunction printer.
Key Features
The WorkForce Pro WF is a relatively small workgroup MFP, perfect for businesses that have traditionally used lasers and want to cut costs. The costs are in the entry-level arena for colour laser MFP, but the Workforce Pro WF offers some seriously premium features. Among the key features is automatic double-sided printing, a feature I particularly liked seeing that as a journalist, double sided pages work out great for me as copies usually head to the dustbin after editing work. The major battles among printers have shifted to which vendor offers the best print technology to save on ink costs. The WF-5620DWF uses Epson's DURABrite Ultra inks, in high-capacity ink cartridges of up to 4,000 pages. This is one of the highest out there and for businesses with high printing needs, 24
these numbers do add up inevitably. Epson has enhanced its technology in the printers to include “no-heat” technology. This means less power needed than competitive colour lasers and since there’s no heat, there’s no fan which makes for a quieter office working environment. Automatic double-sided printing, scanning, copying and faxing make any job easy and efficient, perfect for the business environment. Epson has included 8.8cm colour touch-screen on top of the printer for controls. This was a logical step for printers I guess as we become more familiar with touch technology. This means that you can also print directly from a USB, a real convenient addition I felt.
Performance
Even seemingly minute considerations add up, and I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of loading ink cartridges through the front-facing slot. Although I consider myself a low-to average printer, I’m sure there are businesses that will truly appreciate the high paper capacity of up to 580 sheets, including
The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
a second optional 250-sheet tray, translating into less time refilling for them. PrecisionCore is a technology borrowed from Epson’s industrial printer segment and promises a more durable and versatile printing experience including on different materials with no effect on the printer head. One of the more exciting recent developments in printing has been incorporation of wireless printing technology. With Wi-Fi enabled, I appreciated the opportunity to print directly from my phone instead of the tedious and totally unnecessary effort of transferring documents to a PC before printing. However, wireless printing is not as fast as one would like especially since the printer automatically goes to sleep mode when not in use. Epson has also enhanced the mobile workforce of today with email print and you can send a printout anywhere you are via email. You can then directly print from the printer, securely at that, via the LCD screen interface. The screen itself is responsive enough-although do not expect smartphone responsiveness-and there are still physical buttons on the panel should you opt for those or wish to use the photocopy option. Once printing begins, speed is impressive even for duplex printing jobs. Colour images were as bright and crisp as I wished. Scans were also a breeze and clear and with features such as scan-to-email you can easily share documents in the office directly from the printer. If not desired, privacy settings allow one to securely print using a PIN code to release confidential documents.
Conclusion
With lowered costs, better ink management and greater technology innovations, inkjet printers are challenging the hegemony of lasers in the office. Epson has of course been a top performer and with the WorkForce Pro WF multi-function, Epson credentials as an all-weather printer pioneer can only get a boost.
EyeTech
Toshiba Satellite Ultra HD 4K Laptop The new Toshiba Satellite P50t Ultra HD 4K laptop features an impressive 3840x2160 resolution. Powered by the powerful Intel H Series processor, running on Windows 8.1 and equipped with 16GB of memory, the Satellite P50t is ideal for professional users who value style and precise performance for both work and play. It is now available in the market.
Seagate Wireless Plus The new Seagate Wireless Plus storage family is designed to link seamlessly with mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets offering storage capacities that are far beyond what is available internally on these mobile devices—an ideal solution to stream HD videos and music while freeing up precious space on personal devices.
Key Features: • Capacities at 500GB, 1TB and 2TB
Key Features:
• Touchscreen Ultra HD display • Frameless, backlit keyboard • Brushed full metal finish • Extensive Functionality • Harman Kardon audio • USB Sleep and Charge function
• Drive creates own Wi-Fi network • Integration with cloud services-Dropbox, Google Drive • Compatible with Android, iOS, Kindle, Windows 8 • View content on big screen via Apple Airplay, DLNA or Smart TV app
Tripp Lite SR42UBEVS Value Series 42U Rack Enclosure Tripp Lite’s commitment to providing the most reliable, efficient and userfriendly products is continued through its release of the SR42UBEVS Value Series 42U Rack Enclosure. Extremely fast assembly, extreme durability in harsh environments and rails with toolless mounting slots highlight the kind of features that have made Tripp Lite a staple in IT managers’ data centres around the world.
Key Features: • Lightweight steel frame ships disassembled for easy transport to remote locations • Pre-installed front and rear doors • Full-length side panels, roof and bottom panel with cable access ports • Front and rear sets of adjustable equipment mounting rails • Accessory mounting rails with toolless mounting slots
September 2014 | The Integrator East Africa
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Stats & trends
Traditional PC vendors catching up in the MEA Tablet Market The Middle East and Africa (MEA) tablet market recorded a 2% quarterly decline in shipments during the second quarter of 2014 to total 3.95 million units, according to the latest results released today by International Data Corporation (IDC). However, the MEA market remains the world's fastest growing region as it continues to be an area of focus for all vendors operating in the tablet space. "The reasons for the quarteron-quarter decline in Q2 2014 were twofold," says Victoria Mendes, a research analyst at IDC Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "We anticipated a slowdown in the Middle East due to the traditionally slow summer and Ramadan period, but there were also inventory pileups from the previous quarter in some parts of Africa and the Middle East, and these served to amplify the market's deceleration.� Samsung's 862,000 units in Q2 2014 were more than enough for it to hold onto first place in the market, despite suffering a double-digit quarterly decline. Its closest rival Apple remained in second place after shipping 622,000 units for the quarter. Lenovo returned to the top three with 420,000 units, courtesy of a very strong push from the vendor as it targeted the region with numerous new tablet launches. Another vendor making great strides in
the region is Asus, which climbed back to fourth place with a total of 284,000 units shipped in the quarter. Rounding out the top five MEA tablet vendors for Q2 2014 was General Mobile with 282,000 units, primarily the result of a very large education project delivered by the vendor in Turkey. "The tablet market is undoubtedly witnessing a shift in terms of vendor shares," continues Mendes. "Traditional PC vendors, such as Lenovo, ASUS, Toshiba, HP, and Acer, are becoming much more aggressive in terms of their product launches and pricing strategies, and this is driving a considerable shift in consumer demand from low-cost Far-Eastern players to these Tier-2 brands. Furthermore, the two tablet giants, Samsung and Apple, saw their combined share fall six percentage points to 37% in Q2 2014, a trend that is expected to continue as consumers increasingly opt for the best of both worlds in terms of price and quality offered by the traditional PC vendors' new releases." This increasing competition in the MEA tablet space is spurring a new approach from the market's two dominant forces, according to Fouad Charakla, research manager at IDC Middle East, Turkey, and Africa.
MEA Tablet market, vendor shares quarterly comparison, 2014Q2 Apple and Samsung
Others
Traditional PC Vendors
100% 14.48%
22.43%
80% 60%
42.54%
39.92%
40% 20%
42.98%
37.65%
2014Q1
2014Q2
0%
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The Integrator East Africa | September 2014
African firms urged to adopt a Mobile-First mindset Organizations that fail to set clear mobility strategies are in grave danger of losing out to the competition, and a complete failure to embrace this new reality will have potentially catastrophic consequences. That was the conclusion drawn today at the IDC Enterprise Mobility Forum 2014 in Johannesburg. Hosted at the city's Michelangelo Hotel by global advisory services firm International Data Corporation (IDC), the event brought more than 80 enterprise IT managers from leading private and public sector organizations face to face with the innovative global vendors tasked with meeting their mobility needs. The event heard that while the so-called 3rd Platform technologies of mobility, big data, cloud, and social are each gaining prominence in South Africa, mobility stands out as the most disruptive, with its impact being felt across all business functions and at all levels of the economy. Featuring an eclectic mix of insightful presentations, real-life case studies, and informative panel discussions, the attendees were told in no uncertain terms that they must innovate around this transformation and make full use of the mobility concept in order to improve the client experience and thrive in this new, ultra-competitive landscape. A series of speakers at the IDC Enterprise Mobility Forum 2014 stressed the fact that enterprise IT managers have a tight line to walk with their mobility strategies, not only protecting company data, but increasingly also supporting a wide range of devices that users bring into the organization.
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