Issue 197
www.VARonline.com
What’s New - D-Link - Pg 26
AC5300 Ultra WI-FI Router
Committed Towards Computing & Partners: Dell
Basil Ayass Marketing Director, Dell
DelI as an organization has one of the strongest connects with today’s technology user. Weather a common PC user, or a business user or a gamer, Dell’s exposure is well known. In an exclusive conversation with VAR Magazine, Basil Ayass, Marketing Director at Dell explained today’s evolving market dynamics, market trends and also explained Dell’s key priorities towards partners. ...continued on P - 8
October 2015
News - Pg 12
In Focus - Pg 18
The Future of Business Printing’
Driving Innovation: Securifi
Crafting Value for SMBs: Linksys World’s leading networking major- Linksys has decided to cater SMBs with all their needs. In a conversation with VAR Magazine, Amanulla Khan – Managing Director Middle East & Africa, Linksys highlighted the key trends and insights about this market and preparedness of Linksys towards SMBs and partners. ...continued on P - 4
Amanulla Khan Managing Director, MEA Linksys
Editorial
In Focus
Linksys
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Unleash the Future We are getting into an era of ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). This era is expected to transform our entire perspective towards technology. Automation of devices, gadgets and household appliances will lead to the third dimension of technology penetration in our lives. Every year Gitex comes with newer opportunities, news and actions points for the entire industry. This year, the 35st Annivarsary of GITEX is set to showcase a glimpse of the future of technology. However, IoT has a strong role to play in shaping this future. IoT will have a major impact in the Middle East market. The estimated growth of IoT is going to touch close to 60 percent per annum in associated IoT services, compared to the global growth rate of 40-50 percent, driving data center traffic into the hundreds of billions of gigabytes over the next three years. One more segment which is growing it’s importance exponentially for the IT industry is –SMB segment. Unlike large enterprises, the SMB segment has a slight different approach for technology. SMBs want technologies that are cost effective, scalable, user friendly and easy to deploy. These unique demands make the entire industry stand on their toes. From the partners’ perspective, a slight variation in skill set and preparedness is expected to tap the vast SMB potential. This issue of VAR magazine has action oriented news, interviews and product showcases. In this issue, we have managed to showcase insights and viewpoints of industry experts who have something valuable for the industry. The entire industry and its stakeholders are set to witness Gitex 2015 with a hope of better future and prosperity for the technology industry. From VAR Magazine, we like to wish everyone very Happy & Prosperous Gitex.
Faiz Askari Senior Editor
CEO: Vivek Sharma Senior Editor: Faiz Askari Art Director: Faiz Ahmed Business Development Manager: Mallika Rego Sr. Sales Manager: R. Subramanyan Sales Manager: Christopher David Sales Coordinator: Smitha Jithesh Published by:
VAR MEA Magazine P.O. Box: 121075, Montana Building 404, Zabeel Road, Near GPO, Karama, Dubai-UAE Tel: 04-3705022 Fax: 04-3706639 sales@var-mea.com or info@var-mea.com www.VARonline.com Disclaimer: While the publishers have made every attempt possible to get accurate information on published content in this magazine they cannot be held liable for any errors herein.
6 | October 2015
SMB is a major focus area for your organization, please share a glimpse of SMB line of business offering from Linksys? Linksys re-launched its SMB portfolio in 2013 with a goal to bring back the Linksys heritage of providing businessgrade networking products to small and midsized businesses (SMBs). Holding onto the position of industry leader in SMB Networking, Linksys' solutions offering include a wide range of Routers, Modem Routers, VPN Routers, Range Extenders, Access Point, Power Line Kits, Unmanaged, Managed and POE Switches, etc. Linksys’ performance perfected solutions and innovative products and technologies make it a preferred partner among its partners and customers alike. How big is the SMB market opportunity? According to an internal SMB Primary research conducted by Linksys relative to number of employees, the need for remote connection to network is very high in the SMB segment. Other insights gathered included that SMB's have a reactionary IT approach - which involved less planning, more reacting to evolving IT needs, pain points. While 30% of the SMB market is equipped with Access Control & Surveillance equipment, there is an identified need of another 30-40% of Physical security measures to be incorporated. Need for security has increased, due to the multiple
pinpointing potential network performance issues, validating new and modified applications on the network, improved troubleshooting of network issues, more intelligent planning for and support of business growth, among others. What level of commitment does LINKSYS has towards its partners? As one of the largest networking solutions vendors, we support our regional and local channel partners from our headquarters and from the regional offices in the region. All of our channel partners have been certified to perform pre-sales activities, installation and after sales services. They are fully supported by the Linksys sales, marketing and technical support teams. We also run partner programmes that benefit both our customers and partners by expanding Linksys’ global and regional sales channels and making it easier for companies to work with local partners. Since SMB is considered as a slightly different turf of business. What level of partner engagement Linksys is doing to tap the SMB market segment? To build a strong partner channel, Linksys understands the need to educate and support its partners about the products and services through its Linksys Partner Advantage Program. Through the program, partners are offered access to sales tools with overflowing resources; to grow
“Linksys understands the need educate and support the partners about the products and services through its Linksys Partner Advantage Program. Through the program partners are offered access to sales tools with overflowing resources; to grow their business.” devices connecting to the IP environment and the rising challenges brought on the internet. There is great potential for growth within the IP surveillance segment, to help connect the weak bridge between IP and the multiple users due to WAN and LAN, monitoring the increasing security threats is essential. IP Surveillance can help monitor more than the threats and more importantly helps analyze productive usage within the organization. What is the go-to-market strategy for SMB market? The SMB segment is a highly educated market, Linksys continues to support the landscape in their infrastructural investment. Allowing them to generate higher ROI’s while providing their IT infrastructure with solutions that are in line with the latest advancements. The budget for IT infrastructure is restrictive in this segment, hence it is important to educate the SMB market on the importance of choosing cost effective solutions to help build a strong IT infrastructure which is the backbone to build a strong profitable business. How is LINKSYS geared up for the enterprise business? As enterprises continue to redefine their business models by integrating various policies and technologies across multiple levels of the business, the boundary between internal processes and external products and services will become more blurred. As such products and solutions from Belkin are ready to adapt to all the changes today's enterprises are going through. Our solutions are intelligent devices that will aid enterprises with innovation and realising their ROI in the shortest timeframe possible. What are the key issues that Network Managers are facing for better management of the networking infrastructure? Networking in general is getting tougher. Networks must deliver a growing range of services, from ERP, CRM and email to VoIP and web services applications, each of which has its own requirements and challenges. Today's network managers face a wide range of challenges which include
their business. Through Pre and Post-sales support, Marketing support, sales incentives, resources and training Linksys builds a strong mutually profitable relationship with their partners. Strong relationship with the channel partners is important to deliver high value solutions to the end users. The incorporation of proof of concept, referral websites among other strategies has helped revamped our approach towards the SMB market. Our SMB strategy for this year focuses on growing the business by building opportunities for Resellers to continue to grow and add value to their business. Utilizing our experience and expertise to build new solutions especially while exploring the growing opportunities in the SMB market. What are the key expectations from next one or two years of business in the Middle East region? We expect the market to grow considering the fact that many markets in the Middle East, especially in the GCC region are looking at huge IT investments in the next two years. With UAE preparing for Expo 2020, Qatar getting ready for the World Cup and Saudi Arabia looking at large IT investments to overhaul its current infrastructure, there are plenty of opportunities for businesses in the Middle East region.
In Focus
News
Dell
...continued from P - 1 How is the market dynamics in this region evolving, with regards to PC segment and server? Globally the industry is showing the demand of getting associated with a company with end to end product range. Dell gets an edge on having an indepth product portfolio. Overall the market movement is on a positive side and we are excited to see customer’s showing their interest in newer products. Mobility is a major priority for Dell. What are Dell’s strategies for capturing this emerging market? Yes, mobility is a major demand of today’s consumer. Dell is committed towards this aspect of the market. Our strategies towards this is simple, we would like to offer the best to the consumers. We are keen towards the market demands. Along with mobility we found that in the PC segment, better power consumption and light weight are also in demand. So our
data growth on an as-needed basis, enabling you to tailor your storage needs to the workloads you are running and avoid over provisioning. How is the market changing from the perspective of partners? The market is rapidly changing, we at Dell are on consolidation of our partners’ network. Recently, we have combined the partners of Middle East and Africa region. We want to ensure better profitability for our partners. This consolidation of our partner network will result into an increase of the business geography of individual partners. What kind of opportunities can partners expect from Dell as a brand? Opportunities with Dell are really huge for partners. As discussed earlier, better profitability is an essential element
“We at Dell are consolidating our partners’ network. Recently, we have combined the partners of Middle East and Africa region. We want to ensure better profitability for our partners. This consolidation of our partner network will result into an increase of the business geography of individual partners.” product range is showing all the features which are in demand. And that our main priority to fulfill the demand of the market. In today’s context, what are the main demand trends of PC market in EMEA region? The PC market is categorized in three different parts. The consumer segment, small business segment and gaming market. The Consumer segment is driven by mobility and affordability of the product. This segment is also looking for bigger screen size. The gaming market is showing lot of interest in those machines that are customizable and with better graphic displays. Users from the small business category are looking for ultra light weight machines with high performance capability. However, better power capability is a common demand for almost all types of consumers. In the server segment, what kind of trends are becoming visible? There are two streams of customer demands are getting visible in the server market. These streams are modular and better density. Addressing these demands of the customers dell has recently introduced Dell Poweredge FX series. This product can rapidly scale direct attached storage (DAS) in the FX-based infrastructures with the FD332 half-width 1U storage module. This product also let the user create an easily scalable storage environment that supports balanced
of our outlook towards partners. We also would like to showcase an opportunity of service and support to the partners. In this, we would like to invite our partners to explore the potential of becoming Dell Authorize Service Partners. By doing this, partners can get even more strongly engaged with the customer and can become strong stakeholder of the business ecosystem. Please share some highlights on Dell’s participation in this year’s Gitex? This year’s Gitex will be very special for us. We will be showcasing our strong relationship with partners. What will be Dell’s go-to-market strategy for next two years? We are restructuring and consolidating our channel footprint. We are streamlining our market and increasing more depth on the relationship with our existing partners. IN terms of strategic focus, we are committed towards customer’s demand. We understand the value of customer demand cycle and our new products are designed as per that aspect only. What kind of new announcements can we expect from Dell during this Gitex? There will be four major announcements from our side. We are set to introduce new products in the categories of security, servers and storage.
UAE to witness paradigm shift in technology adoption A phenomenal technological transformation is taking place in the next 12 to 18 months across all industries in the UAE’s private and public sectors, predominantly facilitated by dynamic ‘cloud computing’ solutions, industry experts predict. Cloud computing facilitates total transparency in the UAE’s business ecosystem, a paradigm shift in the way the business is conducted, said Mr. Dilip Rahulan, Executive Chairman of Pacific Control Systems (PCS), the UAE-headquartered global leader in Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions. He was speaking at a conference titled "Cloud Computing - Transform Your Business with the Cloud" in Dubai. The Conference aimed at creating a road map for leveraging ‘Cloud Computing’ to business advantage. Addressing an audience of 150 delegates from different industry sectors across the UAE, Mr. Dilip said, “Cloud computing is an emerging, active infrastructure that enables Government, business and people to transform their current business to digital business creating new paradigm shifts in the way service delivery takes place. The cloud infrastructure also needs security to be dynamic in terms of its scalability and elasticity, and be capable of enabling concepts that are able to deal with large growth syndromes.” Experts from Microsoft, VMware and Inframon presented a range of topics related to the benefits of cost-effective and secure cloud computing solutions that can benefit businesses. Pacific Controls Cloud Services (PCCS) hosted ‘Cloud Computing - Transform Your Business with the Cloud’ Conference. Mr. Haidar Salloum, Channel Director - Microsoft Gulf, made his keynote address on the topic “Microsoft Cloud Services Offering for Business”; followed by speeches by Mr. Deepak Narain, Senior Systems Engineering Manager – “VMware Cloud Services delivering IaaS and DaaS / VDI”; and Mr. Gordon McKenna, CEO-Inframon on “Transformation to Cloud”.
Avaya to showcase AvayaLive Engage at Gitex 2015 A global leader in business communications software, systems and services—Avaya is to introduce its innovative AvayaLive Engage solution at GITEX Technology Week 2015. AvayaLive Engage delivers an immersive web experience that allows IT and business professionals from any region to explore GITEX as if they were at the event. The Avaya virtual stand will be accessible from any Internet connection or browser, allowing visiting professionals to use custom avatars to move around the stand and the wider area. Visitors using the AvayaLive Engage environment can interact in real time with Avaya experts via voice, video or IM, allowing presenters to share files, presentations, demonstrations and videos - even hold private conversations if needed. Mohammed Areff, Vice President, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, Avaya said, “By bringing GITEX to the wider world through AvayaLive Engage we are proud to showcase how successfully the region is embracing digital transformation. While organizations in other parts of the world are often burdened with legacy environments, enterprises here in the region can be
8 | October 2015
Mohammed Areff Vice President, Middle East, Africa & Turkey, Avaya
more agile and flexible in their technology deployments. Avaya’s engagement solutions enable organizations to deliver smoother, richer experiences and
accelerate their digital transformation journey. GITEX is the perfect platform for us to demonstrate our technology solutions and also to highlight the great strides the region is making in digitization.” Avaya is showcasing real-world customer deployments of its innovative technology solutions at this year’s GITEX, with live demonstrations of cutting-edge solutions that are helping governments, enterprises and other business customers here in the region adopt digital strategies. The AvayaLive Engage environment enables Avaya to demonstrate its power to help organizations achieve digital transformation, engage with their teams and customers and deliver richer, smoother experiences to those beyond the exhibit floor. Avaya will also highlight how collaboration technologies can enhance the workplace experience, helping to increase productivity and boost profitability. Mobile-based demonstrations will showcase how employees can engage more effectively in a BYOD world, be integrated into a workspace environment more effectively and work more productively with other team members.
In Focus
News
ESET
Understanding Newer Threats Information is growing exponentially so as the complexity of ICT infrastructure. On such background, Pradeesh VS, General Manager at ESET Middle East highlighted some information security trends and his organization’s unique approach towards the market. have noticed are: • Consumers are looking at Multi Device Security to ensure all their devices are protected • Mobile security is where there is still not much awareness and this is where we expect things will need a change • Consumers now understand the need of security, however with growing trends of Cryptolockers and ransomware it is important that they also look into data backup solutions
Pradeesh VS General Manager, ESET Middle East How security threats are evolving in the present day market scenario? We have seen recently there is lot of Crypto lockers and ransomware. We also see a trend of targeted attacks and this is where organizations need to work ve ry close with their partners and vendors to ensure their security systems are up to date. As the number of mobile devices is growing at an exponential rate, so are the threats targeting mobile device. This is why we emphasis that all Android users should ensure they are safe before they going online. How organizations are gearing up toward safe guarding their business critical data? The advent of BYOD has greatly complicated the security landscape and a lot of organizations have to look into how they can secure business critical data at the edge- i.e. on mobile devices and other endpoints. There are a host of new ways in which attackers can target organizations. Employee owned devices are not, or rather cannot be as
What are the key market trends you are witnessing? We have noticed that certain market verticals are taking a more strategic and systematic approach to security. In particular, there are three main markets that are the most innovative in their deployment of security measures in which endpoint security is a major part of. These are government and law enforcement, banking and finance, and healthcare. The nature of these organizations dictates that they should adhere to the latest security technology trends. Plus the number of compliances requirements that these organizations have, pushes them forward to adopt the latest innovation and technologies for their endpoint security. How big is the information security market in the GCC and EMEA region? According to Cybersecurity Ventures, a research and market intelligence firm, the Middle East and Africa Cyber Security Market is expected to grow to $13.43 billion by 2019, with an expected CAGR of 13.7 percent for the period 2014-2019. Information access is becoming versatile in nature. What does it mean for an Information security provider? As an Information security provider, we are concerned with ensuring secure and fully authenticated access. While organizations need to provide the right people with access to the information they require, they must also do so in a manner that reduces their risk of data breaches and helps them meet data privacy requirements. ESET Two-factor authentication (2FA) solution safeguards customers against data breaches and supports privacy compliance by adding an extra layer of security to verification processes. Unlike standard password authentication, ESET Secure Authentication
“The advent of BYOD has greatly complicated the security landscape and a lot of organizations have to look into how they can secure business critical data at the edge- i.e. on mobile devices and other endpoints. There are a host of new ways by which attackers can target organizations.” closely monitored without concerns regarding privacy. Because of this, it is likely that they could unknowingly jeopardize the security of company information that is made available through the mobile computing platform. I think, today, businesses are well aware that despite having the very best enterprise security solutions in place, a large number of data leaks in the enterprise can be traced back to human error and internal causes. Businesses place equal emphasis on technologies and features that protect the endpoint. This is why endpoint protection vendors such as ESET have seen significant growth in their business in recent years. As an Information security player, what kinds of consumer behavior change are you witnessing? There major developments in consumer behavior that we
10 | October 2015
requires two elements: a user’s password, plus a one-time password (OTP) generated on the user’s smartphone. Not only does ESET’s 2FA help prevent data breaches by restricting access, it satisfies regulatory compliance in industries (such as healthcare and finance) where strong authentication is required. By using an employee’s smartphone, ESET’s solution greatly reduces the cost of implementing 2FA, with no hardware tokens or servers required. This affordable solution also strengthens your company’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy by securing your company’s mobile workforce against data breaches due to compromised passwords or lost devices. ...continued on P - 12
Cathexis signed Global as it’s Distributor Global Distribution FZE has signed a Distribution Agreement with CATHEXIS, a leading International electronic and software systems development, and manufacturing company, specialising in video surveillance solutions. The new Distribution Agreement completes Global’s Vision to build a comprehensive CCTV Solution Portfolio for its Partner Community in the MEA Region. With Governments across the Middle East, and specifically GCC region, enforcing to comply with established Laws that regulate the “General Requirements and Technical Specifications of Security Systems” the Physical Security Market continues to grow exponentially. “We are very excited about this relationship, and are confident that with Global as a partner we will dramatically accelerate our growth in this region. Our software offers a sophisticated surveillance environment for security, and also provides specialized features, video analytics and integration with 3rd party systems that go “beyond security”, says Gus Brecher, Marketing/Sales & Business Development Director - CATHEXIS Technologies. “Globalhas built an impressive Portfolio for the growing IP based CCTV Market and CATHEXIS is an important part of it.” Hasan Basri, Regional Manager, CATHEXIS in the Middle East added, “Global has a great reputation in regional Channel Development & Enablementand we are pleased to have Global to support us in the Region and expand our footprint.” “We are now in a position to supply all components for a CCTV Project, which comprises (1) IP Cameras, (2) CMS – Central Management Software and VMS – Video Management Software, (3) Networking/Cabling and (4) NAS Storage,” said Varun Sujith, Business Development Manager - IT Infrastructure & Physical Security for Global Distribution FZE – Global Solutions Network. “We are very proud to have CATHEXIS in our Product Portfolio and the opportunity for growth in the Physical Security market it offers.” “That’s another step in our efforts to ensure our Partner Communityis able to embrace Solutions Selling and targeting specific verticals and technologies. Global’s comprehensive Enterprise Product Portfolio allows our Partners to address the fast emerging “Physical Security” marked in the Region,” added Mario M. Veljovic, VP Solutions MEA at Global Distribution FZE – Global Solutions Network.
Hasan Basri Regional Manager, Cathexis Middle East
In Focus
News
Epson
Epson Launches RIPS ‘The Future of Business Printing’ lasers and laser copiers. RIPS printers are also up to 23% quieter, use up to 95% less energy and produce up to 99% less waste than lasers and copiers. WorkForce Pro RIPS is a compelling choice for environmentally conscious businesses. Offering the highest page yield in its class, RIPS significantly reduces the need to stock many consumable items and parts. As a result storage, transport and logistics are all kept to a minimum, while eliminating the need to recycle empty cartridges.
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-R8590 Network Multifunction Color Printer
Khalil El Dalu General Manager, Epson Middle East
Epson Middle East announced "The Future of Business Printing" - WorkForce Pro RIPS - which stands for Replaceable Ink Pack System, an entirely new way for companies to cut costs and improve efficiencies when it comes to office colour printing. Utilising this revolutionary system, Epson's newly introduced WorkForce® R8590D3TWC series and R5690DTWF series multifunction printers can deliver up to 75,000 printed pages in both black and colour before the ink needs to be replaced. These printing solutions allow customers to print high impact colour documents with ultra-low operating costs and minimal maintenance. Khalil El Dalu, General Manger, Epson Middle East said, "RIPS truly revolutionises business printing with its incredible efficiency and benefits in terms of cost, productivity and environment. This allows companies to focus on running their business, and not worrying about managing printer supplies. These new models also allow IT managers and business owners to enjoy extremely affordable colour printing without the hassles normally associated with printer maintenance." By using RIPS printers companies can reduce time on spent on interventions by up to 98% compared to
In Focus
The WorkForce Pro WF-R8590 A3 multifunction printer, powered by PrecisionCore™, features a Replaceable Ink Pack System that delivers up to 75,000 pages without changing the ink packs. And, it produces professionalquality documents at speeds of 24 ISO ppm (black/color). It offers 13" x 19" printing, plus scanning up to 11" x 17". With a high monthly duty cycle and 1830-sheet total paper capacity, it’s ideal for shared color printing on a network. Along with PCL/genuine Adobe® PostScript® 3™ support, a Universal printer driver and Web Config, it is also enabled with remote printer data collection compatible with MPS software solutions.
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-R5690 Replaceable Ink Pack System A powerful multifunction printer that drives productivity for workgroups, the WorkForce Pro WF-R5690 multifunction printer offers heavy-duty, low-cost printing. Powered by Epson's new PrecisionCore™ printing technology, it features a Replaceable Ink Pack System that delivers up to 50,000 pages without changing the ink packs. And, it produces professionalquality prints – fast. Get low-maintenance, high-volume color printing plus a high monthly duty cycle. The WF-R5690 includes auto 2-sided printing, copying, scanning and faxing. PCL/genuine Adobe® PostScript® 3™ support makes it ideal for shared printing on a network. Along with a Universal printer driver and Web Config, it is also enabled with remote printer data collection compatible with MPS software solutions. Both models will be on display at GITEX Technology Week from October18-22, 2015 at Epson stand C4-10 in Hall 4 of Dubai World Trade Centre.
ESET
TP-LINK Technologies Co Ltd, a leading provider of SOHO and SMB networking products and wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions, has announced it is participating at GITEX Technology Week to showcase its Smart Home products and solutions. According to the company, which manufactures and supplies a range of products to distributors and resellers in MENA including WLAN Solutions, ADSL, Switches, IP Cameras, Powerline Adapters, Print Servers, Range Extenders, Media Converters and Network Adapters, this is the fourth year in which TP-LINK has participated at GITEX Technology Week. TP-LINK added that aside from supporting its distribution partner at this year’s technology fair, the company is also using this trade show to promote its product portfolio in different verticals including home, business and service provider products at its stand. Denny Liang, Vice President, TP-LINK, Middle East and Africa (MEA), said: “The company is delighted to have again confirmed its participation at GITEX 2015, where we will be highlighting our Smart Home offerings.” Liang said throughout the week-long show, TP-LINK will hold presentations at its stand, where it will demonstrate the latest indoor Smart Home products including the Wireless Tri-Band Gigabit Router, the Archer C3200.
Denny Liang Vice President, TP-LINK Middle East & Africa
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With trends such as Social media, mobility etc, how difficult or challenging it is becoming to ensure security? Yes it is very challenging and this keeps us up beat as our products are designed to protect our users from all possible threats intruding through new trends and attack vectors. We have evolved and added features like Vulnerability Shield, Botnet protection, Social Media Scanner etc to ensure our users continue to be kept secured.
We have already made headway in achieving each of these goals through initiatives such as refreshing our partner program, unveiling a new retail partner program, launching and promoting our overhauled business product range and signing on PSILOG as a new distribution and training partner
What are the key business priorities for ESET? Our main focus areas for in the coming months are: • ESET New Generation of Business Solutions with the ESET Remote Administrator version 6 • Scaling our new license sales and upselling ESET products • Drawing on the strengths of our technology alliances with DESlock and StorageCraft • Expanding our channel and engaging more deeply with channel partners though our two partner programs
What are the main drivers of ESET business in the GCC region? We have been growing consistently and in the last 12 months alone have witnessed the following impressive figures for the Middle East: • Grew our overall enterprise business by 10% • Grew our overall consumer segment business by 15% • Expanded our staff strength by 50% The reason for this is the growing awareness and need around IT security. Threats are only getting more sophisticated and with each new technology that is thrown into
12 | October 2015
TP-LINK to showcase SMB & Smart Home solutions at GITEX
• The ESET Mobile Security solution for Android devices
the mix, whether it is BYOD or IoT, there are multiple new attack vectors that cyber criminals can leverage. And at the same time, IT budgets must be spread over new technologies to streamline business processes and maintenance in addition to security. With these limitations, organizations need to be thrifty with their human and computational resources and this is precisely what ESET addresses. How do you foresee the next twelve months for Business? Given the current state of affairs in the region, it is highly likely that politics will have a major influence on business. In the security domain in particular, we are likely to see a rise in the number of state funded attacks. Budgets assigned to IT Security projects are also a great influencer as some organization might go or not go for certain security solution based on the available budget. The technological advancement and IoT “Internet of thing” will create a new era of security vulnerabilities. Though it is still early stages, we can expect a lot of discussion to take place around IoT.
Gitex 2015
Panasonic to Showcase Innovative Smart Solutions at GITEX 2015 Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa (PMMAF) will focus on Innovative Smart Solutions at GITEX Technology Week 2015 with a line-up of exciting new technologies being displayed in the region for the first time. In line with Gitex 2015 theme of ‘The Internet Future of Everything’ Panasonic will highlight the future of technology powered living such as Connected Homes concept with the latest in home security systems driven by internet; interactive smart mirrors with embedded camera that scans and projects an image of the users face on top of their reflection and lets them try out different looks by applying digital makeup; and Projection Lighting Space Player with Wi-fi connectivity allowing users to schedule a variety of content directly from their laptops or handheld devices. Panasonic’s extensive product line-up for GITEX also includes 4K display systems, and latest communication solutions. Speaking about Panasonic’s participation in the technology event, Shinichi Wakita, Managing Director, PMMAF, said: “GITEX Technology Week is one of the most anticipated technology events globally and we will display our innovative solutions for businesses, governments and homes during the 35th anniversary edition of the event this year. As the Middle East gears up for international events such as Dubai Expo 2020 and Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022, governments and businesses will need effective solutions to meet the resulting influx of visitors and growth in demand for products and services. GITEX 2015 is the ideal event for us to showcase to the B2G and B2B sector our exceptional line-up of Smart Solutions to meet future demands.” At the event, Panasonic will unveil the world's first wireless door security phone. The company will also highlight its key cloud computing software that can support connected homes, buildings, campuses, even entire cities. On display will be Pool Mapping solutions aimed at hotels and theme parks to enable projecting various images into the swimming pool. Visitors can experience the revolutionary Space Player, which delivers a multi-
Shinichi Wakita Managing Director, PMMAF
faceted lighting solution utilizing solid-state laser illumination technology and the concept of “projection lighting”. Adding to the innovative product line-up will be the company's first beyond 4K screen resolution projector. Visitors can enjoy a dramatic Projection Mapping display at the Panasonic booth. To meet the ever-increasing demand for longer-term and reliable data storage in data center business, Panasonic will introduce the Data Archiver developed by advanced robotics technologies,a Smart Hybrid PBX for small and medium sized companies and the latest HDVC application to hold simultaneous videoconferences. Panasonic will be present in Hall 3 booth A 3-5 at Dubai World Trade Centre from October 18-22, 2015.
Epson to showcase super-high-yield printing technologies at GITEX Epson has a formidable presence at GITEX Technology Week this year, as the company launches latest products at the leading event for the ICT sector. At the event, visitors will have a chance to experience first-hand Epson’s WorkForce Pro RIPS business printers that eliminate traditional printer frustrations. The advanced Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) technology uses super-high-yield ink supply units for printing up to 75,000 pages between ink changes. This eradicates most of the physical waste involved in printing when compared to comparable colour laser printers. But that is just the start, it also significantly reduces time and hassle, and helps companies to meet their environmental goals and improves productivity by providing the benefits of a distributed printer fleet. On display at Epson stand will be two new WorkForce Pro RIPS models - WF-R8590D3TWC for A3 size papers and WF-R5690DTWF for A4 size papers. Continuing Epson’s commitment to providing affordability, convenience, quality and reliability in printers is its new range of Ink Tank System (ITS) printers that will be on display at GITEX. Epson will showcase the latest ITS models- L365, L455, L565 and L655, during the event. An Epson ITS printer is the perfect choice for anyone who wants ultra-low-cost, hassle-free printing without having to compromise on performance or quality.
14 | October 2015
Epson will also introduce its new versatile and mobile projector that is ideal for both the home and office, the EB-U32. Whether watching films, viewing family photos or delivering important presentations, the range has the flexibility that all the family will love. With high-quality images, easy-to-use features and a stylish and portable design, the only thing you need to worry about is avoiding arguments over who gets to use it next. Commenting on Epson’s participation, Khalil El Dalu, General Manager, Epson Middle East, says: “GITEX Technology Week is where the future of technology comes alive. We have participated in this industry leading event for more than 20 years now and every year we use it as a launch pad for our new products being introduced in Middle East. Visitors to our stand can experience our innovative printing and imaging solutions for corporate and education sectors offering the best value for money.” Epson will also showcase its extensive range of solutions for retail, hospitality, banking, education, and corporate sector at the event. Also on display will be wearable technologies. Printing solutions from Epson comprises printers for the home and office, and for professional printing businesses like commercial printers, industrial printers, and compact printers for retail and business.
DenyAll to Present its Next Gen Firewall at Gitex DenyAll, an application security company will exhibit at Gitex Technology Week 2015 from October 18-22 at Hall 2, booth B2-6 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE along with its distribution partner for the Middle East region, emt Distribution. DenyAll which has recently been positioned in the visionaries’ quadrant in the second revision of Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Web Application Firewall (WAF) will showcase its Next Generation Web Application Firewall that is key to address the need to secure the application-layer, where 80% of attacks focus. With its participation at Gitex this year, the company intends to target large and mid-size enterprises across all verticals, but with a greater emphasis on financial and energy sectors in the Middle East. “Gitex is the biggest ICT show in this part of world and we expect to have a good participation of potential customers from all over the region,” said Gilles d’Arpa, Vice-President of Sales at DenyAll, who will be attending the event. “We believe that enterprises in the Middle East will be looking at us with even greater interest, as we have proved the prowess of our technology by being recognised by Gartner twice in a row. We are experts in application security and enterprises in the region can utilise our expertise to effectively secure their IT and take advantage of our great ease of administration.” “We look forward to the opportunity to meet customers from the region, discuss and understand their application security challenges. We will also be more than happy to share our experiences worldwide and how we can help them to solve their issues.” added Mr d’Arpa. emt Distribution is one of the most formidable global value added distribution company with huge regional presence across Middle East region. emt is also the exclusive distribution partner for DenyAll in the Middle East and is authorised for marketing, promoting, selling and training channel partners across the region including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Egypt, among others.
Gilles d’Arpa Vice President, Sales, DenyAll
In Focus
News
Corsair
The Gamers’ Delight: Corsair Industry is graduating from one level to another. The new level is driven by smart handheld devices, better quality graphics and user experience. In all this, users are showing great interest in the gaming domain. While having experienced the PC peripheral market from depth, Corsair is one such company which have always added value to the end users’ experience. Mustafa Guner, Country Manager – SEE & MENA, Corsair shared his overall perspective on the evolution of gaming industry in the Middle East region and Corsair’s viewpoint. How is the computer peripheral market evolving in the Middle East region? Middle East market, mainly GCC countries, has always been a region with big potential market for us. In last couple of years, we experienced considerable increase on high end PC components market which Corsair is known for. We believe the next step for the Middle East is gaming peripherals(keyboards, mouse and headset) market. There is a lot to do in the region in this fast growing market. What are the key consumer demands in this sector? Consumers demand focus on high performance PC components and peripherals as the overall PC market has been shrinking for years.
Mustafa Guner Country Manager, SEE & MENA Corsair
What are the key trends you are witnessing in the gaming segment? Consumer demands for games as entertainment is exponentially growing. Consumers are prefering gaming over the traditional movies and TV shows. This is driving software and hardware adoption across multiple consumption platforms and screens. Multiplayer games have brought a new level of interpersonal interaction which reinforces the desire for gaming as entertainment. eSports as both a playing medium and a viewing experience is growing rapidly. All together the exploding growth of gaming is driving specialized gaming hardware, software, and peripherals across the industry – and a massive opportunity for those involved.
through the global infrastructure we developed, with extensive marketing and distribution channel relationships over 60 countries worldwide. This groundbreaking evolvement can be found in our high-performance memory products, ultra-efficient power supplies, PC cases, PC and CPU cooling solutions, solid-state storage devices and gaming peripherals. This evolvement in Corsair will never stop.
Where do you foresee the next wave of gaming technology is heading towards? For peripherals on the PC platform, we will continue to see performance be a key driver in gaming hardware and peripherals with the rapid growth of eSports. We need to enable our consumers to win within their game of choice.
Which are the geographic regions are emerging as potential sectors for Corsair? Asia is the fastest-growing region not only for us but also for most of the technology companies. Middle East region has a lot of potential as well just as we have been experiencing last couple of years.
What are the key verticals that are doing great for your business? Corsair has been doing quite well in hardware such as cases, power supplies since long. Recently our focus increased more on gaming peripherals and we expect steady growth here.
“Consumer demands for games as entertainment is exponentially growing. Consumers are prefering gaming over the traditional movies and TV shows. This is driving software and hardware adoption across multiple consumption platforms and screens.” Adjacent to the PC, we are seeing increasing gaming on the TV and in the living room driven by new gaming content platforms (consoles, Apple, Amazon) and the capability of 4K TVs. This trend leads to a new market dimension, new living room centric solutions will be required. Futuristic technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) are being developed and launched. It remains to be seen the adoption of these new technologies like VR, but they certainly are interesting and something to watch.
Prime Technology has been one of your distribution partners. How has been this business relationship so far? We started doing business with Prime Technology a few months ago.We have recieved phenominal response from m this business relationsship and has come a long way already with them. This positive start s because of quality ty relations and understanding levels for each other. We still have a long way ahead of us to go together.
How is Corsair as an organization evolving towards the changing mindset of today's consumers? Let me answer this question mentioning about where Corsair come from. We started as a memory company back in 1994 with a few employees all in the US. Today Corsair is leading provider of enthusiast-grade PC components and peripherals
Also, please mention about your flagship products? I would rather like to mention about the flagship categories since we so many products which can be considered as flagship products. High-performance DRAMs with headspreaders, power supplies, cases and gaming peripherals are our flagship categories.
16 | October 2015
Gartner recognizes Allied Telesis Allied Telesis has announced that it was recently recognized by Gartner as a Niche Player for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure. The enterprise infrastructure market is impacted by the digital transformation happening across all industries. As the world leans towards Smart Cities and the Internet of Things, networks are evolving rapidly to meet new challenges. Allied Telesis Smart technologies aims to ensure that network evolution can keep pace, and deliver efficient and secure solutions for people, organizations, and ‘things’—both now and into the future. Seiichiro Sato, Global Product Marketing Director, Allied Telesis, “We maintain our focus on helping Enterprise customers to address their business issues, and solve them by adopting cutting-edge solutions. We are committed to continue to serve enterprise customers, as the company has done for many years. Our leading technologies, such as AMF, have received several prestigious industry awards and are proven to improve the TCO of our customers’ infrastructure.
Gemalto set to Secure the Samsung Gear S2 Gemalto-- the world leader in digital security, is working with Samsung Electronics for the launch of their latest Gear S2 smartwatch. Gemalto’s solution will allow users to securely connect to the cellular networks. As a result, they will be able to make voice and data calls, check emails and notifications, or access applications, directly from their wrist, without being tethered to their smartphones. The wearables market is poised for a rapid growth with worldwide shipments set to exceed 126 million units by 2019[1]. Many smart wearables are coming to market, driven by consumer demands for a more convenient and connected lifestyle. According to a survey conducted across five countries – China, Germany, South Korea, UK, and the US, 56% of smartphone owners say that cellular connectivity is an important factor in buying a smartwatch,. Samsung Gear S2, which comes in a circular design with unique rotation bezel and intuitive UX that offers extended battery life of 2-3 days, is optimized for seamless, everyday use.
In Focus
News
Securifi
Microsoft redefines Windows 10 with New Surface Book
Driving Innovation: Securifi The technology industry is moving towards innovation and our homes are becoming smart homes. There are few innovation driven companies that are facilitating this transformation. Securifi is one such company which is committed towards innovation and transforming our homes into smart homes. Mohammad Meraj Huda, President, World Wide Sales & Development at Securifi highlighted industry’s trends and his company’s key focus towards bringing innovation in practice.
Mohammad Meraj Huda President, World Wide Sales & Development, Securifi
Securifi is an innovation driven product oriented company. What are your plans for creating your own space in the market? We have been driving innovation and creating excitement in the Router space for years in the US. We launched the first easy to use touchscreen router in 2012 and with the Almond+ the first router that is also a smart home hub into the router. You can expect to see even more innovation from us on both the Router and Home Automation front Awareness around your innovative product portfolio would be an important task. How would you cover this aspect for your business? Apart from standard above and below the line activity channel go to market would play a vital role in driving the product awareness. We are working closely with several big box and regional retailers around live demo, displays as well engaging the consumers via social media to drive footfall towards retails stores.
very complementary to their current offering. What will be the key attraction for the channel partners from Securifi? Securifi offering would help retailers increase their TAM by having the eco-systems approach of various sensors from Securifi as well third party devices approved under our platform, it would also help them drive the attach rate considering same router also works as smart hub with all the additional home security and home automation features. In my view Securifi is quite unique in a way where it offers ours channel partner a wider portfolio of accessories as well a great WiFi experience on same device Cloud based mobility products are on high demand side. What plans do you have for this category? Our 2nd generation routers launched in Dubai can already be controlled through our cloud and mobile apps. We're already ahead of anything similar in this space. We will
“Securifi offering addresses all these key points with its integrated Router + Home Automation approach as well the eco-system partners of certified accessories. This is one of the reason we are experiencing huge consumer interest.” How is the consumer buying behavior changing in the smart home segment? The adoption of smart home is growing, further simplification on technology, low barrier to entry as well the modular approach where as consumer can build smart home solution based on their individual needs. Securifi offering addresses all these key points with its integrated Router + Home Automation approach as well the eco-system partners of certified accessories. This is one of the reason we are experiencing huge consumer interest around our products .
continue to increase the scope of features that are accessible via our mobile apps moving forward.
What are the key verticals of focus for Securifi? The combination of Router and Smart Home approach with its eco-system of third party devices has opened doors for several new opportunities for us, some of the key focus channel for us are B&M Retail, System Integrators or Home Builder channel focused on Complete Home Automation and Home Security Solutions
While entering into the market at this juncture, what opportunities do you foresee? Similarly, please mention the challenges as well. The wireless router market is still growing and we see a huge opportunity for ourselves with our simplification by having screen on the router. Home Automation on router is exciting as it niche and growing. Entry into the home as router with DIY approach around Home automation brings great opportunity for us due to the ease of use and low barrier to entry. Home Automation is still in nascent stage in few region hence it would require the needed awareness to drive the technology adoption. We are working very closely with our channel partners in simplifying this as we do believe we have the best way to address this by our Router/ Home automation as one box solution
Do you have plans to target the non-conventional IT channels as well for your business expansion? On the top of traditional IT retail channels we are also targeting Home Builder channel , Home Audio Video installation channels where Securifi offerings would be
What expectations do you have from the next one year? We would like to achieve and establish ourselves as "The Router of Choice" for Home so that consumer not only to enjoy great WiFi experience but also build the security and smart home solution based on individual customer needs.
18 | October 2015
Microsoft Corporation unveiled new Surface, Lumia and Microsoft Band devices, taking advantage of powerful and versatile hardware to unlock new Windows 10 experiences, including fast and secured login with Windows Hello; new Cortana experiences that turn Windows 10 devices into a personal assistant; improved touch and pen experiences on Surface; and Continuum for phones, which enables the new Lumia 950 and 950 XL phones to work like PCs. Showcasing the innovation possible with Windows 10, Microsoft also shared new gaming experiences from Xbox and new details on Microsoft HoloLens, the first fully untethered holographic computer. Now running on 110 million devices around the world, Windows 10 is off to the fastest start in history — seeing upgrades at three times the rate of Windows 7 in the same time period. With more than 1.25 billion visits to the Windows Store, Microsoft announced all-new universal apps for Windows 10, including Box, Facebook, Instagram, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Flipagram, Uber, and others. These apps add to the existing Windows 10 experiences that will be available on the new Microsoft devices. “With Windows 10 and these new Microsoft devices, you are at the center of magical new experiences,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft. “We’re moving people from needing to choosing to loving Windows, and these devices promise to fuel even more enthusiasm and opportunity for the entire Windows ecosystem.”
Surface redefines the laptop Building on its track record of pioneering new categories, Microsoft is redefining the laptop with the new Surface Book — a powerful, high-performance laptop with stunning craftsmanship and incredibly accurate and responsive pen and touch support. Ultrathin, Surface Book combines the impressive power of 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processors with up to 12 hours of battery life4. The 13.5-inch optically bonded PixelSense Display delivers a high-contrast 267 dpi display with improved latency and parallax, making it not just beautiful to look at but natural and fluid to write on. The screen also detaches, so it can be used like a clipboard to sketch, take notes and benefit from Windows programs like Microsoft Edge. An optional discrete GPU allows Surface Book to harness the full power of hardwareaccelerated graphics for seamless video editing, fast rendering or immersive gaming.
Satya Nadella Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft
In Focus
News
Al Hosani
Delivering the Best: Al Hosani How is the market for Al Hosani evolving in the region? Our business is growing smoothly in all the past years and this happening by the support of our partners across the globe. We are committed towards providing best in class products and we are getting great response from the customers. What are the newer areas of focus for the company? Our main focus is Middle East market. In addition we are looking and open for any other good business opportunity in areas such Africa. How is the customer buying behavior is evolving? The customer is always looking for the best deals and chasing the best buying periods to achieve the best buying options. We understand this behavior of consumer and hence we would like to deliver products which comes with best quality along with best possible deals. What are the trends that you are observing? Online buying is happening around this segment. We are developing our online business as it is growing fast and invest in the marketing field as it is the key to a successful business.
In a conversation with VAR Magazine, Ryad Santouh, Managing Partner at Al Hosani Computer LLC. highlighted the key drivers and also shared some insights about the market.
“Customers want safety of their data from various kinds of threats. Online threats are increasingly growing, today’s customers are well aware of these evolving threats from the Internet, hence they are keen on safeguarding their exposure to the Internet.”
How is the security software business moving in the region? What are the customers’ buying parameters in today’s context? The security software business of course it is growing as we are moving fast towards a digital life where everything must be secure and out of reach of hackers or threats etc. Customers want safety of their data, they want protection from various kinds of threats. Online threats are increasingly growing, today’s customers are well aware from the evolving threats from the Internet, hence they are keen on safeguarding their exposure to the Internet.
How is the gaming industry doing in the region? What are the drivers of this segment? The gaming industry business is still good but part of it is shifting to on line business because of the smartphones and tablets revolution. What are your expectations from the Gitex Show this year? Gitex is always a good chance for us to meet our customers and to get new markets from all the EMEA region. Gitex is the biggest event in our region and it is the image of IT market in all the Middle East that is why we expect a lot during this period. What will be the biggest attraction for your organization in this year’s Gitex ? The biggest attraction in our organization this year in Gitex is the Kaspersky Go for Gold Coins promotion, we are expecting a good brand awareness and to achieve maximum sales for this top selling security software brand –Kaspersky.
Sigfox opens Dubai office to manage MEA rollout Sigfox, a dedicated provider of cellular connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT), has opened an office in Dubai to manage its network rollout in the region, building on its continued rapid growth in Europe and its network rollout in 10 major US metropolitan areas. The company's Middle East and Africa (MEA) region operations are being headed by mobiletelecom industry veteran Thierry Siminger, president of Sigfox Middle East and Africa, said a statement. He comes with more than 20 years of experience in MEA mobile, machine-to-machine (M2M) and
20 | October 2015
Plustek Inc. a leading manufacturer of document imaging and embedded video surveillance solutions announced the launch of its new eDoc N600, a private cloud dedicated server for SME and SOHO businesses. eDoc offers a safe and secure of network storage space where employees can share and quickly find crucial business information across the enterprise. Plustek has simplified the work flow with an innovative sync system in the eDoc N600, which allows users to back up files automatically to a designated folder on both PC and eDoc server from most digital devices (such as scanners, MFPs, and copy machines). Moreover, workers can synchronize files immediately or through the scheduling tool, increasing workload efficiencies which reduces the private network congestion. It's easy to sync, search and share documents with the eDoc N600 private cloud server.
Ryad Santouh Managing Partner, Al Hosani Computer
How the role of distributors is changing in the changing dynamics of the market? We think the distribution model will always remain the
best way to reach to maximum of consumers but of course it needs to be adapted according to the circumstances of the market and the diversion of the customers as we are in an amazing technology revolution period. Newer trends are coming in and the distributors must acknowledge these new trends.
Plustek Launches eDoc N600
information technologies (IT) markets, it said. Xavier Drilhon, deputy chief executive officer, said: “Sigfox has always planned to build a dedicated Internet of Things network that covers the world and provides ubiquitous and seamless connectivity to billions of objects that will use the IoT. “The Middle East and Africa region is a logical next step in that strategy, and our businessdevelopment work in those countries has built a strong foundation for our continued rapid global expansion.”
Lexmark opens KSA office in Riyadh Lexmark International, Inc. announced the opening of Lexmark Saudi Arabia LLC in Riyadh, further expanding its presence in this key region to support demand in the Middle East. The Riyadh office will focus providing Lexmark's world class customer service to existing customers, while concurrently reaching out to new companies and organizations to help them better manage their unstructured information challenges with Lexmark's award winning managed print services (MPS) offerings and unique software solutions. "Besides the growing demand of Managed Print and Document Services we recognize that unlocking the important content that is trapped in organisations' paper and electronic documents is one of the biggest business challenge of today," said Mathias Militzer, General Manager, Lexmark Middle East and Africa. The Saudi operations will be headed locally by Saeed Alajou, General Manager Saudi Arabia and will report to the General Manager of the Middle East and Africa, Mathias Militzer. The office will be situated in the city center of Riyadh and Lexmark is looking for Saudi nationals to fill crucial roles to help the growing demand for its products and services. "Saudi organizations are focused on implementing technologies and solutions that will assist them to become more efficient and remain competitive at a global scale. Our investment in this region is a testament to the growth in the market and we remain committed in making this vision a reality," added Militzer.
News
Dubai Smart Government and 36 Government entities to showcase their smart transformation at GITEX 2015
H.E. Ahmad Bin Humaidan DSG Director General Dubai Smart Government Department (DSG) is all set to participate in the 35th edition of GITEX Technology Week 2015 to be held at the Sheikh Saeed Hall in Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) between October 18 and 22. DSG announced that 36 government entities are participating this year at its 3,800 square metre stand and would showcase under one roof their latest government smart apps, services and solutions made throughout their journey towards smart government. Earlier this year, DSG began its preparations by inviting its government partners to participate under one roof. DSG's dedicated teams also held many meetings with the government entities to listen to and fulfil their special requirements to ensure that these all would familiarize the various sections of society with their apps and services. Recently, DSG held its last co-ordination meeting with its partners to put the finishing touches on a concerted effort that would reflect an honourable image of their integration and synergy. H.E. Ahmad Bin Humaidan, DSG Director General, said: “In this year’s edition of GITEX we are providing a fully equipped platform for the public and visiting delegations to be familiar with the practical steps taken by DSG and Dubai government entities for transformation into smart government. This is in implementation of DSG's Strategic Plan 2014-2017, which was carefully formulated after the
initiative of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and the directives of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, for the prompt shift to smart government.” Bin Humaidan added: “Our stand will provide a real opportunity for visitors from all sections of society to be familiar with the latest smart government service apps and solutions provided by Dubai Government to reflect the connected smart government that will contribute to positioning Dubai as a knowledge-based, integrated and creative smart city in the 21st century. These apps and solutions will be tested live on the stand to enable visitors to see how efficient and smooth they are.” Bin Humaidan explained that various areas have been allocated to enable the participating government entities to showcase their smart services and apps through a realistic model that would simulate smart services in a city seeking to be the smartest city in the world. Services and apps would be showcased live for most Dubai government entities including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Financial Market etc., so that users can test them and interact with the features. In line with the DSG strategy, the stand visitors will be given the opportunity to express their opinions about Dubai Government's showcased smart services and apps with the aim of directing the government entities later to design smart apps from the perspective of customers and as per their needs. Throughout the five-day event, DSG’s stand will feature an array of presentations and lectures highlighting many of its shared services and smartphone apps, whether by DSG or the entities participating in its stand. A number of bilateral agreements will be signed by the government entities and the beneficiaries with the aim of enhancing partnership and co-operation among them, seeking their full integration and providing more convenience and happiness to Dubai Government's customers. Meanwhile, the stand will witness daily raffle draws for the users of the e/smart services provided by DSG and other government entities, for the visitors of its stand or for those attending any presentations on the stand. A large number of smart devices will be offered as prizes for this purpose.
FONDI debuts at GITEX with innovative solutions Taiwan based leading consumer electronics brand FONDI and part of the International conglomerate FondiVersal, will makes its debuts at this year’s GITEX Technology Week to further expand its network and engage with more business partners Middle East Africa. The company will be displaying its latest innovations such as world’s smallest OnReal Cameras, smallest and the most compact Power Banks for notebooks, tablets and mobiles, Smart devices to automate home appliances and gadgets at home. Expressing its happiness Suchit Kumar, CEO at FondiVersal Technology, said “FONDI as a brand focuses on innovation in technology. Our high-quality, value for money, state of the art products sets new benchmarks and exceeds expectations.” “Middle East & Africa as a region is key to our growth and is also an integral part of our business strategy. With our debut at this year’s GITEX Technology Week, we are looking to expand our footprint in the region and foster relationship with channel partners from various countries in the region.” Kumar added. FONDI will be exhibiting in Hall 8 on E8-35C, as part of the TAITRA stand. To meet senior executives from FONDI during the GITEX Technology Week 2015, visit us at our stand in Hall 8. FondiVersal Technology is an international conglomerate with business interests in IT & Consumer Electronics. Our founding objectives are towards bringing innovative ideas redefining the digital age with its fast growing brand, FONDI.
Suchit Kumar CEO, FondiVersal Technology
Symantec introduced Secure One Partner Program Symantec Corp is rolling out an enhanced channel partner program designed to help security-focused partners grow their businesses. Symantec Secure One offers partners the ability to unlock higher earning potential through simplified competency and certification requirements, while including a more predictable, profitable Growth Accelerator Rebate. A new distributor program, designed to support and accelerate partner growth, will also be included under the Secure One umbrella. “With an increased focus on cybersecurity and a strengthened portfolio aimed squarely at solutions that address today’s most sophisticated attackers, we’re rolling out Symantec Secure One to enable our partners to
22 | October 2015
leverage our products and services to grow their businesses,” said John Thompson, global senior vice president of partner and channel sales, Symantec. “At its core, the enhanced program provides our partners with a clear path to take advantage of the innovation and growth we expect to drive as the world’s largest cybersecurity company.”
Secure One Highlights: • Higher earning potential – Our Growth Accelerator Rebate (GAR) sets one goal on net new business and pays out from the first transaction. Once a partner reaches the Platinum tier in any of the Integrate competencies (Threat
Protection, Information Protection or Cyber Security Services), partners participate in a predictable, profitable GAR across the entire security portfolio, including Core Security. • Get paid faster – Partners don’t have to wait until the end of the year, which translates into quicker cash flow. Plus, the earning opportunity in quarter is 50% higher than before. • Easier achievements – It’s easier than ever for partners to achieve Platinum status. We’ve streamlined specific requirements (technical validation, customer references, sales certification requirements), so that our partners can earn revenue faster and with fewer hurdles.
What’sNew QNAP TS-851 Series
AC5300 ULTRA WI-FI ROUTER
Overview
Overview
High Performance NAS with On-the-fly & offline Video Transcoding for SOHO and Home Users. The TS-851 provides a high performance & high capacity storage solution for SOHO & home, workgroup, and SMB users. Powered by the advanced QTS operating system, the TS-851 performs as an easy-to-use yet powerful NAS for data backup, file synchronization, remote access, and home entertainment.
Create a blazing fast home network that connects all of your computers and mobile devices to your broadband Internet connection. The newly introduced Smart Connect technology ensures that older wireless devices do not degrade the overall performance of the DIR-895L and allows wireless AC devices to have a total throughput of 5300 Mbps. The Advanced AC Smart Beam technology that is also in the DIR-895L brings you the future of high-bandwidth wireless connectivity, vastly increasing the speed and coverage of your network.
Key Features • Transcode Full HD videos on-the-fly or offline • Play 1080p videos with 7.1 channel surround sound pass-through via HDMI output • Create a personal cloud and stream your multimedia library via DLNA, AirPlay, and Plex • Centralize your file storage, sharing and backup • Run a virtual machine and extend the functionality of the NAS with an integrated virtualization solution • Expand the total raw storage capacity up to
Key Features • MU-MIMO with Concurrent Tri Band, Data Rate up to 5300Mbps • Smart Connect • Advanced AC SmartBeam • Gigabit LAN and WAN Ports • 8 external antennas • USB 3.0 + USB 2.0, mydlink SharePort App Support • Easy Setup, QRS Mobile App • mydlink Lite App Management anytime, anywhere • VPN Server Support
For more details, log on to www.qnap.com
For more details, log on to www.dlinkmea.com
AOC Presents New IPS displays with Asymmetric Stand Overview
Key Features
AOC extends range of its style line displays with two new models, which are a feast for the eye even when turned off: the nearly borderless designof the AOC I2481FXH (23.8” / 60.5 cm) and AOC I2781FH (27” / 68.6 cm) combined with a unique asymmetric metal stand make them stand out from the crowd. But they really come into their own when switched on: their IPS panels ensure highest-grade colour fidelity, sharp contrasts and stunning details for simply brilliant images.
• Premium stylish design with 23.8” (60.5 cm) AOC I2481 FXH and the 27” (68.6 cm) AOCI2781FH make a bold design statement with their asymmetric metal stands • To add to their good looks, these models feature ultra slim, nearly borderless frames. • Brilliant image quality with wide viewing angles, this product comes with the Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, users enjoy not just wide viewing angles of 178° but also brilliant images. For more details, log on to www.aoc-europe.com
Lenovo’s PHAB: Successful Fusion of Tablet & Phone
Logitech ConferenceCam Connect
Overview
Overview
Lenovo unveiled the latest evolution in mobile devices, the Lenovo PHAB Plus, a beautifully designed premium phablet, optimized for single-hand use in the Middle East. Targeted at today’s millennials, the Lenovo PHAB Plus promises to eliminate the dilemma of choosing between costly smartphones with big screens and underwhelming small tablets by offering a sweet-spot 6.8-inch device with best-in-class entertainment, speedy Internet, and all-day battery life.
Sleek, easy to carry and a snap to set up and use to expand the collaborative potential of the Anywhere Workplace. Logitech ConferenceCam is optimized for teams of 1-6, experience HD 1080p video, 360-degree sound, and wireless screen-mirror* projection in virtually any workspace—and watch productivity soar.
Key Features • Android or Windows 8.1 compatibility3 for screen mirrorinG
Key Features • As a smartphone, the PHAB Plus addresses consumers’ 24/7 connectivity needs with its Dual SIM and 4GLTW fast connectivity. • These features are all built upon an Android™v5.0 (Lollipop) operating system foundation, providing enhanced performance for seamless networking. • PHAB Plus has13 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras that ensure crisp images regard less of setting. The Panorama Selfie function and dual-LED flashhelp users take photos with more natural color and lifelike skin tones, perfect for sharing selfies. For more details, log on to www.lenovo.com
26 | October 2015
• HDMI connector for TV output • Full HD 1080p video calling ; 4X digital zoom in Full HD; ZEISS® lens certification • Dockable remote control for camera/speakerphone functions, 10-foot range. • 6-foot detachable USB cable for PC or Mac based videoconferencing • 12 foot diameter range (3.7 meters) • 360-degree sound • Certified for Skype for Business; Optimized for Lync; Cisco Jabber™ and WebEx® compatible to Windows & MAC
For more details, log on to www.logitech.com
Market Stats
Steep Rise in Data Forces SMEs to Rethink IT Storage Solution Options by Cost and Performance The Internet of Things (IoT) era, with its sharp increase in data volumes, has made it crucial for regional organizations to rethink their data storage solution selection processes or risk information mismanagement, says IT consultancy Condo Protego. According to a 2015 report released by the consultancy Deloitte, IoT developments in the Middle East are expected to grow at 50-60 percent per annum in associated IoT services, compared to the global growth rate of 40-50 percent, driving data center traffic into the hundreds of billions of gigabytes over the next three years. “Exponential regional data growth – across businesses of all sizes and industry verticals – is inevitable, but an effective ‘tiered-storage’ approach can help organizations make the most of this information, maximizing organizational performance while driving down costs,” says Savitha Bhaskar, COO of Condo Protego. “Even smaller regional businesses have started to identify new and varied data storage solutions to keep up with, and effectively manage, the vast amounts of data, and there is a wide range of solutions available in the market to suit different performance and cost ratio requirements. Thinking in terms of ‘tiered storage’ is not only for the very big organizations now.” Further adding to the data explosion in the region is the growing recognition by businesses of the importance of customer data analysis, the growing rate of cyber threats requiring space-consuming protection solutions, new software applications and operating systems, and the need for remote accessibility to large media files. In selecting an appropriate data storage solution, Condo Protego advises that the first step is to assess the actual
storage needs of a company by classifying data according to criticality, reviewing application data size, and determining required application performance and IO speed for data access. Business owners are then advised to seek professional guidance from a trusted data and storage consultant, who will assess the risks and benefits of the different data storage solutions available, and collectively make a decision on the solution that will best fit the business objectives. A wide range of data storage solutions is available in the market, ranging from the now standard SAN/NAS consolidated storage, to ‘high-performance computing’ capable all-flash storage, and the increasingly accessible and cost efficient cloud storage solutions. The best storage solutions are often a combination of the above solutions, either within a single system or across multiple systems tiered to suit different workloads. Skilled consultants can help classify customer workloads and identify the most effective form of data storage for an organization’s specific business needs. Accordingly, the most critical data, such as an organization’s ERP system which runs its core business processes, is given the highest priority and biggest storage budget allocations. Secondary data, such as archival or back-up data should be given
lower budget allocations, while unstructured ‘big data’ is more suited to run on a separate and even less expensive storage solution with scale-out capabilities to seamlessly accommodate data growth. “There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution,” says Bhaskar. “Each storage system comes with a unique set of benefits and risks, and there are many important factors to take into consideration before investing in any solution.” “By working with consultants to ensure that a business adopts the most effective solution, CIOs can help decision makers tap into critical business insights, transforming IT from what was traditionally perceived as a cost-center, into a valuable business enabler,” concludes Bhaskar.
October 2015 | 27