Key points of ATM technology

ATM is based on a set of technological innovations that allow it meets the requirements demanded.
Standardization
Although its origins date back to the 60, is from 1988 when the CCITT ratifies ATM as the technology for the development of broadband networks (B-ISDN), appearing the first standards in 1990.
From then until now ATM has been subjected to a rigorous process of standardization, not only for simple interoperability at the physical level (SONET and SDH speeds ...) but to ensure multifabricantes networking service level, issues such as standardizing Signaling (UNI, NNI), congestion control, LAN integration, and so on.
This feature ensures multivendor networking, guaranteeing investment and allow a strong market development, thereby reducing costs.
Cell based multiplexing
To be able to properly manage the bandwidth on a link, it is necessary that the different sources that submit their data used in minimum units of information.
For ATM was decided a minimum unit of 53 bytes fixed size. The use of a fixed size can develop very specialized hardware modules that switch these cells at the speeds required in broadband (and future). The length of the unit should be small so quickly can be multiplexed on the same link cells from different sources and to guarantee service quality for sensitive traffic (voice, video, ...)
Connection-oriented
ATM out that a connection-oriented technology allowing, among other things, to achieve a minimum information unit of small size. As mentioned earlier, growth forecasts for ATM required the use of a numbering system terminals 20 bytes. Technologies do not require connection-oriented that each unit of information contains the addresses within both origin and destination. Obviously, they could not devote 40 bytes of the cell for that purpose (for header overhead would be unacceptable).
Addressing the only data that is included in the cell is the virtual channel identification means, only, five byte header (48 bytes for transmitting useful information).
Quality of Service (QoS)
Defines four basic categories of traffic: CBR (Constant Bit Rate), VBR (Variable Bit Rate), UBR (Undefined Bit Rate) and AVR (Available Bit Rate)
At the time of creation, the DTE characterizes the traffic to be sent through the circuit using four parameters (PCR, SCR, and MBS CDVT) within one of these four categories. The network propagates the request to its destination and internally valid if the requirements will be required to comply. If so, the network accepts the circuit and from that time, ensures that traffic be treated according to the terms negotiated in the establishment.
The ATM switches run an algorithm called dual leaky buckets guarantees, cell by cell, which is offering the required quality of service. Is it permissible for the DTE to send data over a circuit of the negotiated rate. In that case the ATM switch can proceed to discard the cells concerned in the case of saturation at any point in the network.
Intelligent Network
ATM transport network is an intelligent network where each node that composes a separate item. As mentioned above, the switches forming the ATM network individually discover the network topology of your environment through a dialog protocol between nodes.
This type of approach, novel in broadband networks, open the door to a new world of functionality (different speed links, flexible topology, traffic balancing, scalability, ...) and is without a doubt, the cornerstone ATM technology.

Oracle Misfires in Fiscal 2Q, Raising Tech Worries
Oracle Misfires in Fiscal 2Q, Raising Tech Worries

Oracle stumbled in its latest quarter as the business software  maker struggled to close deals, a signal of possible trouble ahead for the technology sector.
The performance announced Tuesday covered a period of economic turbulence which has raised concerns that major companies and government agencies may curtail technology spending.

Oracle's results for the three months ending in November suggested the cutbacks have already started. Management reinforced that perception with a forecast calling for meager growth in the current quarter, which ends in February. The developments alarmed investors, causing Oracle Corp. shares to slide 10 percent.

In a telling sign of weakening demand, Oracle's sales of new software licenses edged up just 2 percent from the same time last year. Analysts had expected a double-digit gain in new software licenses. The company had predicted an increase of at least 6 percent and as much as 16 percent.

Wall Street focuses on this part of the business because selling new software products generates a stream of future revenue from maintenance and upgrades.

Oracle's software is a staple in companies and government agencies throughout the world. Its database products help companies store and manage information . Its line of applications automates a wide range of administrative tasks.

Part of the problem was that technology decision makers delayed signing contracts during the final few days of the quarter, according to Safra Catz, Oracle's chief financial officer. That could be an indication that companies and financially strapped government agencies are treading more carefully as Europe's debt problems threaten to hobble a still-fragile global economy.

"Clearly, this quarter was not what we thought it would be," Catz told analysts during a Tuesday conference call. She said the company is hoping some of the deals that were postponed in the last quarter will be completed within the next two months.

Oracle's weakest markets were in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

Things looked even bleaker in Oracle's computer  hardware division, which the company has been trying to build since buying fallen Silicon Valley star Sun Microsystems for $7.4 billion last year. Oracle's hardware revenue dropped 10 percent from the same time last year

Oracle earned $2.2 billion, or 43 cents per share, in its fiscal second quarter. That was a 17 percent increase from net income of $1.9 billion, or 37 cents per share at the same time last year.

If not for certain items, Oracle said it would have earned 54 cents per share. That figure fell below the average estimate of 57 cents per share among analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue for the period edged up 2 percent from last year to $8.8 billion. Analysts, on average, had projected revenue of $9.2 billion.

In the current quarter, Oracle expects its adjusted earnings per share to range from 55 cents to 58 cents -- below the average analyst estimate of 59 cents per share. Revenue is expected to rise by 2 percent to 5 percent from the same time in the previous year. If Oracle hits that top end of that target, it would translate to revenue of about $9.2 billion -- below the analyst estimate of $9.4 billion, according to FactSet.

Oracle has expanded its sales force by about 1,700 people to fish for more customers during the second half of its fiscal year. About 111,000 employees worked at Oracle as of Nov. 30.

The company's shares shed $2.91 to hit $26.26 in extended trading after the second-quarter figures were released. The stock has been sagging since hitting $36.50 in May.

In an effort to bolster the stock, Oracle announced it will spend an additional $5 billion to buy back its shares. The company, which is based in Redwood Shores, Calif., didn't set a timetable to complete the stock purchases. Oracle spent about $1 billion buying 33 million shares in its most recent quarter.

Training Dynamics CRM 4.0 immersion courses
Training Dynamics CRM 4.0 immersion courses

Training is one of the foundations of CRM adoption – if people don’t know how to use a system, and if it’s not clear how a system will benefit them, they won’t use it. The same goes for the partners who implement CRM systems.

So how do you take someone with an IT background and bring them up to speed with CRM in a hurry? One solution might be an immersive course – stick them in a CRM boot camp and drill them until they know a CRM solution backward and forward.

“Actually, I hate the term ‘boot camp,’” says David Minutella, vice president of education for Training Camp, a developer of IT training programs that’s rolling out just such an accelerated set of courses dealing with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. “We call it accelerated training – we get you in there, house you, and then have you in a classroom for 10 hours a day so you can focus what you need to learn.”

Having attended a boot camp, I can assure you that a program like this would suffer little from an absence of tear gassing, draconian haircutting policies and random yelling, although occasional forced push-ups might help focus attention, but that’s neither here nor there. The program takes students from their home organizations and houses and feeds the students, who have access to lab facilities – and instructors – 24 hours a day. Minutella says the outcome-based learning of this program is based around a lecture-lab-review format, or as he puts it simply: “we teach it, teach it again, then teach it one more time.”

The two courses, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Applications and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Installations and Deployment, aim to instill in-depth knowledge of the configuration, management and customization of the application, as well as instruction on new features, installation and networking with Windows Vista. The take away for the companies sending the pupils to the accelerated training is an in-house expert on Dynamics CRM 4.0 who’s ready to work on the solution upon arriving home after just a few days away away (Applications is 10 days and Installations and Deployment is seven days, but the training doesn’t have to be bak-to-back); for students, completing the course and exams means they’ll get the Microsoft Certified Business Management Solutions Specialist and Professional Application certifications.

The program launched last month, and Minutella said “there’s already been quite a bit of interest.” Training Camp also wants to launch a third track dealing with customizations to Dynamics CRM 4.0.

Results Software Unveils CRM Business Suite 2012
Results Software Unveils CRM Business Suite 2012

Results Software, developers of the award winning Results solution, today announced rollout of the 2012 Results CRM  Business Suite product. Product rollout includes the Small Business and Enterprise Editions of the Results CRM Business Suite desktop  & hosted versions, Results for the Web, and the Results Time Management Portal. Powerful new features, such as enhanced QuickBooks and SmartVault® integration  and an updated and highly intuitive user interface, enrich the user experience and make Results the go-to CRM and business management solution for improving operational efficiency and accelerating business growth while supporting working from anywhere at anytime.
"Our focus continues to be on helping users streamline workflow and improve their bottom line. As such, we consistently listen to client feedback and implement suggestions into the Results products that help businesses better manage  operations," said Sam Saab, President and Founder of Results Software. "We also continue to expand and enhance integration between Results CRM and other industry-standard applications and platforms such as QuickBooks, Outlook®, Constant Contact®, SmartVault, and SharePoint®, creating a single data  hub for the whole organization to work from. Centralized data visibility across the organization offers empowerment and the convenience that we want to provide to our users."

Results CRM Business Suite 2012 includes the following enhancements:



Addition of a full Purchase Order Data Entry module along with support for bi-directional synchronization of Purchase Orders with QuickBooks.

Expanded project/job integration with QuickBooks to automatically capture job costs for labor, material, and other expenses.

Ability to instantly convert quote/estimate line items to assignable activities and tasks for professional services organizations.

Expanded SmartVault integration, including support for SmartVault Notes and placing SmartVault Docs and Notes buttons on every data entry screen.

Expanded support for QuickBooks price levels in Results, including ability to directly assign a contact to the appropriate price level.

Ability to instantly view complete order history for any product being added to a Quote, Sales Order, Invoice, or Purchase Order.

Results for the Web (R4W) 2012 and the Results Time Management Portal enhancements include:



New, highly intuitive user interface.

Streamlined menus with familiar, easy-to-use Microsoft  2010 "ribbon" view.

Redesigned Data Management Centers (DMCs) to include column filtering and grouping.

Compatibility with all standard browsers-Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome.

Full support for the iPad  and all other tablets.

Dreamforce 2011 Focuses on Post-PC Revolution

Dreamforce 2011 Focuses on Post-PC Revolution

Salesforce.com is getting ready for Dreamforce 2011, its hallmark cloud -computing event. This year's conference is planned for Aug. 30 through Sept. 2 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, and will focus on something that's been in the news plenty in recent days: The post-PC  revolution.
As Salesforce sees it, the post-PC revolution will further accelerate the social  enterprise . There is clearly a rise in companies working to improve the way they collaborate, communicate and share information with customers and employees in the cloud. That rise, Salesforce said, is transforming companies into social enterprises, which it defined as those that build social profiles of customers, create internal social networks, and listen to and engage with customers over the Internet.

Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce, offered a bold statement with which his competitors likely disagree. "Each year at Dreamforce, we set the agenda for the cloud-computing industry, and this year will be no exception," he said. "At Dreamforce 2011, we will showcase customers that have embraced innovation and transformed themselves into social enterprises."

Cloud Battles

The gestalt the technology market is wandering through is moving to an ever more web-centric world, a world that surrounds companies like Salesforce -- and favors them, according to Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

"Salesforce is not really known as a social-networking company by any stretch of the imagination," Enderle said. "Both Salesforce and IBM are having a little trouble grappling with it as a result. On the other hand, it's not like the social networks are flooding into the businesses overtly, it's more covertly and carried by the employees."

As Enderle sees it, Salesforce's take on the market is correct. But He questioned whether the company can position itself to leverage the evolution. While Salesforce was initially one of the biggest enterprise cloud players, he noted, cloud leadership has shifted to the likes of EMC and IBM.

Tapping Relevant Trends

"To a large extent I think Salesforce needs to return to being more relevant in the trends that they themselves helped create," Enderle said. "Salesforce is doing a marginal job riding these trends. The right thing to do is to get back and start talking about yourself as a leader. But the danger is that they aren't anymore, and they need to address that."

Salesforce will work to trumpet its cloud leadership at Dreamforce with sessions on government, healthcare and the social world. Special guests at the annual user and developer conference include Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google. The event aims to teach attendees how their companies can take advantage of Salesforce's cloud offerings. The company expects more than 25,000 people to attend the 450 sessions.