Category: Business News & Insight

Kodak alaris

Kodak Alaris to Host Webinar ‘COVID 19: Impact, Trends, and The Way Forward’

Posted on | by root

Kodak Alaris has announced that it will host a series of dynamic webinars from August through to October 2020 for organizations in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Russia (METAR) region.

The first of the five free webinars, entitled ‘Covid 19: Impact, Trends, and The Way Forward’ will take place on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 3:00pm Gulf Standard Time (GST). Experts from the company will discuss the effects of the pandemic in the business sector and educate regional organizations on how to leverage everything from Work from Home (WFH) technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to Cloud Computing in order to drive business continuity in these uncertain times.

Speaking about the webinars, Naji Kazak, General Manager, METAR at Kodak Alaris says, “2020 has highlighted the importance of business continuity and resilience. Now more than ever, it’s vital for businesses to focus on digital transformation. Imagine being able to utilise key technologies to improve efficiency, minimise costs, transform business processes, and streamline remote team collaboration, all whilst improving customer engagement. As a leading provider of information capture solutions that simplify business processes, Kodak Alaris through its webinars aims to show organizations just how to do that.”

 

In the first 1-hour webinar Kodak Alaris will break down:

• How COVID-19 has changed the business landscape

• Predicted work trends post-pandemic · Digital transformation strategies to streamline business continuity and collaboration whilst working remotely

• How to leverage RPA and AI and Cloud Computing for optimal results

• Ways to maximise efficiency, simplify collaboration, and cut costs simultaneously

 

There will be a Q&A at the end of the webinar. The schedule of the webinars is as follows:

• COVID-19: Impact, Trends, and The Way Forward- Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 03:00 PM GST

• Delivering a Better Patient Experience at Lower Cost- Wednesday, September 09, 2020, 03:00 PM GST

• Helping Government Agencies Serve Citizens- Wednesday, September 23, 2020, 03:00 PM GST

BFSI – Automate Business Processes to Improve Customer Experience and Enhance Compliance- Wednesday, October 07, 2020, 03:00 PM GST

Coping with the Diversity of Data in the Retail and Logistics Markets- Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 03:00 PM GST

 

To register for the webinars, please click on the following link.

African Union

African Union and APO Group in Partnership to Save Lives and Prevent Unnecessary Harm to African Economies

Posted on | by root

African Union and APO Group in partnership to reach more African news media, as the Union works to prevent deaths, save lives and prevent unnecessary harm to African economies. This support by the APO Group will complement the weekly press briefings that the Africa CDC has been holding every Thursday since March 2020.

The African Union’s Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (www.AfricaCDC.org) is joining forces with the APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading pan-African communications and business consultancy, to organise regular online press conferences once every month, to provide Africans with vital information on the continental preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as per the mandate given to the Africa CDC by all 55 African Heads of State and Government. This support by the APO Group will complement the weekly press briefings that the Africa CDC has been holding every Thursday since March 2020.

The online press conferences will be hosted by Dr John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa CDC. They will deliver, among others, overviews of the epidemiologic situation at a continental level, progress updates on the African Union’s Partnership for COVID19 Testing (PACT), capacity building being undertaken with and for AU members states, updates on vaccinations and supplies of COVID19 materials to member states, and other updates including initiatives being rolled out by African Heads of State and Government. As with the weekly AfricaCDC briefings, audiences will also get the chance to hear from a representative of one of the 55 AU member states, under the AfricaCDC initiative to provide country specific information and data and to share experiences across the continent.

“Africa has over 1.3 billion people, and reaching them all with COVID19 information is a major priority of the African Union, as we work to prevent deaths, save lives and prevent unnecessary harm to economies. These online press conferences with APO Group will provide us with a unique way of connecting with many more people all over Africa than we reach through our regular Thursday morning briefings,” said Dr Nkengasong. “This is a practical and commendable example of the African private sector supporting African led efforts to fight COVID19. The APO Group’s vast online network gives us the confidence that we will be reaching not only the largest possible media audience, but also members of the public all over the continent.”

APO Group is already running similar briefings for the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, meaning the company is now playing a critical role in the media outreach programmes of the two most prominent Pan-African health organizations. When APO Group began facilitating the fortnightly WHO Africa COVID-19 online press briefings in June 2020, they were the first to be translated and live-streamed on more than 300 Africa-related news websites, and on Google News. The partnership to jointly organise one of the AfricaCDC’s weekly online press conferences will follow the same format, with APO Group’s unparalleled reach meaning they will be accessible not only to journalists, but to regular people in every corner of the African continent, in English and French.

“Our work with the WHO Africa online press conferences has demonstrated the value of live streaming important press briefings, providing vital news and updates in real time,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group. “We are proud to now be working, once every month, with the African Union through the Africa CDC, as they have the continental mandate from Heads of State and Government to lead the continental response to COVID-19.”

In April, APO Group launched their Coronavirus Initiative for Africa (https://bit.ly/2DxYcvL) initiative, donating resources and expertise to support African governments, institutions and official organizations in the fight against COVID-19.

To date, APO Group has distributed more than 5000 press releases free of charge for governments and health authorities in more than 40 African countries.

mea business

How Should Firms Tackle CSR in the Middle East and North Africa

Posted on | by root

The dominance of petroleum-centric capitalism and its huge contribution to the climate emergency have raised questions about how companies in the Middle East and North Africa can shape sustainable development agendas. New research from Trinity Business School has uncovered how CSR practices are affected by unique environments in this misunderstood part of the world, and that firms need to understand these intricacies while strategizing their CSR practices.

The researchers reviewed over 154 CSR studies of the region, focusing on 20 countries, uncovering different institutional patterns in the region and their impact on CSR.

According to Doctor Tanusree Jain, Assistant Professor of Ethical Business:

“The Middle East and North Africa is a complex, fascinating, and diversified region – where countries have different experiences of political systems, financial markets, and ownership and management traditions. They are faced with an environment of political, economic and social flux on one hand, and popularized western standards of best practices on the other.”

Based on the different societies, the researchers discovered that the region can be divided into five distinct clusters; Fragmented with Fragile State, Family Led, Centralised Kinship, Hierarchically Coordinated, and Conflict-affected. These clusters provide a deep understanding of countries’ different colonization histories, state forms, traditions, and norms that can significantly shape how CSR practices are perceived and legitimized by society.

According to the research, Egypt and Sudan comprise the Fragmented with Fragile State cluster, where the role of the state is developmental. The Egyptian government for example intervenes in and controls some industries by enforcing the Islamic notion of community-centred responsibility through philanthropy, but low levels of general trust in this cluster causes scepticism about CSR — especially when practices are decoupled from religion. Yet the workforce hired by multinationals values CSR to gain international legitimacy competitive advantage. This is an interesting conundrum with firms struggling to choose philanthropy entrenched in religion on one hand and western forms of CSR on the other.

The Family Led cluster is comprised of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Here, state intervention takes both direct and indirect forms. In Morocco, the state primarily promotes CSR policies that improve the competitiveness of local businesses. Although recent political upheavals have weakened law enforcement, in Tunisia the state intervenes directly by acquiring ownership in private firms to shape CSR activities. Wealthy families in this cluster exert substantial influence. The prioritization of their financial interests can have a negative impact as CSR is seen as a cost rather than an investment or obligation. Multinationals therefore largely drive the CSR agenda in line with international benchmarks and reporting frameworks.

Comprised of Oman, Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Centralised Kinship cluster is dominated by Middle Eastern countries. With the dominance of oil based economy, there is increasing scrutiny from international organizations on firms’ sustainability outcomes. The family is at the centre of all social, economic, and political activity. The state — where powerful family elites hold power — intervenes in business affairs directly through ownership and control of firms and indirectly through legislation. Firms gain legitimacy and societal acceptance in highly religious societies, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, by complying with Islamic prescriptions on CSR.

The Hierarchically Coordinated cluster is comprised of Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. In Lebanon, the developmental role of the state is diluted due to weaknesses in law enforcement, thus creating gaps in firms’ CSR compliance. Within Jordan, research reveals direct state intervention in business through public ownership in companies as well as by laws that demand CSR disclosure. In Turkey, the state has a developmental yet predatory character. While it drives firms to adopt western CSR practices to align and compete in European markets, smaller firms embark on limited philanthropy.

The Conflict-affected cluster includes Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Yemen and Libya. These countries have experienced ongoing political and societal unrest causing massive disruption to companies. The state’s capacity to contribute to the welfare of its citizens is limited. In Palestine, firms’ contribution to social work is perceived as a national obligation. In Libya, religion is the primary driver for CSR. The interconnectedness of wealthy extended families with economic power increase CSR contributions toward the communities in which their businesses are embedded.

Given the global climate emergency, we need to understand how existing motivations for CSR and sustainability are shaped in this region if we want to encourage desirable firm behaviours in this context.

The research paper was published in the Journal of World Business.

data centre

Africa is Undergoing a Revolution in New Cloud and Data Centre Capacity

Posted on | by root

Datacentrepricing (DCP), the specialists in Data Centres, has launched ‘The Cloud and Data Centre Revolution in Africa’ report covering 26 countries across the continent’s DC activities.

DCP has identified that half of the countries in Africa have now launched third-party Data Centre facilities with total African Data Centre space and power being equivalent to markets in Spain or Switzerland.

The report forecasts that the Southern Africa Region accounts for 54 per cent of total third-party African Data Centre raised floor space followed by North Africa being the next largest region. In total DCP forecasts that the overall market for African Data Centre raised floor space will over 140,000 m2 as of the beginning of 2021 with 49 per cent of growth overall to the beginning of 2025.

The largest third-party Data Centre facility in Africa is under 10,000 of Data Centre raised floor space, much smaller than their Data Centre counterparts in Asia, North America and Europe.

There is significant investment in new Data Centre facilities, as a number of companies aim to build a Pan African Data Centre network of facilities from 2021. Until recently Africa has lacked Data Centre Providers with a presence in multiple countries – the scene is changing with a number of new private equity investors aiming to build Data Centre networks in Africa.
Carrier Based Data Centre facilities – owned by a Telecoms Provider – account for almost half of all raised floor space in Africa, but the Carrier Neutral Data Centre segment is increasing and accounts for just under 30 per cent of space.

” Data Centres are entering new markets including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia. A trend includes facilities being created as PFMs, ” as smaller self-contained Data Centres to be used for network, cloud, wholesale and colocation, suitable for local environments.

The African market is being transformed by the introduction of Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) including AWS, Microsoft Azure Cloud, Oracle Cloud and HUAWEI CLOUD introducing availability zones located in South Africa – with telecom providers Safaricom and Vodacom now reselling AWS cloud to small businesses.

DCP forecasts that African cloud revenues will accelerate by 80 per cent over the four-year period to the beginning of 2025.

Data Centre developers face a series of challenges in Africa, including raising finance for facility investment, overcoming legal land ownership issues, securing power, ensuring fibre connectivity and ensuring that the facility is resilient in the face of weather conditions, heat and humidity. Additionally, due to intermittent power supply issues, many Data Centre facilities use diesel-generated power for much of the day in developing markets.

Lower priced rack space is now available in South Africa benefitting from multiple Data Centre providers and facilities offering different tiers of service and power which can be adapted to specific customer needs.

middle east data

Keeping Data Protected as Businesses in the Middle East Embark on Remote Working Journey

Posted on | by root

By Claude Schuck, Regional Manager, Middle East at Veeam

Over the last few months, we’ve seen many organizations in the Middle East have arranged for employees to work from home. Living in the golden age of Digital Transformation means that we are connected at all times. Consequently, the workplace today has evolved significantly to allow individuals to communicate seamlessly and connect from anywhere through mobile devices, digital tools, cloud services and many more. But what does this mean for organizations and the protection of its data?

With many employees working from home, businesses can expect a huge spike of personal file storing coming in from external sources. This is the perfect opportunity for malicious malware to make their way into servers, potentially corrupting a network of data.

According to a recent news report in The National newspaper, the UAE has been revealed as the leading target of cybercriminals in the region, accounting for more than half of the examples of malicious online and theme-driven behavior detected in the Gulf. Trend Micro, an international cybersecurity and defense firm, said it had detected 1,541 attacks in the UAE in the past months, including 775 malware threats, 621 email spam attacks and 145 URL attacks during March. Across the GCC countries, the figure was 3,067 over the same period.

Here are some of the necessary steps businesses should be taking to protect their data and IT architecture:

 

3 layers in the circle of defense

Businesses need to be aware of how they manage data between cloud and consider tools that will give them an advantage. Today, businesses are continuously backing up and replicating applications and we can only expect this to increase over the next few years as others learn the significance of data that are easily recoverable.

They need to understand the different roles that are needed for consideration when optimizing their systems for backup and replication. This can be easily summed up into the 3 layers of defense in data protection.

  • Perimeter: Firstly, businesses must consider the situation at hand – in this instance, it is remote working or working from home. Protection must be made available for employees to be able to access the cloud and in turn, ensure that these data can be backed up.
  • Mid: Next, businesses need to note that with an increase in the number of people working from home, measures must be put in place so that the systems are still able to run smoothly and efficiently. To counter this, it is highly recommended that servers be optimized for different groups of networks to tap into.
  • Base: It goes without saying that having more people accessing the servers from an external network will also result in an increase in the number of personal files coming in. Businesses need to ensure that they are able to mitigate any malware that might make its way through.

Data backup and protection

There are many unforeseen circumstances that businesses need to prepare for. Therefore, it is important for them be highly adaptable. Having data that is easily accessible is part of the solution to be ready for remote working. Over the next few years, businesses can expect to see an increase in the number of tools that can allow them to continuously back up their data and perform recovery in a matter of minutes. With these tools, they will be insured with more than just backed up data – they will also have access to insights that will allow them to make informed decisions in their digital transformation journey.

Apart from that, it is also important for businesses to protect their data – as seen with the recent increase of data breach. Cloud Data Management is expected to see an increase in mobility and portability over the next few years. With added security measures, businesses will have access to data easily outside of their workplace with a peace of mind.

 

Prevention of cyberattacks

One of the essential steps businesses need to take is to minimize administrative access to platforms and servers and increasing rules of operation. Not everyone needs to be able to access all the systems in place.

It is also vital for organizations to educate their employees – often, ransomware finds its way through a system because of an individual’s mistake. It is important for businesses to remind employees on best practices, especially in times when telecommuting is an option for everyone. They need to understand that being connected to a network outside of the company’s system exposes the servers to potential malware.

To sum it all up, businesses in the Middle East need to always prepare ahead for any disruption that might have an impact in the way they work. Especially in an era where remote working is a step forward, organizations need to ensure that their systems are ready and fully protected so that their employees can remain efficient and productive.

Seychelles market

Seychelles: African Development Bank extends $10 million loan to support COVID-19 responses as economy reopens

Posted on | by Kathryn Hall

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on Monday approved a $10 million loan to the Republic of Seychelles to support the government’s COVID-19 response program. The loan will be channeled toward macroeconomic stabilization, strengthening national health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and safeguarding livelihoods and social safety nets.

Against a backdrop of declining revenues, the Seychelles government recently amended its budget to respond more effectively to COVID-19, taking on an immense financial burden as it works to enhance the country’s health systems, mitigate job losses, and redress lost business and household incomes.

The amended budget provides for an additional $ 3.6 million to the health sector, which will help put in place robust early-detection surveillance systems and enhanced testing capability at points of entry. The government is also readying isolation and quarantine facilities ahead of the resumption of international flight arrivals.

The Government has committed to safeguard 37,409 private-sector jobs through provision of a six-month wage grant while also increasing allocations to the national Social Protection Agency to widen safety nets for informal workers and other vulnerable groups.

“The economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been more devastating than the disease itself in Seychelles. Tourism is one of the worst hit-industries globally, yet it is the main source of income for Seychelles, accounting for 25 percent of its GDP. The Bank’s support will augment the government’s efforts aimed at cushioning the country against the impacts of the pandemic,” said Nnenna Nwabufo, Ag. Director General for the Bank’s East Africa Regional Office.

The crisis response program is aligned with the Bank Group Ten-Year Strategy-TYS (2013-2022) and the High 5s priorities, specifically “improve the quality of life of the people of Africa”.  The operation is also aligned with the Bank’s Seychelles’ Country Strategy Paper (2016-2020), which aims at stimulating private sector activity in support of economic diversification though policy reforms. 

Insufficient economic diversification, a small domestic market and vulnerability to external economic and environmental shocks are among the main development challenges the Seychelles economy faces. The pandemic has seriously exacerbated these challenges and wiped out some of the country’s development gains. The Bank has revised the 2020 and 2021 GDP growth rate projections for the country downwards, from 3.3% and 4.2 % to -10.5% and -7.7%, respectively.

The country recorded its first case of COVID-19 on 14 March and had 11 confirmed imported cases by 6 April. All 11 cases are fully recovered with no new cases or deaths.Contact: 

Banking App

Jordan Kuwait Bank Adapts to New Normal with Citrix

Posted on | by Kathryn Hall

COVID-19 continues to change the way companies do business in the Middle East. And one of the largest banks in Jordan is using solutions from Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS) to adapt. Jordan Kuwait Bank (JKB) has implemented Citrix® Virtual Apps and Desktops across its 64 branches throughout Jordan and Cyprus, which has allowed it to remain operational and offer financial services to its SME and corporate customers to manage critical imports and continue trading seamlessly while the country is in lockdown.

Seeing global events unfold, and recognizing that a majority of its employees would need to work from home, JKB moved quickly to implement Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops alongside its Citrix Application Delivery Controller (ADC) infrastructure to ensure they could do so in a secure and reliable manner and continue to support the bank’s retail, private and corporate customers.


With the help of Citrix Gold Partner PRO TECHnology, the implementation of Citrix Virtual Apps and desktops was completed across all staff members responsible for getting critical functions to work remotely.

Every organization needs to develop a business continuity plan to ensure its business operations can continue, no matter the disruption and that users remain productive while maintaining the necessary level of security,” said Khalid Al Rashdan, CEO, PRO TECHnology. “With Citrix solutions, we have empowered IT to deliver on-demand apps and desktops to any device and enable remote work as a long-term solution for a radically different future.”

Jordan Kuwait Bank now plans to extend Citrix remote working solutions to all HQ departments staff, as it is fully aware that remote working is a new kind of normal that will likely persist beyond the pandemic.

“Our call centre employees need to be able to provide customers with real time, uninterrupted updates on the latest news from Jordan’s Central Bank,” Ala’a Qaddoumi, Information Security and Business Continuity Manager, Jordan Kuwait Bank said. “And even in these most challenging times with employees working remotely, all customer calls were answered. That was a major differentiator for the Citrix solution.”

Ibraheem Jaser, IT Infrastructure Manager, Jordan Kuwait Bank added, “We knew we needed to make remote working a priority, and for that reason we adopted Citrix solutions. We have worked with Citrix since 2017 and, now more than ever, we believe that their solution can transform how we serve our customers during these unprecedented times.”

Citrix provides a complete range of digital workspace solutions that empower employees to do their very best work in a safe and secure manner anywhere, anytime, using any device. Click here to learn more about these solutions and how your organization can use them to gain the agility, speed and efficiency required to manage resources in the dynamic way that unpredictable environments demand and position your business for future success.  

Muscat, Oman

Nexia International adds a new member firm Innovative Business Solutions (IBS) LLC in Oman

Posted on | by Kathryn Hall

Nexia International (Nexia), the ninth largest global network of independent accounting and consulting firms, has added a new member firm Innovative Business Solutions (IBS) LLC in Oman. 

With its main office in Muscat, Innovative Business Solutions LLC has three partners and five members of staff. 

The firm provides advisory services, strategy consultancy, business process improvement, change and program management, technology solution design, technology assessment and selection, continuous monitoring and improvement, enterprise resource planning and government eServices. It specialises in providing services to many sectors including the government and public sector, security and defence, utility, real estate, oil and gas, family businesses and the financial services sector.

Partners, Mohamad Nsouli and Ranjith Elayadom say: “As part of its growth strategy, IBS is looking to associate its name with a global brand. With Nexia being among the top ten professional networks, it was clearly a favourable choice. Coming from a Big 4 background, IBS partners believe in the strength of global networks, in terms of providing business opportunities; a professional working environment, networking, collaboration and above all, the right enablers to serve clients in the best possible way, anywhere in the world. ”

Kevin Arnold, CEO of Nexia International, says: “We are pleased to welcome Innovative Business Solutions LLC to the network. We look forward to working with a firm offering a wide range of services and who have the expertise and capabilities to further support our members and their clients around the world’’.

For more information, visit www.nexia.com. 

food production

UAE takes the lead in innovation for global food production

Posted on | by Kathryn Hall

The UAE leads the scene of innovation in food production especially during these times where the world is witnessing health transformations, where the country continues its efforts to enhance its position and supports its important role in producing and exporting foods and equipment related to this vital sector.

An emerging product has been recently awarded the Product of the Year 2020 in the GCC, an award that highlights and honors innovation in the fast-paced consumer goods sector. The product, Kabrita, which specializes in infant milk formula is owned by Hyproca Nutrition Middle East, with its headquarters in Dubai, and affiliated to the Dutch group Ausnutria Nutrition B. V.

The product secured this award after getting evaluated by an independent arbitration panel, which reviews the consumers’ buying decisions, manages the whole process in a safe and transparent framework. The panel includes representatives from Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Chambers of Commerce in the GCC, Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting, International Media Association, International Business Women Group, French Business Council, American University of Sharjah, American University in Dubai and Saudi Association for Information and Communication and the Institute of Administrative Techniques, who study all survey submissions and fill out a multiple-choice questionnaire in order to finalize a list of products that meet the high standards set by the POY awards.

Dr. Mohamed Hussein, Managing Director and General Manager of Hyproca Nutrition Middle East, stated that the company is writing a distinctive success story in the United Arab Emirates – originating from the Netherlands its business grown to become one of the leading companies in the Gulf region. He also indicated that winning the POY 2020 award for the infant formula category confirms their continuous commitment to providing premium quality and adhering to the standards of premium products.

He also stated that the Emirati community is one of the most diverse in the region, which offers global food production companies a multitude of opportunities for investment and growth, and having headquarters there serves in promoting their product across the whole region, especially with the advanced infrastructure and logistics it provides.

He indicated that the company worked on developing a wide range of baby food products based on mild goat’s milk that provides complete nutritional benefits and supports the child’s mental and physical development, therefore distinguishing Kabrita product with its natural taste and an easy-to-digest soft texture suitable for feeding infants who face breastfeeding complications.

Dr. Hussein added that the company, that runs its operations from its headquarters in Dubai, has witnessed a remarkable growth in sales over the past three years due to several factors, the most important of which is the increase in confidence in Kabrita milk formula which the company has been supplying to the Gulf region for 7 years in addition to pediatricians’ confidence in recommending this product to mothers for their children while we endorse that breastfeeding is the best feeding for babies, Kabrita infant formula has been one of the best breastfeeding substitutes due to its natural components that are close to the natural breast milk.

Dr. Hussein also stated that: “Winning means a lot to us as it was based on consumers’ confidence and their incline for buying the product in the United Arab Emirates, KSA, and Kuwait, based on special characteristics that are unique to Kabrita. We plan to provide Kabrita milk to the rest of the Arab countries soon,  in addition to different sizes, as well as products exclusive to certain health conditions for children of different age groups.

-Ends-

About Kabrita

Kabrita is a global trademark owned by Hyproca Nutrition Middle East, which is part of the Dutch group Ausnutria Nutrition B.V. having a 100-year experience in developing and producing premium quality dairy products and infant nutrition products. The group operates five advanced factories in the Netherlands and five other factories in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, which allow Ausnutria Nutrition B.V. to produce a wide array of exclusive dairy products, ranging from fresh to powder milk and from general milk by-products and butter to specific infant products.

Kabrita believes it has a responsibility to facilitate access to the natural benefits of goat-milk products for all consumers around the world. It also seeks to provide consumers with a wide range of high-quality nutritional products made from premium goat milk, as well empowering consumers by providing them with all the needed information and support to undertake important nutritional choices for them and their families.

5g

The Evolution of Mobile Networks in the Era of 5G

Posted on | by root

By Mohammed Al-Moneer, Regional Vice President, MENA at A10 Networks

Fifth generation networks, just like the preceding 4G LTE and WiMAX networks, are expected to greatly increase available bandwidth, with improved end-to-end performance providing a better end-user experience. In the most basic of terms, 4G LTE was the long-term evolution of Radio Access Networks (RAN); 5G is the next iteration.

Wireless carriers have invested billions into their networks to support the ongoing demand for faster network speeds. They must look for ways to increase revenue while delivering more value to the end user. This continues to drive new devices into the hands of the consumer. The demand for increased efficiencies, bandwidth, and coverage has pushed carriers towards a decentralised deployment model.

Network Virtualisation Remains in The Early Stages

Service providers monitor and review technology for advancements that will help deliver faster and less expensive networks. Recently, they have looked into areas of Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) and automation to support their advancements. Mobile network operators are investing heavily in reducing delays and errors through repetitive processes as they build and add capacity to existing 4G networks.

Virtualisation and Software Defined Networks (SDN) improvements are driving a shift from hardware to software. SDN is promising, but it’s not an instant solution, as purpose-built hardware still remains the preferred choice. NFV and SDN have offered service providers an alternative to existing methods, including dedicated appliances sitting idle. However, it’s safe to say that the age of virtualisation remains in the early stages.

Hardware manufacturers and service providers are now betting on the acceptance and success of virtualised functions. Software development continues at breakneck speed to meet timelines and demands for more integrated solutions, which easily scale and reduce operational overheads at the same time.

The 5G Revenue Opportunity

5G’s impact is expected to extend beyond the typical mobile network carriers/operators. It promises to enable increased connectivity and flexibility, that will drive additional functions throughout all supportive components of a mobile carrier’s network.

RAN access providers face the question of how to support the ever-increasing appetite for cutting the cord. How can we use our mobile devices in more ways than previously thought, as the end user goes about their daily tasks? This mobility, whether it’s tied to a carrier’s technology or even a simple Wi-Fi home network, reaches all corners of our day-to-day life.

This reach extends from the cloud to the data centre environments and continues to drive capacity needs, supported by both legacy appliances and the ever-increasing virtual environments. This continued appetite for consumption has opened up opportunities for all facets of technology and associated vendors.


5G Mobile Network Evolution

The continued expansion of 5G networks will have a revolutionary impact upon every mobile subscriber and business in the world.

The fundamental market forces of network evolution are not based on wired or wireless infrastructure. Companies are currently focused on upgrading existing mobile networks. Whereas at the exact same time, NFV, SDN and the global IoT industry are all preparing to utilise the next generation of mobile networks.

Software solutions are easier to move from concept to production and frequently offer a lower up-front investment cost. This all adds up to help drive increased functionality for all service providers, including the wired infrastructure.

5G and IoT will be demand-driven. As a result, the more the infrastructure expands to meet that demand, the more opportunities will be uncovered. It’s a positive feedback loop that will revolutionise how we think of the internet.

Get ready for a world that will be changed forever with the next generation mobile networks on the horizon.

fusion

Kodak Alaris Partners with ibml to Offer World’s Fastest, Ultra-High-Volume, Intelligent Scanner

Posted on | by root

Kodak Alaris is partnering with Imaging Business Machines, LLC (ibml) to deliver the next generation of ultra-high-volume scanners to the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market. With the recent launch of ibml FUSiON Scanners, and as ibml’s lead distribution partner in the region, Kodak Alaris is uniquely positioned to serve a market demanding smart solutions that deliver business process automation at higher speeds than ever before.

Gerry Kelliher, EMEA Managing Director, Kodak Alaris said, “Our partnership with ibml goes back nearly a decade and a half. The company’s world class solutions perfectly complement Kodak Alaris’ portfolio, allowing us to provide ultra-high-speed intelligent capture solutions to our customers. Our team has had great success delivering ibml solutions, where we are able to offer a range of maintenance options and professional services as part of an implementation. We are excited about the launch of the ibml Fusion series scanners, which will be a game-changer that speeds up digital transformation for enterprises in the region.”

The new ibml FUSiON Series ignites the fusion of disparate capture processes into one streamlined solution, using in-line intelligence at blazing fast throughput speeds up to 730 A4 pages per minute and 938 checks per minute. As the world’s fastest, intelligent, scalable document capture platform, ibml FUSiON accelerates customers’ mission-critical applications by extracting information from documents to digital processes, thus enabling digital transformation. 

In a survey by the Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM), 62 percent of organizations said they, “are committed to digital transformation.” Paper documents remain a large source of business input for organizations. Ever-increasing data volumes demand exponentially faster processing and ways to eliminate tedious and unnecessary pre-scan and post-scan labor, which eats 76 percent of total capture costs and majorly drains operational efficiency[1]. ibml’s FUSiON brings previously uncontrolled information under control.

“For nearly three decades, the world’s largest organizations in the most data-rich environments such as banking, government and BPOs have trusted ibml to overcome their core information management challenges,” said ibml President and CEO Martin Birch. “Using industry-leading intelligence and accelerated speeds, we extract actionable data, capture insights and expedite critical decision-making for our customers located in over 48 countries. With the ibml FUSiON, shifting to one infrastructure for all capture needs allows organizations to radically reduce real estate, labor and maintenance costs while pushing productivity forward. ibml FUSiON is poised to truly transform those industries with the most demanding document capture needs of today and tomorrow, empowering their digital transformation, while reducing costs.” 

ibml FUSiON Series sets new benchmarks for high-volume intelligent capture. Every part of the capture process is done smarter – from feeding to exception handling to automated sorting. With all this added intellect, employees are free to focus on other important tasks. The product has the fastest throughput in its class. It is 67 percent faster than its predecessor and allows customers to do mission-critical jobs in tight timelines and handle greater volume, driving better productivity and lowering costs. It features optimized usability and improved service accessibility with a sleek, ergonomic body design that’s engineered to last decades. Intuitive controls deliver a better operator experience—reducing training and increasing overall productivity.

“ibml FUSiON was developed with our customers, based on a deep understanding of their pain points with different devices they use for high-volume document capture,” said ibml Vice President of Engineering Pete Rudak. “We then applied the right technology and innovation to solve those problems, and the result is ibml FUSiON, a comprehensive solution that combines a sleek modern design with the fastest speed, the highest image quality and the intelligence everyone expects from ibml.”

For more information, please visit the Kodak Alaris website.

[1] The Total Cost of Scanning: A Framework for Analysis and Improvement, ECM Connection.

Fadi Matta

Mindware Signs Distribution Agreement with ESET in Saudi Arabia

Posted on | by root

Mindware, one of the leading Value Added Distributors (VADs) in the Middle East and Africa, has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with ESET, a global leader in information security software.

As per the agreement, Mindware will offer the entire suite of ESET business products, including two-factor authentication, endpoint protection, endpoint encryption, endpoint detection and response among others. The distributor will target enterprise customers, small and medium businesses (SMBs) and government organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through its expansive channel network.

Speaking about the partnership, Fadi Matta, General Manager at Mindware Saudi Arabia said, “Saudi Vision 2030 outlines that ‘a sophisticated digital infrastructure is integral to today’s advanced industrial activities’. In line with this vision, the government is looking to develop the ICT infrastructure in the Kingdom in conjunction with the private sector. As many digital transformation projects get underway, there is increasing awareness of the criticality in protecting digital infrastructure. A cyber risk is a business risk. Today cyber-attacks have evolved to unprecedented forms, putting businesses at unprecedented risks.”

“Against this scenario, Mindware is building out its security practice and portfolio. The intention is to help organizations in Saudi develop robust security postures as they undergo digital transformation. ESET is an award-winning security vendor that develops industry-leading IT security software and services. We believe that the vendor will add considerable value to our portfolio, and we see great potential for uptake of the company’s solutions, particularly its data loss prevention (DLP) and endpoint protection products.”  

For three decades, ESET has been helping organizations protect their digital infrastructures. Today the company has a user base of over 110 million in 202 countries. ESET products unobtrusively protect and monitor 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep businesses safe and running without interruption. Backed by R&D centres worldwide, ESET is the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware without interruption since 2003.

As part of the ramping up process, ESET will conduct sales and pre-sales workshops and provide training and certification to Mindware’s designated engineers. Mindware on the other hand will focus on driving ESET’s business by reaching out to existing partners as well as onboarding new partners. The distributor will provide knowledge transfer to partners through regular technical enablement sessions. It will also assist partners with potential business leads by helping them conduct proof-of-concepts (POCs).

Mindware and ESET will jointly conduct marketing activities that include events, promotions, traditional and digital advertising campaigns and much more.

“We are extremely excited about our partnership with Mindware in Saudi Arabia. The distributor with its extensive channel network of over 2000 partners will provide us additional depth to expand our market share in the Kingdom. A highly competent technical team from Mindware will be a great value to our offerings and enable us to jointly deliver ESET’s next-generation security solutions to businesses in the country,” concluded Husni Hammoud, Managing Director at ESET Middle East.

 

Featured image: Fadi Matta, General Manager at Mindware Saudi Arabia