Peak 10 Acquires South Florida-based 1Vault Networks

Peak 10 Acquires South Florida-based 1Vault Networks

Moving into its third major Florida market, Peak 10 blankets businesses statewide with its award-winning services and support

CHARLOTTE, N.C. and FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Dec. 22, 2009) – Peak 10 Inc., a managed services company with world-class data centers, today announced its acquisition of 1Vault Networks, a South Florida-based business continuity and data services provider. As part of the acquisition, Peak 10 will immediately make significant investments for data center infrastructure enhancements, the managed services portfolio expansions and adding technical expertise to the team. Effective today, 1Vault will operate as Peak 10 South Florida. The acquisition of the 66,000 square foot facility expands Peak 10’s Florida footprint, allowing more organizations to receive expanded, geographically-redundant solutions such as virtualization, disaster recovery and private cloud infrastructure.

“We have built a relationship with 1Vault over the last several years and respect the operating philosophy established by its management team,” said David Jones, the president and CEO of Peak 10. “With many Peak 10 customers already in South Florida, we sensed an opportunity that was the right fit for both our company and 1Vault. We look forward to further enhancing and expanding 1Vault’s offerings to meet customer growth and market demand.”

This transaction exemplifies one aspect of Peak 10’s steady and consistent growth strategy of expansion through addition of new markets by acquisition, along with its core market expansions and greenfield market entries. Over the last three years, Peak 10 has expanded into the markets of Cincinnati, Ohio, Richmond, Va. and Atlanta. During the same time period, Peak 10 has invested millions of dollars into its current facilities and added additional enterprise-class raised floor space in its Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla.; and Louisville, Ky. markets., providing customers with access to the most current and state-of-the-art infrastructure and systems. “With the acquisition of this 22,000-square foot raised floor facility, we now own and operate 17 data centers in ten U.S. metropolitan markets,” added Jones.

“The acquisition of 1Vault by Peak 10 creates significant value for our employees and customers, including customers of Bocacom – a dedicated server brand owned by 1Vault,” said Jim Thomas, the former CEO of 1Vault who will now serve as the vice president and general manager of Peak 10 South Florida. “It provides us with additional resources and expertise as well as the enhancement and expansion of our disaster recovery business model through Peak 10’s geographic footprint. Customers are going to see immediate value and opportunities to grow their IT operations especially in the areas of managed services, business continuity and disaster preparedness with Peak 10’s 16 other data centers and private network.”

“There is an increasing demand among South Florida-based organizations for business continuity, disaster preparedness, and managed IT services, and we are excited about Peak 10’s growth options for our IT business community,” said Mike Schweiger, chief financial officer at Zimmerman Advertising and longtime 1Vault customer.

“Peak 10 has a highly-regarded reputation due to its continued investments in each of its markets and we are thrilled about what the company brings to South Florida,” added Randy Smith, the chairman and chief technology officer of Omnicomm Systems and longtime 1Vault customer.

Peak 10’s continued success in Florida is evident by its recent recognition as one of the Best Companies to Work For by Florida Trend magazine. In addition, Peak 10 has been nationally acknowledged as a finalist for a Stevie Award in the Sales and Customer Service category.

“We continue to bring our disciplined business model to new markets like South Florida, which enhances our footprint and service delivery capabilities in our existing markets,” said Jeff Spalding, the executive vice president of market operations at Peak 10. “As we continue to expand our scale, we focus on maintaining our core value proposition – strong local market presence and exceptional customer service.”

"This acquisition is great news for both 1Vault and Peak 10," said Bob Swindell, interim president and CEO of The Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward Economic Development Alliance. "Our organization has worked with Jim Thomas and his team for several years now and is excited about their growth and continuing commitment to Broward County."

Peak 10's managed IT and data center services improve performance, reliability, lower costs and maximize internal resources for customers while keeping their valuable information technology assets close to the business. The company combines its secure, private network and enterprise-class data centers with world-class engineering and support to serve market-leading companies nationwide. As a managed services leader, Peak 10 offers a wide range of technology services including virtualization, managed hosting, and cloud-based services in a cost-efficient and reliable platform for its customers. The company owns and operates data centers in ten key markets that include Cincinnati, Ohio; Atlanta, Ga.; Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; Tampa, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; Louisville, Ky.; and Richmond, Va.


About Peak 10 Inc.
Peak 10 is managed services company with world-class data centers. It delivers scalable, economical and reliable solutions for hosting and managing complex information technology infrastructure. The company’s expert team embraces the industry's evolving technologies by adopting and tailoring solutions such as virtualization and cloud-based services as part of its robust managed services offering. Its strong customer focus, financial stability, geographic diversity and technical strength attracts market-leading companies such as LendingTree, Global Knowledge, Pergo, Healthways, Churchill Downs and The Fresh Market. Peak 10 is SAS70 Type II compliant and helps companies meet the requirements of various regulatory compliance acts such as Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), HIPAA, PCI and Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLBA). For more information on data center solutions from Peak 10, visit www.peak10.com.


Media Contacts:
Amanda Brown
(252) 796-3160
amanda.brown@peak10.com

Dave Murray
(919) 412-4291
dave.murray@peak10.com

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

Michael Daszkal elected Chairman of the Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority

Michael Daszkal elected Chairman of the Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority

BOCA RATON, FL. - December 16, 2009 - The Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority has elected Michael Daszkal, CPA, Managing Partner, to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a two year period. In the role, Michael will lead the Authority Board which serves as the governmental and administrative body to support: new tenants, architectural design, and, relationships with FAU Research for the two parks. Previously, Michael served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer.

"I am excited to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority. This is a great organization that acts as a conduit for incubator and emerging companies in the technology industry."

Scott Ellington, CEO of the Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority said, "We are excited to have Michael serve as Chairman because in his first years as a board member he demonstrated strong leadership and support for FAU Research and the Incubator. In the past he has been very active as Finance and Audit Chair and we look forward to the fresh perspective and new ideas he will bring to our team."

About Florida Atlantic Research & Development Authority

The Florida Atlantic Research and Development Authority is responsible for the Research Parks associated with FAU. The purpose of the Authority and the Parks are to find, grow and support, through research, new and second stage growth companies, providing high wage, high tech jobs for our area. The R & D Authority hosts an 11,000 square ft. Technology Business Incubator in the Boca Park with 16 new start-up- high tech companies. The Authority also provides financial support directly to FAU Research Seed funding and the Adams School of entrepreneurial studies Business Plan Contest.

About Daszkal Bolton LLP

Daszkal Bolton LLP is ranked as one of the Top 25 accounting firms in South Florida by the South Florida Business Journal. The firm has over 100 professional and administrative staff and provides audit, tax and consulting services to middle market privately held and SEC registered companies. Daszkal Bolton LLP specializes in a variety of service areas including real estate, high tech, life science, light manufacturing/distribution, professional service firms, non profit organizations and benefit plan audits. For additional information visit www.daszkalbolton.com.


Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

This Is My Day Job!

As executive director of the South Florida Technology Alliance, I am always asked, "so what's your day job?" It makes me giggle because this really is my day job!

That's a good thing. I have no hidden agendas. My sole mission is to ensure the success of the SFTA and to continually concern myself with whether or not our sponsors and members feel the value of a collaborative relationship with our organization.

Next South Florida Technology Alliance Event

Thursday October 22, expert technology attorney Mark Grossman will be sharing free legal advice specific to the future of our industry. From cloud computing and SaaS, to managed services and software licensing, Mark will share insight on handling negotiations around intellectual property, licensing, warranties, limitation of liability, performance standards and more.

It should be a great event. If you are interested, please RSVP directly to event website at http://www.southfloridatech.org.

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

Citrix Drives Mainstream Adoption of Desktop Virtualization with XenDesktop 4

First and Only Product to Deliver Every Type of Virtual Desktop from a Single, Integrated Solution

SANTA CLARA, CA » 10/6/2009 » Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS), today announced Citrix® XenDesktop™ 4, a groundbreaking new product designed to make virtual desktops a mainstream reality for hundreds of millions of corporate employees for the first time ever. Unlike first-generation solutions that were applicable only to a narrow set of users, XenDesktop 4 with its new FlexCast™ delivery technology is the first product in the industry to support every major desktop virtualization model in a single, integrated solution – a breakthrough that enables improved ROI, simplified management and extends the benefits of virtualization to every employee in the enterprise. XenDesktop 4 further simplifies desktop computing by integrating all the capabilities of Citrix XenApp™, enabling customers to deliver on-demand applications to physical or virtual desktops as a seamless part of their overall desktop strategy. To ensure every user gets a high-definition experience at all times, XenDesktop 4 also includes significant enhancements to its industry-leading HDX™ technology. It also builds on the company’s 20-year partnership with Microsoft, simplifying the management of virtual desktops through Microsoft System Center, and adding multiple enhancements that further extend the value of Microsoft Windows and Windows Server platforms. In total, XenDesktop 4 adds more than 70 new features, significantly enhancing its performance, security and readiness for large, enterprise-wide deployments.

“2010 will be a watershed year for desktop virtualization, ushering in a new era that will revolutionize the way we work, live and play,” said Mark Templeton, president and CEO, Citrix Systems. “25 years ago, the personal computer turned the world upside down, radically improving individual productivity and communications. That world is about to change again. People today need to work in entirely new ways, powered by the connectivity of the internet, an explosion of new devices, and the limitless promise of the web. And they need to do it without being confined to ordinary desktops that are locked to an office, a device, or a network. Desktop virtualization has the power to make all this possible. That revolution begins here, today. And it starts with the new XenDesktop.” (see video message from Mark Templeton)

Making Desktop Computing Fast, Simple and Flexible
By delivering desktops as an on-demand service to any device, XenDesktop 4 dramatically simplifies the world of desktop computing. On-boarding new employees goes from days to minutes. New branches can be opened in a fraction of the time. And employee moves, adds and changes become quick and easy. Combining secure central management with full device independence also allows companies to implement cost-saving “BYOC” (bring-your-own-computer) programs that give employees the freedom to purchase any laptop of their choice in lieu of standard-issue PCs owned and managed by IT.

Benefits for end users are equally profound. With XenDesktop 4, users are no longer tethered to a specific device. They simply use whatever PC, Mac, thin client, laptop or netbook is most convenient, and get instant, secure access to their full Windows desktop and everything on it. XenDesktop’s HDX™ technology ensures a rich, high-definition experience every time they log in, no matter where they are or what kind of virtual desktop technology is being used on the back end.

Extending Desktop Virtualization to Every User with FlexCast™
The centerpiece of XenDesktop 4 is its FlexCast™ delivery technology, a powerful new capability that gives customers the flexibility to deliver any type of virtual desktop, to any user, on any device – and to change this mix at any time. XenDesktop 4 with FlexCast allows customers to use any combination of the following virtual desktop technologies, all orchestrated from one, centrally-managed solution:

•For task workers sharing a similar set of applications, the most secure, cost-effective approach is a shared, server-based virtual desktop. This model gives each user a standardized, locked-down desktop ideally suited for jobs where user customization is not needed or desired. By supporting up to 500 users on a single server, this model offers a significant cost savings over any other virtual desktop technology.


•For office workers who need more personalized desktops, the hosted VM-based model, commonly referred to as VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure), is often the best approach. By running each user’s desktop in a dedicated virtual machine, this option combines the benefits of central management with full user personalization, and can generally support about 60-70 desktops per server.


•For power users running high-end professional applications, blade PCs in the datacenter can also be an attractive option. This approach offers all the benefits of centralization, but ensures dedicated processing power for each user by hosting only one desktop per server.


•XenDesktop 4 also supports a range of innovative client-side options, including the ability to stream desktops to each user’s device to run locally, while still managing the OS, apps and data centrally. This approach offers an easy, low-cost way for customers to get started with desktop virtualization by leveraging existing PC resources and keeping datacenter overhead to a minimum. It can also be ideal for government and university labs that use diskless PCs for maximum data security.


•In some cases, the simplest option is to deliver virtual applications to a PC running a traditionally installed OS. By centralizing apps and delivering them as an on-demand service to existing desktops, this option offers many of the ROI and management benefits of a fully virtualized desktop with minimal setup costs, making it an ideal starting point for customers new to desktop virtualization. Because virtual apps can work offline as well, this option is also a popular choice for mobile users.
“Dell’s Flexible Computing vision aligns well with Citrix’s desktop virtualization strategy. Citrix XenDesktop 4, as part of Dell’s Flexible Computing offering, gives our customers the flexibility to pick the best type of virtual desktop solution for their needs,” said Michael Dell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dell. “Given the upcoming Windows 7 refresh cycle, we’re expecting many of our customers to begin assessing desktop virtualization as the industry moves to anytime, anywhere desktop access.”

“CSC has enjoyed a robust history of offering clients the quality and innovation Citrix continuously brings to market, said Mike Laphen, CSC Chairman, President and CEO. By expanding the reach of desktop virtualization to every employee in the enterprise, XenDesktop 4 with its new FlexCast™ delivery technology will help CSC further deploy virtualized desktop services to meet the rapidly growing market demand.”

On-Demand Apps by XenApp™
Much of the cost and complexity of desktop management is a direct result of the applications running on each user’s unique desktop. Integrating all the capabilities of Citrix’s market-leading XenApp technology into XenDesktop 4 instantly improves the ROI of desktop virtualization by making application delivery a seamless part of the overall desktop management experience. Now, IT can control data access, manage fewer desktop images, eliminate system conflicts, and reduce application regression testing. Adding, updating and removing apps is simple because users can leverage a self-service app store, enabling them to access applications instantly from anywhere.

Enhanced HDX™ User Experience
XenDesktop 4 also includes significant new features that improve power and capacity management, service monitoring, scalability, security and performance. Most important among these are enhancements to its high-definition HDX technology, ensuring that every user gets the best possible experience, regardless of which virtual desktop technology is at work on the back end. New HDX improvements in XenDesktop 4 include enhancements for multimedia content, real-time collaboration, USB peripherals and 3D graphics to assist in real-time collaboration among disperse design teams. In addition to improving user experience, these new HDX enhancements utilize up to 90 percent less bandwidth than alternative solutions (see separate press release issued today).

“In 2009, we saw many organizations doing pilots and departmental implementations of desktop virtualization and proving that the technology greatly simplifies desktop computing. Now, it’s time to see these pilots turned into enterprise-wide strategic initiatives. 2010 will be a critical year to demonstrate proof that desktop virtualization can become a mainstream strategic IT initiative,” said Matt Eastwood, group vice president, Enterprise Platform Research, IDC. “Key factors such as a PC refresh cycle with Windows 7 and the availability of improved technology, like XenDesktop 4, that enhances user experience and provides flexibility to deliver different types of virtual desktops will help drive desktop virtualization to the mainstream.”

Expanded Microsoft Partnership
XenDesktop 4 expands the company’s longtime partnership with Microsoft, helping customers drive an entirely new level of desktop efficiency by leveraging the latest enhancements in Microsoft platforms such as Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services and the Microsoft VDI Suites. XenDesktop 4 likewise builds on the latest performance and availability enhancements of Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V. Beginning with version 4, XenDesktop now ships with Hyper-V as well. The two companies are also working together to simplify the management of physical and virtual desktops and applications via the Microsoft System Center management platform, including plans to further integrate solutions like Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) into the Citrix XenDesktop experience (see “Citrix and Microsoft Expand Desktop Virtualization Partnership”). XenDesktop 4 also builds on the latest features of Microsoft Windows 7, making everyday tasks easier, and helping customers work the way they want. And with its new expanded functionality, XenDesktop 4 helps customers migrate to Windows 7 more quickly and seamlessly than ever before.

“Citrix XenDesktop 4 represents an important milestone for the industry and an ideal complement to Microsoft’s user-centric computing vision,” said Bob Muglia, president, Server and Tools Business, Microsoft Corp. “Microsoft is working closely with Citrix to ensure users have on-demand access to the information they need when they need it, regardless of what device they’re using – and to provide users with as seamless an experience as possible as they roam between devices.”

Open Architecture
XenDesktop 4 is the only product on the market to support every major server virtualization platform, including Citrix XenServer™, Microsoft Windows Server® Hyper-V™, and VMware ESX™. It is also the only desktop virtualization product in the industry to support VMware vSphere™. This unprecedented flexibility makes it easy for customers to choose whatever hypervisor best fits their unique business requirements with no limitations or proprietary lock-in.

Pricing and Availability
XenDesktop 4 will be generally available beginning on November 16, 2009 and will be licensed on a per user basis. This model allows each end user to use an unlimited number of connected or offline devices at no additional cost. XenDesktop 4 will be available in three editions with the following suggested list prices:

•Standard – $75 per user
•Enterprise – $225 per user
•Platinum – $350 per user
As a special, limited time offer, Citrix XenApp customers who are ready to step up from standalone app delivery to full desktop virtualization, will also have an opportunity to trade their existing XenApp licenses for new XenDesktop 4 licenses on a 2-for-1 basis (for program details see related announcement today).

Secrets, Lies and VDI – Dispelling the Myths
Citrix’s desktop and application virtualization solutions, including XenDesktop 4 and XenApp 5, will be featured in a global, online event on October 20, 2009. This virtual event titled, “Secrets, Lies and VDI: Dispel the Myths and Uncover the Truth about Desktop and Application Virtualization” will feature presentations, chat sessions and online demos from Citrix, as well as participation from key Citrix partners such as CSC, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Intel, NetApp, Microsoft and Wyse and over 25 sponsors and Citrix Ready™ partner exhibitors. Citrix will also be providing an exclusive preview of this event for all certified channel partners on October 13, 2009.

Supporting Resources
Follow Citrix XenDesktop on the web for the latest news and information at:

•Citrix XenDesktop 4 page
•Citrix XenDesktop Community
•Citrix on Facebook
•Citrix on Twitter: @XenDesktop and #XD4
•Ask the Architect: Dan Feller on desktop virtualization
•XenDesktop Training
About Citrix
Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS) is a leading provider of virtualization, networking and cloud computing solutions for more than 230,000 organizations worldwide. Its Citrix Delivery Center™, Citrix Cloud Center™ (C3) and Citrix Online product families radically simplify computing for millions of users, delivering desktops and applications as an on-demand service to any user, in any location on any device. Citrix customers include the world’s largest Internet companies, 99 percent of Fortune Global 500 enterprises, and hundreds of thousands of small businesses and prosumers worldwide. Citrix partners with over 10,000 companies worldwide in more than 100 countries. Founded in 1989, annual revenue in 2008 was $1.6 billion.

For Citrix Investors
This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks associated with revenue growth and recognition of revenue, products, their development and distribution, product demand and pipeline, economic and competitive factors, the Company’s key strategic relationships, acquisition and related integration risks as well as other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Citrix assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion and is subject to change without notice or consultation. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions or incorporated into any contract.

# # #

Citrix®, XenDesktop™, FlexCast™, XenApp™ and HDX™ are trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Partner Support for XenDesktop 4

AMD
“AMD commends Citrix on their continued commitment in the desktop virtualization market and their direction of making it widely available for large scale, mainstream use with the release of XenDesktop 4. AMD has designed its hardware to enhance the performance of a virtualized desktop solution and we look forward to working together with Citrix to give customers the flexibility to deploy whichever desktop virtualization solution is most appropriate for their varying types of users, whether they be task workers, knowledge workers or power users.”
—Margaret Lewis, Director, Commercial Solutions and Software

AppSense
“AppSense shares the desktop virtualization strategy with Citrix of reducing the complexity of desktop and application deployments by giving IT centralized management and flexibility in selecting the right virtualization technology for all their user types, while also ensuring a high-definition experience. AppSense Environment Manager is already fully integrated with XenDesktop 4 and is the only enterprise solution recommended by Citrix to ensure users always receive a consistent, predictable and personalized working experience at the lowest possible cost.”
—Pete Rawlinson, Vice President Worldwide Marketing

Fujitsu
“Citrix XenDesktop is one of the key enabling technologies for Fujitsu’s Virtual Workplace and Managed Virtual Workplace product and service offerings that form the main layers of the company’s Dynamic Infrastructures strategy. With Citrix XenDesktop included, customers can considerably speed up the deployment of desktops to end users. Fujitsu has also been a key Citrix XenApp partner for many years. Now with the release of XenDesktop 4, where Citrix has redefined the desktop virtualization market by giving customers choice and flexibility in picking the right technology for all their users and ensuring high definition experience with all types of desktops, we are even more empowered to offer a desktop virtualization solution that can be best tailored to meet our customer’s unique business requirements.”
—Rolf Kleinwaechter, Head of Managed Office / Infrastructure-as-a-Service at Fujitsu Technology Solutions

HP
“Businesses can now address their most pressing data center challenges related to rising power requirements, maintenance costs and IT complexity with virtualization solutions that span the desktop to the data center. Together with Citrix and now XenDesktop 4, HP offers the most comprehensive virtualization portfolio allowing organizations to accelerate their adoption of desktop virtualization while simplifying management and increasing operational efficiencies.”
—Jim Jackson, Vice President, Marketing and Solutions, Infrastructure Software and Blades, HP

IBM
“IBM has developed a unique set of tools and methods that enable customers to accelerate virtualization of the desktop, allowing for maximum return on investment and stronger end-user productivity and satisfaction. The IBM Smart Business Desktop Cloud provides ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to applications, information and resources — and available to clients as a project, managed, and subscription based private or public cloud service. Citrix XenDesktop with HDX technology is a key component of the IBM Smart Business Desktop Cloud Services for delivering a great end-user experience for our customers. Enhancements to HDX in XenDesktop 4 will enable IBM to offer a richer service level to users worldwide.”
—Jan Jackman, Vice President, Global End User Services, IBM

NetApp
“The new FlexCast delivery technology that is at the heart of XenDesktop 4 extends the capabilities of desktop virtualization to a broader set of users than ever before. NetApp storage systems are the ideal complement to XenDesktop 4 by providing the data protection, efficiency, and flexibility to simplify operations and to magnify cost reductions enabled by desktop virtualization.”
— Patrick Rogers, Vice President of Solutions and Alliances for NetApp

Wyse
“As businesses start to look at their Windows 7 migration path, they are evaluating client virtualization options across all their user types. XenDesktop 4 is a big change and will bring out a revolutionary change in desktop computing. The combination of Citrix XenDesktop 4 and HDX technology, and the extreme performance of Wyse thin clients and software, provides a stunning, real-life Windows 7 experience. Now customers are provided with an easy, low risk, low cost, best user experience solution, and we expect this to amplify the adoption of client virtualization into the mainstream market.”
—Ricardo Antuna, Senior Vice President, Product Management, Business Development and Alliances at Wyse

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

Oct. 22, 2009 SFTA Presents Mark Grossman

October 22, 2009

The South Florida Technology Alliance

Presents

The Art of the Tech Deal: What You Need to Know When Negotiating Tech and Telecom Services Contracts

featuring

Mark Grossman of Grossman Law Group

Sponsored by



Click here for more information

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

South Florida Technology Alliance Salutes Technology Partners at Upcoming Networking Event

South Florida Technology Alliance Salutes Technology Partners at Upcoming Networking Event
[ PR Newswire · 2009-06-11 ]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Florida Technology Alliance (SFTA), an organization promoting the growth, success and awareness of the South Florida technology community, will salute their strategic business partners at their June 25 event, which offers networking with the area's top technology professionals and special workshops.

"Our strategic partners, Internet Coast and South Florida CIO Council, IT Women, WITI, HDI South Florida, Broward Alliance and Gold Coast Venture Capital Association, have all been an important part of the industry and valuable alliances for SFTA. We are pleased to salute the work that they do," said Chris Burgio, president of the SFTA.

Two pre-event workshops will be offered by the event sponsor, Avaya, a global leader in enterprise communications systems. A breakout session for the larger enterprise will delve into communication technology issues on how to connect users across multi-location and multi-vendor networks, reduce costs through centralized communication controls and applications, as well as how to more quickly extend applications to users. For the small and medium enterprise, Avaya will discuss how to save money on infrastructure costs, increase worker productivity and deliver superior customer service.

"Avaya is very proud to support South Florida business via the SFTA. We look forward to showing off the latest advances in communication solutions at our world-class customer facility in Doral. This is a great opportunity for everyone to network, collaborate and learn from Avaya experts and fellow technology and business leaders of the community," said Wayne Cleary of Avaya.

Avaya business partner, Empire Technologies will be co-sponsoring the event.
In addition to the workshops and partner recognition, attendees can meet with other exhibitors at the event, take part in networking and tour Avaya's Miami facilities.

"Historically, this event is one of our biggest turnouts," said Burgio. "We are especially excited to bring the event to Miami this month. Avaya's facilities are truly impressive and the perfect place for the number of people we expect to be there forging new business relationships."

The event will be held Thursday, June 25 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Avaya, 8400 Doral Boulevard, Miami, Fla. (www.avaya.com).

The event is open to non-members as well as members of SFTA. Registration and more information can be found at www.SouthFloridaTech.org.

About the SFTA
South Florida Technology Alliance (SFTA) brings more than 11 years of leadership as the most effective technology organization in the region. Committed to the growth, success and awareness of the vibrant South Florida technology community, SFTA fosters an exciting network of companies, academia, capital resources, and government for the immediate and future success of technology-related interests in our region. (www.southfloridatech.org)

About Avaya
Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems. The company provides unified communications, contact centers, and related services directly and through its channel partners to leading businesses and organizations around the world. Enterprises of all sizes depend on Avaya for state-of-the-art communications that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.

About Empire Technologies, LLC.
Empire Technologies was founded in 1995 to offer organizations comprehensive and cost-effective communications technology. Empire provides Solutions from Avaya to help make the most of an organization's investment in vital communications infrastructure. Empire's implementation, service and maintenance capabilities provide superior end-to-end support. Empire employs a team of multi-certified technicians and engineers, experienced sales people and highly trained customer service representatives. For more information, visit www.getempire.com or call (888) 711-5200.

Contact
Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739

Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. Increases Business Continuity Coverage at 1Vault Networks

SFTA Member News


Published Tuesday, June 2, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Bell
954-970-3394
prseitz@bellsouth.net

Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co.Increases Business Continuity Coverage at 1Vault Networks

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL‹JUNE 2, 2009‹As a leader in the property and casualty insurance marketplace, South Florida-based Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. certainly understands the science of risk management and protecting the assets of its customers.
As part of its corporate business continuity/data protection plan, Universal has decided to expand the scope of its colocation/disaster recovery coverage with 1Vault Networks (www.1vault.net), a secure, Category 5, hurricane-rated colocation facility in Fort Lauderdale.

³We are expanding our business, and 1Vault Networks¹ secure and full-service data center compliments our expansion needs and meets our compliance requirements,² said Don Myers, Chief Information Officer for Universal Property & Casualty Insurance.

Recently Universal¹s internal IT staff and 1Vault coordinated a seamless operational systems upgrade to expand its server infrastructure and security. The company moved into a protective, customized 8¹ x 16¹ Data Center cage at 1Vault, significantly increasing its scalability options, supporting multiple platforms and providing more space and storage capacity for future business growth.

³We are pleased to provide Universal Property & Casualty a colocation solution that meets their business expansion needs,² said Kevin Bly, VP Business Development for 1Vault Networks. ³As a full service data center, 1Vault Networks focuses on providing business solutions that are customized to the customers¹ requirements. We worked closely with the Universal team to meet all of their expectations.²

A 1Vault Networks client since 2006, Universal protects its data from catastrophic events such as loss of power, network outage or natural disaster. The company¹s server infrastructure is located on the 22,000 square-foot, raised floor 1Vault Data Center that is monitored for ideal temperature and humidity levels throughout. The Data Center features 24/7 monitoring and protection systems that immediately alert personnel in the event of an alarm. Overall, the 66,000-square-foot 1Vault facility is a self-contained, self-sufficient stronghold with its own back-up power plant, diverse fiber optic network and on-site cooling plant to ensure non-stop business.

The world-class data center can withstand any disruption caused by natural disaster, system failure or human intervention. The company¹s comprehensive plan covers business continuity, disaster recovery suites and seats, high-speed IP connectivity, self-contained power, support services, and SAS 70 Type II, Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA audit compliance certifications.

About 1Vault Networks Offering colocation, disaster recovery and hosted IT services, 1Vault Networks combines over 50 years of experience in helping small, medium and large enterprises design, manage, maintain and monitor IT infrastructure and disaster recovery plans. For more information, please contact:

Kevin Bly
Vice President Business Development
954-736-2709
kbly@1Vault.net

About Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co.
Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company (UPCIC), headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Insurance Holding Company, a Florida corporation. Universal Insurance Holding Company is wholly owned by Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc.
UPCIC has aligned itself with some of the best and most respected service providers in the industry. This functional structure affords UPCIC the opportunity to take advantage of a unique combination of financial strength, underwriting skills, analytical expertise and administrative capability.
Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company has a distinguished and experienced group of individuals as its directors and officers. The individuals provide guidance and lend their expertise to ensure this insurance operation continues to be successful in the property and casualty insurance marketplace.

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

SFTA Member BISG to host 2nd Annual Open House

BISG proudly presents our Second Annual Open House Reception!

Today's current economic climate is such that time is at a premium and cash even more so. With that in mind, we have designed this year's event to focus on the technologies, services, and strategies designed to save you money, yet operate more efficiently and profitably.

The current list of presenting vendors and what they intend to display includes:

BISG - HostIT hosted infrastructure/cloud computing and ManageIT outsourced IT/support
Cisco Systems - Voice and Video communications, Infrastructure solutions
Concord Fax - IP/network based fax solutions
Hewlett Packard - Servers, storage, desktops, and printers
Host.net - Co-location Services, BISG's HostIT partner
MX Logic - Managed email and web based filtering
Pano Logic - Cost-effective virtual desktop devices
Sophos - Anti-X solutions for desktops and servers
Time Warner Telecom - MetroE and fiber based transport services
VMware - The industry's leading Virtualization Suite

(*note this list is subject to change)

Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served throughout the day.
DO NOT MISS OUT! REGISTER TODAY!!!

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

SFTA Member WHOLESALE CARRIER SERVICES IN SFBJ TOP 100 LIST

PRESS RELEASE

SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS JOURNAL'S LARGEST PRIVATELY OWNED COMPANIES
SHOW WHOLESALE CARRIER SERVICES IN THEIR TOP 100 LIST

CORAL SPRINGS, FL: Thursday, May 14th, 2009: Enabling businesses to take advantage of the latest and most comprehensive telecommunication network products and services, billed and delivered from one dedicated source has helped Wholesale Carrier Services (WCS) become one of the largest privately owned companies in South Florida.

South Florida Business Journal published its results showing the top revenue generating companies. WCS was the highest ranked telecommunication company listed, with only 16 companies in the list older than WCS (>15 yrs).

Founded in 1994, WCS serves the needs of enterprise-class corporate telecommunications users and resellers of telecom network services.

A delighted President and CEO, Chris Barton commented; "Today, businesses recognize more than ever that telecom and data expenses play a significant part in a company's continual success and future advancement. Our skilled and loyal staff ensure that we deliver tangible financial benefits to our client's bottom line while also making telecommunications less of a day-to-day burden. This has been my vision and WCS' continued growth as recognized by the South Florida Business Journal is testimony that our unique solutions are effective and successful."

WCS directly purchases services from over 90 network providers and offers a comprehensive line of network solutions consolidated under a single invoice and web-based expense manage me nt portal, billing to any companies telecommunication needs throughout the United States and in 26 countries.

Chris Barton added; “Performance recognition me ans as much to our clients as it does to us. In today’s economy, the sign of a successful and sustainable business is critical. With an average client retention rate exceeding 5 years, it’s clear that WCS is delivering to our custo me rs needs. We continuously identify and deliver the latest technological advances in telecommunications and the loyalty shown by our clients is as a result of our focus on custo me r service.”

WCS will be showcasing the very latest telecom technology here in South Florida at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. This 3 day event will be taking place September 23-25 at the Miami Beach Convention Center , South Beach, Florida .

End For more information about press relations, please contact: Sharon Phillips FMI Marketing, Inc. Tel: 954 575 4973 Email: Sharon@fmi-marketing.com

For more information about WCS, please contact:Chris Barton President & CEO Wholesale Carrier Services, Inc. Tel: 954 227 1700 Email: cbarton@wcs.com

URL: www.wcs.com

Note To Editor About WCS
Wholesale Carrier Services, Inc. (WCS) was established in 1994 to serve the needs of me dium-large enterprise, com me rcial telecommunications users and resellers of telecom network services. WCS provides services to enterprise clients via a distribution channel of value-added resellers (VAR). Via WCS, VAR’s directly purchase services from over 90 network providers and offer a comprehensive line of network solutions to service the needs of nearly any custo me r require me nt on a single consolidated invoice. WCS clients range from sophisticated Fortune 500 corporate custo me rs to carrier and resellers clients utilizing WCS’ platforms for private label and co-branded telecom solutions with their custo me r basis. (www.wcs.com)

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

South Florida Technology Alliance Presents, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Keeping the Wheels on When Things Get Rough

Press Release – For Immediate Release
Fort Lauderdale, Fla
May 19, 2009

South Florida Technology Alliance Presents, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery: Keeping the Wheels on When Things Get Rough

The South Florida Technology Alliance, an organization promoting the growth, success and awareness of the South Florida technology community, is hosting an event May 28 discussing business continuity and disaster recovery.

Hurricane season begins June 1, making disaster recovery and business continuity planning a top priority for many South Florida businesses. The SFTA is bringing together a panel of senior IT executives to share the practical realities of preparing for the worst.

Topics being discussed with include how to keep critical departments functioning, ensuring delivery of key systems, leveraging computer architecture, virtualization, cloud computing and software as a service (SaaS).

“We want people to understand the critical differences between recovery planning and keeping business running, as well as how to evaluate return on investment,” said Chris Burgio, president of the SFTA. “The panelists are true experts in their industries and bring valuable perspective for our members to get their readiness checklists in order.”

Panelists will include Ron Lynch, Assistant Vice President and Senior Property & Casualty Risk Engineer of Chubb, Johann Vaz, Senior I.T. Director of BioTest Pharmaceuticals, Patty Barney, CIO of Broward College, Wayne Clary, Director of Worldwide Technical Operations for Avaya, and Jason Herrera, South Florida Senior Storage Specialist for Dell.

The event will be held Thursday, May 28 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marriot North, 6650 North Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The event is sponsored by Host.net (www.host.net), drinks provided by Avaya (www.avaya.com) and Empire Technologies (www.getempire.com).

To register, visit www.southfloridatech.org.

About the SFTA
South Florida Technology Alliance (SFTA) brings more than 11 years of leadership as the most effective technology organization in the region. Committed to the growth, success and awareness of the vibrant South Florida technology community, SFTA fosters an exciting network of companies, academia, capital resources, and government for the immediate and future success of technology-related interests in our region. (www.southfloridatech.org)


Contact
Jackie Fernandez (jackie@southfloridatech.org)
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739

Upcoming Networking Event

I am very excited to find a new networking event in Miami. It is MobileMonday Miami. Their next event is Monday May 18th. Here is the link to their site:
http://momomiami.com/

Maybe I will meet you there!!

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

Host.net Acquires Ft. Lauderdale Data Center & Colocation Operations

May 04, 2009 10:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Host.net Acquires Ft. Lauderdale Data Center & Colocation Operations

Newly Acquired Facility Extends Host.net Colocation Footprint in South Florida

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Host.net, a leading provider of colocation, network transport and transit services, announced today it has acquired a 12,000 Sq. Ft. Data Center and its’ Colocation customers. This center was previously occupied by Hostway and Affinity Internet/ValueWeb.

Jeffrey Davis, Host.net’s Co-Founder & CEO, said “the move into Ft. Lauderdale reflects Host.net’s strategy of expanding in its existing markets to better service our customers needs. Our team has done a wonderful job of delivering a disciplined local service-driven business model, while deepening our footprint and service delivery capabilities. As a result, we have achieved significant scale without diminishing our core value proposition – strong local market presence and customer service.”

“We will be adding over 40Gbps of lit Internet and Transport connectivity as well as increasing the cooling and electrical capacity of this newly acquired facility,” stated Randy Epstein, Host.net’s Co-Founder & CIO. “The building boasts diverse conduit and fiber entrance facilities from such carriers as FiberLight, AT&T, Level(3), tw telecom & FPL FiberNet along with Host.net’s own metro fiber network.”

According to Host.net’s Chief Marketing Officer, Lenny Chesal, “Customers and partners have been asking Host.net to consider opening a Ft. Lauderdale facility to provide additional geographic diversity and business solutions, which is in line with the company’s long-term strategic plan. Our success in partnering with clients combined with a truly local service philosophy has enabled us to extend a customer-focused team and service mentality to the South Florida market.”

Chesal further added, “Host.net’s expansion has capitalized upon the growing trend in the business community to outsource IT infrastructure; increasing awareness of the need for business continuity and disaster recovery services; increasing demand for managed IT services; and meeting regulatory compliance demands. Host.net allows customers to cost-effectively manage and accelerate their growth, due to the importance of having a trusted and scalable partner.”

About Host.net
Founded in 1996, Host.net is a global communications and information services company, and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. The company operates a large diverse multinational fiber-optic based Internet, MPLS and layer 2 backbone, delivered to its customers utilizing a vast number of last-mile options. The company also operates over 30,000 square feet of enterprise-class colocation space in South Florida and provides other vital network services including Disaster Recovery office space, Managed VoIP, and Managed Network Security. To learn more about Host.net, please see the company’s web site www.host.net.

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

SLPowers is pleased to sponsor the 2009 Business Survival Expo

Deerfield/Boca Raton HiltonTuesday, May 26th, 2009

SFTA member, SLPowers is pleased to sponsor the 2009 Business Survival Expo.

More than ever, South Florida businesses are under attack from economic pressures, employee theft, foreign competition, the risk of data loss, hackers, malware, even the weather. The event, to be held on May 26th at the Deerfield / Boca Raton Hilton, is a South Florida first and will feature local and national speakers and presentations designed to help your business save money, increase security and improve efficiencies.

The event is sponsored by SLPowers and supported by our national, as well as local, vendor partners including WatchGuard, Cymphonix, Citrix Systems, Host.net, SECNAP, Brother, IBM, ISN Telecom and Anderson Telecom.

----------

Don't miss the 2009 Business Survival Expo - Tuesday, March 26th. Every organization needs to control spending, conserve cash and increase efficiency in this economic climate. You can't afford to miss this event.

Register Online
CLICK HERE for ONLINE REGISTRATION

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

Keeping Your Eye on Hurricane Season

I just received this newsletter from Lenny Chesal, CMO/VP of Strategic Sales of Host.net, SFTA Platinum Sponsor and also the event sponsor for our May event. Thanks to Steve Elliot of Elliot Consulting Service!


Elliot Consulting Services - Business Resiliency Tips

How Do I Build a Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery Plan?
Second Quarter 2009

· Ten Points to Consider when Building a BCP / DR Plan
· Useful BCP Links
· About Elliot Consulting

Enterprise risk management and the related business continuity plan require an investment of time, resources, and strategic thought. Unfortunately many of today's business leaders are focused solely on short-term profits, and therefore business continuity planning projects get pushed onto the back burner for another day. As a result, many companies have not considered the likelihood of various risk scenarios and the probable impact to their businesses. Even fewer organizations have taken the time to evaluate mitigation strategies to offset these risks and to develop appropriate plans to manage the business during a time of emergency. Sadly many companies wait until a disaster strikes, and then try to "wing it" as they attempt to recover critical business operations in the midst of complete chaos.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, a University of Texas study estimates that more than half of small and mid-size businesses that lose their data in a disaster will go out of business within two years after that disaster. Another survey conducted by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration found that 25 percent of companies experiencing an IT outage of two to six days went bankrupt almost immediately.

When Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma passed over South Florida in 2005, many companies lost 14 days of operations and revenue. While their data and servers remained secure and intact, these firms realized that they needed to implement a business continuity plan and upgrade the technology infrastructure to support it.

While the 2004 and 2005 record- breaking hurricane seasons became the impetus for many firms to begin considering a business continuity plan, it is important to note that natural disasters represent only a small fraction of potential threats to business survivability.
Businesses contend daily with the threat of data losses; human error or malfeasance; supply chain disruptions; systems failure; and viruses, worms or other malware. A comprehensive business continuity plan that can protect organizations from these threats is necessary to ensure that the business survives every day of the year, not only during hurricane season.

How Do We Get Started?

Ask 10 business owners what should be included in a Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery Plan and you're likely to get ten different answers. The process of building that first plan can seem intimidating without some guidance as to what should be included in the first effort.
The most important part of the documentation for a BCP / DR plan is step by step instructions on what to do and how to do it. All of the information needed to recover the critical business processes and associated databases and applications should be explained in such a way that anyone in the company could help perform the recovery.

In the best of circumstances, you will have your top IT professionals there to help with the technology recovery efforts. In the worst of circumstances you might have another department head or an outside firm trying to perform those same functions. Your documentation should be printed out and stored safely away from the computer room and the main building.

Other things that you should document in your plan include:

Internal contact information (including cell and home phone numbers) for everyone that could, would, or should be involved in the recovery effort.

Copies of contracts with all of your 1st, 2nd and 3rd level vendors.

Who pushes the button? Or in other words, who makes the decision to declare an emergency and activate the company's emergency management and disaster recovery efforts.

This is just a small list of recommendations. Please read this month's guest editorial from HS Daily Wire for more lessons learned on building a BCP / DR Plan.

Stay safe and be prepared!
Steve Elliot, CBRMPresident and CEOElliot Consulting ServicesTampa, FL813-792-8833Copyright 2009. Elliot Consulting Services, Inc.

Ten Points to Consider when Building a BCP / DR Plan
(HS Daily Wire, Vol. 3, no. 186, Wednesday, 17 October 2007)

Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, torrential rains, gale-force winds, and floods have only highlighting the importance for businesses to have a working disaster recovery plan. According to IT security company Symantec, the first few minutes following any catastrophic system failure are critical (they say the same about heart attacks or strokes), so executing the disaster recovery plan quickly is central to mitigating losses. M-net's Ken Lewis offers ten disaster recovery key points to consider when you next look at protecting one of the your most valuable business assets-your data.

1. Unrealistic expectations: Make sure people understand how long (two minutes, two hours, or two days) it will take for systems to come back after a disaster. Usually established within the Business Impact Analysis, the Recovery Time Objectives are the time requirements set by the business to recover critical systems.

2. Assuming a tool will fix everything: Do not make the mistake of assuming that you have a business continuity or disaster recovery plan because you bought a software tool. A backup and recovery tool is not a plan. Organizations need to create a customized Business Continuity Plan, which is more than simply filling in the blanks in a software tool and then saying that you have an effective IT Disaster Recovery Plan.

3. Understand the risks: Threats and risk exposures come in all shapes and sizes. It is important to weigh and categorize these exposures. Once they have been evaluated, a decision can be made to mitigate them. Additionally, the potential financial loss exposure should be determined to establish mitigation cost models.

4. "Project" mentality: Business continuity / disaster recovery plans are not projects- they are processes which are never finished and need to be continually reviewed, updated, and integrated into an enterprise risk management culture.

5. Inadequate testing: Plans are only as good as the last time they were tested and can fail when organizations simply test for success and not for the range of potential issues. After the inaugural test, introduce variables into the test methodology, for example, what if some recovery team members are unavailable to participate.

6. Lack of documentation: It is important for organizations to document the business continuity / disaster recovery plan, as well as the assumptions that went into defining it, so the plan can be changed as the organization evolves. Documentation should define all BCP / DR team roles (and alternates), responsibilities, and procedures.

7. Forgetting the people: Systems and applications are useless without people to use and manage them. Do not forget to build appropriate personnel resource considerations into your plan. Include manual process workarounds when applicable since some systems may not be operational for an extended period of time.

8. Education: Money invested on business continuity / disaster recovery education and training is well spent and should be included in the plans, the results of which can be measured during BCP / DR drills.

9. Downplaying security: Recovering from a disaster is critical, but not so critical that you can forget about security. BCP / DR and security are intimately related, as often security breaches beget the need to declare a disaster.

10. Doing business as usual: Do not assume that just because it has always been done that way, it is the right thing to do. Organizations need to make sure they question assumptions when establishing a recovery program. Lastly, it is important to have provisions to return to a normal state as soon as possible following the recovery efforts.

About HS Daily Wire
HS Daily Wire is an authoritative and concise daily report on underlying trends, innovative technologies, and emerging market directions in homeland security. It offers practical knowledge, actionable information, and insightful analysis -- and does so in accessible writing and organization.

Useful BCP Links
Florida Business Disaster Survival Kit
Dept of Homeland Security / FEMA
IBHS - DisasterSafety.org
Florida Division of Emergency Management
National Hurricane Center
Tampa Bay Hurricane Guide from TBO.com
FEMA Disaster Assistance

About Elliot Consulting

Elliot Consulting Services (ECS) is a full-service consulting firm providing organizations with the following services:

Business continuity planning
Emergency preparedness
Disaster recovery and restoration
A disaster can be the smallest setback that disrupts normal operations, such as a malfunctioning network controller card, or an unavoidable catastrophic event such as a regional weather disaster. These events can shut down daily operations in a matter of moments. But when companies plan for the continuity of their business operations during less-than-ideal circumstances and take adequate protective measures, they can survive even major disasters.
Being prepared for the unexpected is the key to the resiliency of one's business. It is not just about the process of recovering from a disaster - it is also about maintaining continuous daily operations and protecting critical business functions, systems, and procedures. A resilient business is prepared to help prevent or minimize loss or damage to life and property, quickly return employees to work, restore essential services, and resume business operations.

ECS provides Business Resiliency Planning, a process which helps companies protect their information, their people, their physical infrastructure, and their means of doing business before, during, and after a time of crisis. A solid Business Resiliency Plan starts with a thorough understanding of critical business functions and then explores the risks and vulnerabilities which could impact those procedures. The ultimate goal of this plan is to ensure the stability and continued success of the business.

ECS functions as a third party advocate and facilitator to help companies create, develop, and implement all-hazards business resiliency and crisis management plans, pandemic response strategies, and effective disaster recovery programs which are designed to protect vital business resources and operational processes.

ECS can also review, audit, and help modify existing disaster recovery and business continuity programs to ensure that the essential components of the organization will continue to function in the event of an unplanned disruptive incident.

The team from Elliot Consulting will assist with staff training and simulation exercises, and regular plan validations and updates to test the thoroughness of a company's preparedness model.

The ECS consultants are professionally-certified business continuity planners and business resiliency specialists with Fortune 200 experience. Our consultants are trained in the Incident Command System as developed by the National Incident Management System (NIMS); and a variety of technical recovery, restoration, and resiliency strategies. Elliot Consulting is a vendor-neutral organization and does not re-sell any services or products.

Click here for more information about Elliot Consulting Services.
Previous Newsletters from Elliot Consulting

· Previous Newsletters
Email: info@elliot-consulting.com
Phone: 813-792-8833
Website: http://www.elliot-consulting.com


Elliot Consulting Services, Inc. 7853 Gunn Highway Suite #326 Tampa FL 33626

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

xG Technology, Inc - South Florida Technology Alliance Member

News from South Florida Technology Alliance member, xG Technology, Inc

Agreement with Townes Tele-Communications, Inc.

xG Technology, Inc. (LSE-AIM: XGT, “xG” or the “Company”), which has developed an innovative, low-cost, mobile VoIP and data communications system, is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement with Townes Tele-Communications, Inc. (“Townes”), a prominent U.S. Independent Local Exchange Carrier (“ILEC”). Under the agreement, Townes has a limited exclusivity period within which to complete its due diligence into xG’s xMax technologies and product family (including field testing) and evaluate the business opportunity offered by the deployment of xMax across the US market.

The xMax family of products, which will include the BSN250 base station, TX60 handset, xMSC mobile switching center and MX20 USB Dongle, will allow carriers to deliver mobile Internet Protocol voice (VoIP) and data broadband services directly to consumers without using the incumbent circuit switched or coaxial cable networks, and without the prohibitive cost of buying spectrum licenses. Townes will also invite other ILECs to participate in a new intermediary entity (“NewCo”) to be established initially by Townes with the expectation that among the over one thousand ILECs existing across the United States the level of participation in NewCo will be such that a national network based exclusively upon xMax technologies will be deployed.

Following the satisfactory completion of due diligence and approval by xG of the number of participants in, and structure of, NewCo, Townes intends to enter into a definitive agreement to deploy xMax across the United States market. Townes is a widely diversified holding company having seven local exchange telephone operating companies in the U.S. and interests in cellular communications, banking, ranching and oil exploration and production.

Larry Townes, Chairman and CEO of Townes, commented:

”We are extremely excited about the prospect of a successful business relationship with xG and the ‘last mile’ solution utilizing mobile VOIP and mobile Broadband. xG’s technology promises to be the wireless solution needed by us and other ILECs in the U.S. and we are confident that we will present a formidable marketplace force with this innovative technology.”


Rick Mooers, Chairman and CEO of xG, commented:
“We are delighted to announce the signing of this agreement. As a leading Independent Local Exchange Carrier, Townes Tele-Communications, Inc. is well-placed to take advantage of our xMax technologies along with its other ILEC partners. The interest shown by Townes and the prospect of participation by other ILECs to deploy a national xMax network across the United States highlights how commercially attractive it can be to carriers to utilize xMax technologies, which offer the potential to significantly reduce the required capital investment and operating costs of wireless voice and data communications services.”

CONTACTS

xG Technology, Inc.
www.xgtechnology.com
Richard Mooers, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
+44 20 7429 6666
Roger Branton, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
+44 20 7429 6666
Jonas Krepp, Director of Investor Relations
+44 7827 444634


Conduit PR
+44 20 7429 6666
Charlie Geller or Jos Simson



Religãre, Hichens Harrison PLC
+44 20 7588 5171
Daniel Briggs



Daniel Stewart & Company PLC
+44 20 7776 6550
Simon Starr



ING Bank N.V., London Branch (Nominated Adviser)
+44 20 7767 1000
Xavier Moreels or Ali Awan



ABOUT XG TECHNOLOGY
Based in Florida, United States, xG Technology, Inc. has developed innovative, patented wireless communications technologies which offer the potential to significantly reduce the required capital investment and operating costs of wireless voice and data communications services. Its mobile VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) base station and handset product line - branded as xMax - is intended for use by regional carrier partners which seek to deliver mobile Internet Protocol voice and data services directly to consumers without using the incumbent circuit switched or coaxial cable networks. The xMax system provides an extended range of operation and is expected to provide superior handset battery performance and double the call capacity of mobile WiMAX networks. Planned future releases of the xMax product line include integrated video and data applications.

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

April 28th: CCG Int'l and PARIS Technologies Presents

CCG Int'l and PARIS Technologies Presents

Date: April 28, 2009
Time: 9:00 am



What would Leonardo da Vinci and Darwin say
in relation to today's economy??


"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment." -Charles Darwin
"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." -Leonardo Da Vinci
Do you have the tools you need to "Happen To Things"? (SPECIAL OFFER-we will provide a FREE* tool if you attend )

What: Surviving and Thriving in Today's Business Environment:


An exploration into the tools you need to adapt and succeed!

Including how to: Create thousands of Reports (Financials,
Sales, HR, etc.) using a single data-dynamic spreadsheet;
Analyze your data to understand the drivers of your business;
Plan and perform "what if" for future-directed success.


In sum, learn ways to Survive and Thrive!

When: April 28, 2009, Tuesday at 9am Sharp!
Where: Online...Click Here to Register Who: CCG Int'l and PARIS Technologies and You


The Synergy of SAP & "Excel-Friendly" Business Intelligence


"There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, those who do not see." - -Leonardo da Vinci


Register Now! And be one of those rare people that see!


(*and we will provide 1 free seat of tool that will help you succeed)


Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

Terremark Named as One of the Top Green-IT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Terremark Named as One of the Top Green-IT
Organizations by IDG’s Computerworld


MIAMI – April 20, 2009 — Terremark Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMRK), a leading
global provider of managed IT infrastructure services, today announced IDG’s
Computerworld, the “Voice of IT Management,” has selected it as one of the top Green-IT
Organizations for 2009. This honor is part of the IT media outlet’s annual Top Green-IT
Organizations feature, which was published in the April 20 issue of Computerworld and
online at Computerworld.com.


For the second year in a row, Computerworld set out to identify organizations that are
implementing smart, efficient strategies to achieve “green IT.” Computerworld then
applied a set of criteria, developed with the help of green-IT industry experts, to identify
the organizations that are working to reduce energy consumption in IT equipment and are
using technology to conserve energy and lower carbon emissions. Based on the weighting
scheme developed, the top 12 Green-IT Users and top 12 Green-IT Vendors lists were
chosen from the 94 participating organizations.


“Maximizing the energy efficiency across our data centers has the dual effect of reducing
our operational costs and limiting our overall impact on the environment,” said Manuel D.
Medina, Chairman and CEO of Terremark. “Our commitment to energy efficiency extends
across our company from the innovative products and services we provide government
and enterprise customers to the methods we use to cool our facilities.”


Terremark utilizes various energy-efficient methods across its global data center footprint
to reduce its power consumption, including hot-aisle/cold-aisle air segregation,
computational fluid dynamics modeling (CFD) and employing rotary uninterruptible power
supply systems (UPS). Along with implementing innovative power conservation strategies
in its world-class data centers, Terremark’s suite of industry-leading virtualized products
provides customers with reliable, enterprise-ready solutions for their IT infrastructure
needs while minimizing their environmental impact.


"Smart organizations know that there are energy and money savings beyond data center
walls, and even beyond the IT department. Green-IT efforts are found up and down the
supply chain, from the data center to the desktop, from the mainframe to the end user,”
said Scot Finnie, editor in chief, Computerworld. “The organizations recognized in our
second annual Top Green-IT issue have explored new ways to apply technology to reduce
energy consumption and carbon emissions in every part of their operations."


About Terremark Worldwide, Inc.
Terremark Worldwide (NASDAQ:TMRK) is a leading global provider of IT infrastructure services delivered on the
industry’s most robust and advanced technology platform. Leveraging data centers in the United States, Europe
and Latin America with access to massive and diverse network connectivity, Terremark delivers government and
enterprise customers a comprehensive suite of managed solutions including managed hosting, colocation,
disaster recovery, security and cloud computing services. Terremark’s Enterprise Cloud computing architecture
delivers the agility, scale and economic benefits of cloud computing to mission-critical enterprise and Web 2.0
applications and its DigitalOps® service platform combines end-to-end systems management workflow with a
comprehensive customer portal. More information about Terremark Worldwide can be found at
http://www.terremark.com.


About Computerworld
Computerworld’s award-winning Web site (Computerworld.com), weekly publication and focused conference series form the hub of the world’s largest global IT media network. In the past five years alone, Computerworld has won more than 100 awards including the Magazine of the Year Award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) in both 2004 and 2006, and the American Business Media’s Neal Award for Best Web Site, Best Blogs and Best Article or Series in 2008. Computerworld leads the industry with an online audience of over 2.5 million unique monthly visitors and a print audience of more than 1 million readers each week (IntelliQuest CIMS, Fall 2008). Computerworld also reaches over 10,000 IT
executives every year through its high-touch conferences and custom summits.


About International Data Group (IDG)
International Data Group (IDG) is the world's leading technology media, events and research company.
IDG’s online network includes more than 450 web sites spanning business technology, consumer technology, digital entertainment and video games worldwide. IDG also publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers. Media brands are in more than 90 countries and include CIO, CSO, Computerworld, GamePro,
InfoWorld/TechWorld/TecChannel, Macworld, Network World and PC World. The company’s lead-generation service, IDG Connect, matches technology companies with an audience of engaged, high-quality IT professionals, influencers, and decision makers.
IDG is a leading producer of more than 750 technology-related events including Macworld Conference & Expo, OpenSource World, E3, DEMO, Storage Networking World, and IDC Directions. IDC, a subsidiary of IDG, is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events. Over 1,000 IDC analysts in more than 100 countries provide global, regional and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends.
Additional information about IDG, a privately held company, is available at http://www.idg.com.
Note: All product and company names are trademarks of their respective organizations.
Statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Terremark's actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements due to a number of risks, ability to cross-sell across an acquired customer base, ability to increase revenue yields within facilities, ability to refinance existing debt, uncertainties and other factors, as discussed in Terremark's filings with the SEC. These factors include, without limitation, Terremark's ability to obtain funding for its business plans, uncertainty in the demand for Terremark's services or products and Terremark's ability to manage its growth, the successful integration of
operations of acquired companies. Terremark does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
# # #
CONTACT:
Media Relations
Terremark Worldwide, Inc.
Xavier Gonzalez
305-961-3134
xgonzalez@terremark.com
Investor Relations
Terremark Worldwide, Inc.
Hunter Blankenbaker
305-961-3109
hblankenbaker@terremark.com

Terremark is a member of the South Florida Technology Alliance.

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA

1Vault and Host Depot Inc

South Florida Technology Alliance member news:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Bell
954-970-3394
prseitz@bellsoulth.net


Host Depot Selects Category 5 Hurricane Rated 1Vault Networks to Safeguard Server Infrastructure


FORT LAUDERDALE, FL‹APRIL 17, 2009


‹Host Depot, Inc. (http://www.blogger.com/www.HostDepot.com) a leading hosted solutions firm located in Coral Springs, FL, has selected 1Vault Networks (http://www.blogger.com/www.1vault.net), a secure colocation facility, to safeguard its powerful server infrastructure.


³Host Depot had managed all of its server infrastructure in its own facility, but decided to switch to our secure location, which not only offered disaster security and redundant power, but also proved more cost effective in the areas of cooling, power and Internet services,² said Joe Leuci, Senior Vice President of Sales for 1Vault Networks.


Clients who colocate their servers at 1Vault are protected from catastrophic events such as loss of power, network outage or natural disaster. The 66,000-square-foot World Class Data Center is Category 5 hurricane-rated and also provides businesses and governmental agencies with hosted IT services and disaster recovery suites.


Host Depot has migrated their infrastructure to the 22,000 square-foot, raised floor 1Vault Data Center that is monitored for ideal temperature and humidity levels throughout. The Data Center features 24/7 monitoring and protection systems that immediately alert personnel in the event of an alarm. In addition to redundant power to ensure uninterrupted service to its customers, Host Depot also secured redundant and diverse 1Vault Networks Internet connectivity.


"With this move to 1Vault, we are setting the stage for the future of Host Depot. Not only will we have better capacity to grow our platform but we'll be able to do it more efficiently and with better reliability for the customer," said Mark Erskine, President and CEO of Host Depot.


The world class data center, located in Fort Lauderdale, can withstand any disruption caused by natural disaster, system failure or human intervention.


The company¹s comprehensive plan covers business continuity, disaster recovery suites and seats, high-speed IP connectivity, self-contained power, support services, and SAS 70 Type II certification, Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA audit compliance certifications.


About 1Vault Networks
Offering colocation, disaster recovery and hosted IT services, 1Vault Networks combines over 50 years of experience in helping small, medium and large enterprises design, manage, maintain and monitor IT infrastructure and disaster recovery plans.


For more information, please contact:
Kevin Bly
Vice President Business Development
954-736-2709
kbly@1Vault.net


About Host Depot, Inc.
Host Depot, Inc. was founded in September of 1997 as a technology company with a focus on hosting solutions for small, medium and large businesses.
Since their inception, they have grown to provide a breadth of services including backup solutions, domain name services, e-commerce solutions, complete hosting solutions, Internet access, web site development and promotional services. Their goal, to this day, is to provide a convenient, high-performance and reliable hosted experience. They have assembled a solid foundation of state-of-the-art servers, high-performance networks, and experienced professionals to ensure that Host Depot, Inc. remains the vendor of choice. Further information about Host Depot may be obtained visiting the company's web site at http://www.hostdepot.com/ <http://www.hostdepot.com/> .


Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA
Facebook

An Entrepreneur's Battle

April 8, 2009


By Brian Javeline


This is an exciting time to be an entrepreneur. Why? Because everyone across the board is in the same boat. Everyone has been pushed back to the wall and is facing the same crisis. So this is where a true entrepreneur can shine and stand above the rest.


Being an entrepreneur is always hard, in good times or bad. Entrepreneurs should never lose sight of this fact – almost no one is on your side on the way up or down, and the few who are on your side should be embraced (including investors, customers, employees and even vendors).


Friends and family are not included for the sole reason that they should always be on your side – face these facts and do not get too excited when your neighbor says he likes your idea.


I have been a partner and co-founder in four technology firms and have always had to fight the majority of the pessimists to find the minority of a few optimists.


Here is a quick resume so you can understand where I am coming from.


Out of college I help build an apparel software company that eventually had hundreds of customers such as Hanes and bebe located in many countries.


Pessimists originally would say things like: You are too inexperienced to start a company; you don’t have what it takes to sell to a huge corporation; you do not know how to manage cash flow; you do not know how to hire and retain; and you do not know how to service a lot of customers.


I treated all these comments as just obstacles to overcome. I then went on to win an IBM Long Term Success Story.


Bottom line, I was successful at this venture and made good money while learning how to mature as a business person.


In the late 90s I went on to create a rapid development tool for Java called webTML. Unfortunately a product called ColdFusion beat us to market, and it was a hell of a great product at that. I thought I could still compete but my competitor raised a ton of cash about a year before me. Then the dot-com arena crashed. It was a real tough thing to swallow losing a few years and possibly a half million dollars at such a young age.


Bottom line: I failed at this venture. Then miraculously I had an opportunity to participate in a consulting job during JP Morgan’s merger with Chase. It was a project in the private banking sector that required speed with no concern about proprietary technologies, so we used webTML.


The project turned out to be hugely successful and that led to the creation of another company called InvestmentCafe.com. The vast majority of people told me that I was entering a complex world of private equity with some major players I would have to go up against.


A few short years later, InvestmentCafe had thousands upon thousands of users with marquee firms such as The Carlyle Group using the platform. This was a successful venture and continues to be one even though I sold my interest to pursue another opportunity. Come to think of it, perhaps webTML wasn’t a failed venture. It was just the means to another end.


I forgot to mention, all of the above was done with my own sweat and financial equity and there was no outside help.


I got the bug to do something different and wanted to go faster. The way to do that is raising money from sophisticated angels and VCs. I was warned about the differences of building a company versus raising money. Boy, were all these warnings understated. Raising money is a full-time job but then so is building a company. Where would I find the time to do both? I looked in the mirror and said, “I am an entrepreneur and this is just another obstacle to overcome”.


I am based in South Florida, and while it is a nice place to live, it is a very challenging place to raise capital. Everyone told me that angels need to be in driving distance. I practiced and practiced on how to position my company for raising capital and was able to find my first angels in Minnesota and New Jersey.


We grew the model to the next milestones and were then able to raise more capital from California and Britain. I then finalized the product development and was able to raise another round of financing from Canada. Sure I wanted to raise money locally, but it wasn’t happening. The odds were definitely stacked against me to raise money in these different locations as a start up. I bet they would say the odds for winning the lottery would have been better.


Without giving away the store, these investors all exceed the average investment dollars that are projected as an industry average. I did what I had to as an entrepreneur to make this happen. I think I could fill up dozens of pages to summarize the painful process.


Anyway, the result was the creation of http://www.myonlinetoolbox.com/, a platform for contractors in home repair and remodeling that launched in mid 2008. We won a Dell Top Ten Innovator Award just months after product launch.


I was successful in the 3- year plan for raising money and hitting the milestones with that money. The 2006 plan was to then raise more money towards the end of 2008 to rapidly scale the model.


Who would have thought about the financial meltdown that we would face? So where do I stand today?


I have a working product that is growing on its own via its collaboration features and co-marketing partners. Our customers are talking up a positive storm about us. The forums are buzzing with how we are providing a disruptive innovation to the market.


This all sounds great except that I am not profitable yet and require another round of financing to dominate the planet (in my optimistic opinion). So what am I going to do?


I literally have one problem and it’s just a little cash. I am an entrepreneur with some really smart investors and customers and vendors who all want me to succeed. I have leveraged this to work out a plan to bootstrap the operations until the economy or next investor comes around.


All I do is simply position for the huge opportunity for me that is just around the corner, and darn it, I am not going to let a little cash stand in the way of our success.


Bottom line: I have prepared myself to weather the storm and treat each day as an opportunity to position myself better for that next investor to be knocking on my door – which will happen – it is just a matter of when.


The road to success as an entrepreneur is lonely, frustrating, tiring and sometimes scary but is also a heck of a lot of fun and hugely rewarding. Every day you need to be open minded about learning how to build, market, sell, finance, support and even let your idea go (preferably as an exit strategy for the investors). You need to accept the fact that many things are beyond your control. You take the cards dealt and then make decisions, try new things, learn from your mistakes and continue on.


In my mind this is the best time to be an entrepreneur since a new financial card has been dealt to everyone.


I was wrong when titling this article “An Entrepreneur’s Battle” since it’s not a battle at all. It’s a way of life.


Brian Javeline is CEO and co-founder of ServusXchange, LLC, creator of http://www.myonlinetoolbox.com/, a platform that targets contractors in the $300 billion home repair and remodeling market.


Have a personal story to tell about being an entrepreneur? Contact TJS editor Allan Maurer at: allan@techjournalsouth.com

Jackie Fernandez
Executive Director
South Florida Technology Alliance
954.239.9739
P.O. Box 831046
Miami, Florida 33183-1046
http://www.southfloridatech.org/
http://jackiesfta.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/JackieatSFTA
Facebook