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  • Canalys Mobility Forum: Interview with Ted Morgan, CEO of Skyhook Wireless

    The Canalys Mobility Forum EMEA 2009 took place in London on the 17th of November.

    A highly informative event which gave industry experts insights into the evolution of the pc and phone industries for the coming years, it specifically developed a discussion around the dynamics of the netbook and smartphone sectors.

    Great relevance was given to the smartphone sector, focusing on the various existing operating platforms and making special emphasis on Andriod as the platform to watch out for. As a special note attendants were told to look towards Asia, this is where most of the innovation is coming from.

    The event also covered the evolution of the netbook market, questioning its margins which are very low when compared to Notebooks and specially when compared to the smartpone sector. The recent introduction into the market of the Google Navigator and the effect it has had in the PND market was also discussed, something to keep an eye on as Google expands its service to more cities.

    Smartphone.Biz-News.com spoke to Ted Morgan, CEO of Skyhook Wireless, an American based company that has great passion for its developed iPhone App, a location based app which has been used to develop most extraordinary and original apps. Watch our video interview to find out more.

  • U.S. Smartphone Market – Only the Strong Will Survive

    According to the recent Canalys Smartphone Analysis, the smart phone market continues to increase as a proportion of the overall mobile phone market in the US.

    Despite a drop in market growth to 6% in Q3 2009, down from 37% in Q2 2009, smart phones represented 26% of all mobile phones shipped in Q3 2009. This is up from 24% in Q2 2009 and will continue to rise in coming quarters.

    The top two smart phone vendors increased their combined market share in Q3 to 76.3%. Research in Motion (RIM) held 48.1% while Apple held 28.2%.

    “Despite what looks like a ‘closed shop’, with continued growth expected in the US smart phone market there is still plenty to play for, and new products are coming thick and fast from the competition,” the report says.

    Four other smartphone platforms in the US market today – Android, Symbian S60, webOS and Windows Mobile – represented only 23.7% of the market in Q3.

    Canalys claims the challenge for the handset vendors on the multivendor platforms is to “differentiate their products, especially as the market gets busier, while also providing competition to Apple and RIM and choice to the consumer.”

    Canalys also thinks that with an increasing number of Android and Windows Mobile devices launching, there can be little, by looking at the specifications, to choose between one and another on the same platform. “A key product differentiator will be seen in the software and the user interface. In short it is all about the user experience, particularly how the user organises their favourite applications, content, messages, people and places,” analysts say.

    Canalys says Verizon needs to fight back against the iPhone’s tremendous success and will be hoping the new Android devices (Motorola’s Droid and HTC’s Droid Eris) will “light up its somewhat uninspiring consumer device portfolio.” Demand for Android devices will be helped by the addition of Google Maps Navigation on Android 2.0.

    Analysts reminds us of the fact that AT&T is the only one of the big four US mobile operators not yet to range an Android device.

    RIM’s US device shipments were up 27.5% in Q3. Around 3.8 million net new subscriber accounts were added worldwide in its fiscal quarter and profits beat analyst expectations. According to Canalys estimates, RIM, with only the Storm, held a 2.2% share of US touch-screen smart phones in Q3 2009. As its entry-level and mid-range (mostly keyboard-based) devices increasingly come up against new touchscreen Android devices, buyers’ appetite for BlackBerry devices will be tested.

    The iPhone remains the leading consumer smart phone in the US. The response to the iPhone 3G S was ‘tremendous’ and ‘very surprising’ according to Apple, so much so that many international markets had limited supply for several weeks.

    Canalys says with each software release the iPhone gets more ‘CIO friendly’. According to Apple, the iPhone is being ‘deployed or piloted’ at more than 50% of Fortune 100 companies and is doing well in higher education institutions and government agencies, though increased device security will still be needed for broad deployment to be considered in government.

    The report shows that US smart phone share of HTC, the leading worldwide manufacturer of Android smart phones, supplying T-Mobile and Vodafone (in EMEA) as well as selling under the HTC brand, has hovered around the 5-7% mark for five quarters.

    “HTC devices are ranged by the big four US mobile operators. These relationships and the installed base of customers it has are crucial to HTC, and Microsoft. From being the first, HTC is now one of many Android device vendors,” says Canalys.

    According to the research group, Motorola “rose from the ashes” of the smart phone market recently with the announcement of the new Android-based smart phones, the CLIQ with T-Mobile and the Droid with Verizon.

    “If the CLIQ and the Droid do anything like as well as the RAZR did it will give Motorola a solid base for 2010. Working on Android means that building its own app store need not be a top priority for Motorola.,” according to Canalys.

    They also think Nokia really needs a big hit in the US (“It has failed to get its most popular Nseries devices ranged by the leading US mobile operators and it has thus far failed to make a significant impression with its Ovi services in the US”), Palm needs the old volumes back (“Mobile operators must be convinced that they can profit from ranging Palm webOS devices. Palm needs their commitment”), and Samsung has lagged in smart phones, although it still leads the overall US mobile phone market and continues to roll out new handsets with all leading mobile operators at a “blistering pace.”

    Canalys notices that there are more vendors planning to launch smart phones in the US in the next few months: Dell, Kyocera Wireless, LG (Android handsets) and Acer (Android and Windows phones).

    “They will all be faced with the same challenges: getting their smart phones ranged by the mobile operators and capturing the imagination of consumers. The mobile operators can only range, subsidise and promote a certain number of devices. As Apple did, new entrants need to come up with something special, and that is no easy feat,” the report concludes.

  • iSuppli: California Regulations Could Cut LCD-TV Energy Use Worldwide in Half

    New television power consumption limits imposed by California’s Energy Commission (CEC) could cut aggregate annual power consumption of LCD-TVs worldwide in half by the year 2013, if these standards are adopted universally, according to iSuppli.

    If all of the 200 million LCD TVs set to be shipped in 2013 complied with the CEC standard, they would use a total of 64.4 billion kilowatt hours for the year, compared to 126.8 billion if they didn’t, iSuppli estimates.

    Analysts say this represents a 50 percent decline in power consumption. With indications that other states may follow California’s lead, and with the United States the world’s largest LCD-TVs market, it’s conceivable that CEC-style regulations could spread throughout the country and the world.

    The U.S. Consumer Electronics Association is warning that the CEC mandates will have a deleterious impact on consumer choice and technological innovation. The trade organization stated the regulations will result in higher prices for consumers, job losses for Californians, and lost tax revenue for the state.

    iSuppli believes the regulations could reduce California tax revenue as consumers purchase larger-sized LCD-TVs through out-of-state channels. Furthermore, the regulations could cause a cessation in sales of certain products in the state, such larger-sized plasma televisions.

    However, with both the industry and consumers already embracing greener televisions that consume less power, the negative impacts of the CEC regulations are likely to be limited.

    “While the CEA has legitimate concerns, the CEC regulations simply follow suit with the EPA’s Energy Star 3.0 and 4.0 guidelines,” said Randy Lawson, senior analyst, display electronics, for iSuppli.

    “Television makers already have been working to cut the power consumption of their products so they can earn the coveted Energy Star label.”

    Furthermore, iSuppli’s research indicates that consumers increasingly are aware of power consumption issues, and are likely to gravitate toward sets that use less electricity.

    “Because of this, television brands will still be offering a plethora of product choices that will be attractive to consumers,” said Lawson.

    An iSuppli survey revealed that 46.1 percent of U.S. consumers in the third quarter said green factors influenced their television purchasing decisions. The same survey showed that 43.4 percent of those consumers considered power savings to be the most important green feature.

    According to iSuppli, the ever-more-restrictive television power consumption standards in California and elsewhere definitely will impact the path of technology development for flat-panel TVs, affecting panel materials, LCD backlight designs and system audio/video electronics.

    Lawson said, “Many design changes will occur in the television electronics and OEM-enabled features, including technologies like ambient light sensing to help enable intelligent backlight drive options.”

  • OKI Develops Industry’s First 1.1 Inch QVGA High Brightness LED

    OKI Digital Imaging, a subsidiary of OKI Data Corporation (a subsidiary that develops, manufactures, and markets LEDs), announced it has succeeded in developing a 1.1 inch QVGA (Quarter Video Graphics Array) LED display while reducing power consumption to one-tenth that of conventional LCDs.

    According to OKI, this achievement is the direct result of a new company technology that enhances luminance efficiency, based on refinements of its proprietary Epi Film Bonding technology that permit two-dimensional deployment.

    This new technology applies the Epi Film Bonding technology to mount thin-film LEDs onto a metal board in a manner permitting high reflection and radiation.

    “Featuring the world’s first 65-micrometer pitch between LED chips, this LED display also realizes high density to deliver high-definition images while maintaining diminutive dimensions,” the company says.

    OKI claims that since it is self-illuminating, the new display features faster response, more compact dimensions, and lower power consumption than LCD displays that require a separate light source. It also features high contrast (over 5000:1) for high visibility even in bright daylight.

    “The new technology has made it possible for us to develop a groundbreaking LED display that provides high definition images while maintaining compact dimensions,” said Hiroshi Kikuchi, President of OKI Digital Imaging.

    Ha added that the firm plans to leverage the expertise and technical knowledge accumulated over 20 years of experience with LED printing to develop new technologies in other areas and to expand its LED-related businesses.

    OKI informed they will manufacture the LED display at the newly-acquired LED manufacturing facility in Gunma prefecture, Japan. Shipments of samples are expected to begin by the end of fiscal year 2010.

  • Paessler AG Introduces PRTG Network Monitor to Safeguard VoIP Transmission Quality

    Admitting that VoIP technology has revolutionized corporate communications to become one of the most efficient, flexible and affordable solutions for day-to-day business communication, Paessler AG released the PRTG Network Monitor that allows corporate network administrators and VoIP service providers to keep a watchful eye on the quality of these services to ensure “continuous and reliable delivery of VoIP service.”

    Employing specially-developed quality of service (QoS) sensors and probes to collect and analyze network performance data, PRTG Monitor provides continuous monitoring of VoIP infrastructure to safeguard transmission quality.

    The company says an uninterrupted flow of data is essential to the reliable performance of VoIP and video streaming; even minimal changes to QoS parameters can have significant effects on these user datagram protocol (UDP) services. If UDP packet transmission quality suffers, so do the sound and image quality of the individual applications too.

    “The new QoS sensor introduced with PRTG Monitoring Tools version 7.2 keeps tabs on the performance of VoIP connections to measure various QoS parameters such as jitter, package delays or losses etc.,” said Dirk Paessler, CEO of Paessler AG.

    According to him, by analyzing performance against these parameters, as well as recording a log of packages that are lost, requested again or duplicated, PRTG can “dramatically reduce the risk of failures in connectivity or quality of service.”

    Performance measurements are made by sending UDP packages between two installed remote probes to monitor the transmission quality of VoIP and video applications at each ‘end’ of the connection.

    By analyzing the performance data, network administrators can troubleshoot the network to determine potential sources of error responsible for poor quality of service interruptions. And, when major problems occur, PRTG delivers an instant alert to the administrator immediately, via e-mail or SMS for example.

    PRTG Network Monitor 7.2 also includes a sensor that captures IP SLA data, the preferred method for checking the quality of VoIP applications. IP SLA is based on active network traffic monitoring technology, and therefore provides a reliable method for measuring performance.

    With PRTG at their disposal, administrators who work with appropriate routers and switches have the ability to analyze IP service levels for different IP applications.

  • bnetTV.com to Continue Covering Emerging Technologies Conferences

    INTERVIEW. Leading online broadcasting company bnetTV.com (Business Network Television) will continue taking the most of the events such as conferences to reach out to its focus market of emerging technologies.

    bnetTV.com will also keep to its mission to deliver compelling and insightful content, says Michelle Sklar, vice-president of Programming and Content Management.

    She said this they would achieve through “working with industry associations and event organizers to extend reach and add value to events; expanding our coverage line up; and launching a cool new Mobile site and app in Q1 2010”.

    bnetTV.com took part in a three-day Mobile 2.0 Conference in Berlin, Germany, which ended on November 25.

    “We conducted interviews with numerous speakers giving them the opportunity to share their experiences, successes and challenges. The interviews are posted at www.bnettv.com under Mobile 2.0 Content and Services,” said Sklar.

    Michelle Sklar

    Emerging Technologies

    “We are an online broadcast company with a niche market focus on emerging technologies.

    “We cover events in the wireless industry such as CTIA, Mobile World Congress, Mobile Marketing Association events, Informa events, Under the Radar Mobile, etc.

    ‘Over the last five years we have met with over 6 000 companies and told their stories – from start-ups to the power brokers of the industry,” she said.

    Sklar said they would not allow technology to overtake them as they seek to remain on top in online broadcasting.

    “We keep our thumb on the pulse by being event driven in our strategy to provide insightful and compelling coverage.

    ‘We aggregate to over 150 websites and social media sites and optimize the searchability of our content by using the latest in SEO and Social Media communication techniques,” said Sklar, whose company has reached over 3,5 million viewers a month.

    She said they were playing their part in helping other players in the industry grow.

    “We not only provide media coverage at industry events but we work with industry associations such as the MMA and leading event producers such as Informa to help extend their audience reach through Live broadcast programmes as well as extend to value of events to participants through premium content and DVD programmes,” said Sklar.

    Cyber Crime

    Cyber crime is increasingly becoming an issue worldwide. bnetTV.com is however, not losing sleep over this as it has systems in place to safeguard its products and programmes.

    ‘We control all aspects of our content production and delivery, that is we host all of our content and pay close attention to our analytics reporting,” said Sklar.

    As at June 2008, Australia had the highest incidence of cyber crime in the world, according to a global survey of nine countries by software security vendor, AVG.

    The study, which canvassed 1 000 users each in Australia, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Brazil, and the Czech Republic, found that more than 39 percent of Australians had been the victim of cyber crime, compared to 32 percent in Italy, 28 percent of Americans, and just 14 percent in Sweden and Spain.

    Challenges

    The online broadcasting industry is not without its challenges. Sklar says these are the need to continue to find new ways of delivering and monetizing content and creating tools that will help the industry better serve itself.

    ‘Our (bnetTV.com) target audiences are industry professionals. They use our site as a means to keep up to date on the various companies and issues facing emerging technology businesses today,’ she said.

    Sklar still gave the industry thumbs up when asked if the world was ready to embrace online broadcasting. “Oh yes… the world already has! Online content is easy to access; video on demand and broadcast enable the timely delivery of important and relevant content.

    ‘Globally people are online or on mobile for their daily news, weather and sports,” she said.

    bnetTV.com produces both in-house and client-commissioned videos. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Winmax Trading Group, Inc. with offices in New York, San Jose, California, Orlando, Florida and Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

  • First Else Unveiled – Is The Revolution Coming?

    Previewed in October at ACCESS Day in Japan, the First Else, the first mobile device deploying the ELSE INTUITION platform, was unveiled yesterday in London.

    ELSE INTUITION is a new and, as the companies claim “groundbreaking” mobile platform jointly developed by ACCESS, Tokyo-based provider of software technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets, and Emblaze Mobile – Israeli technology design house for mobile devices.

    ELSE INTUITION combines ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0, ACCESS’ flagship mobile Linux platform, with innovative user interface and a suite of services provided by Emblaze.

    Thanks to the combination of ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0 and an advanced user interface engine, the platform delivers “a highly compelling and differentiated user experience, coupled with state-of-the-art hardware, accelerated 2D/3D graphics and elegant transition effects,” as the companies say.

    They also assure that all data and content, including contacts, appointments, videos and photos can be rendered anywhere, not just within a single dedicated application. That gives users “faster, easier and more consistent access to their information.”

    Coming in Q2 next year, the First Else is a first device that deploys the new platform.

    The companies say “the device actually becomes the application”, which means that First Else would focus on applications rather than standard mobile phone functions, according to Amir Kupervas’, CEO of Emblaze explanation.

    The device provides functionality that for the first time is able to match that of standalone off-the-shelf dedicated devices, such as digital cameras, top-ranked MP3 players, best-in-class GPS devices, and more, “while maintaining an exceptional ease and simplicity of use.”

    First Else comes with TI OMAP 3430 processor, 3.5" FWVGA 480×854 capacitive touch screen, microSD slot that will allow for a 32GB storage capacity, 5 MP camera with auto-focus and advanced stabilization technology, Bluetooth, HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity, standalone GPS and A-GPS, tilt, proximity and light sensors with adaptive handling and 1450mA battery.

    "Our vision is to create a revolutionary mobile solution that will change users’ experience in the mobile arena. Imagine a device that is not a phone surrounded by gimmicks you will not use; where the camera literally replaces your digital camera; you get real-time push email wherever you are on the globe; almost every song and film in the world is one click away; and any one of its multitude of features is reached with no more than one light gesture of your finger and not buried deep inside folders within folders. If you imagine this, you imagine the first ELSE and the capabilities created with ELSE INTUITION. And yes – it is definitely something ELSE," Kupervas said.

    According to Tomihisa Kamada, president of ACCESS, Emblaze came to them with a “thought-provoking” concept to “shake up” the mobile industry. “I am delighted that ACCESS has been able to provide the software to make it happen," he said.

    The ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0 is compliant with LiMo Foundation specifications and employs ACCESS’ NetFront Browser. The company says its Advanced UI Engine enables development of state-of-the-art user interfaces with advanced graphical effects, and allows complete modification of applications’ "look and feel" without requiring changes to the applications’ code. It also supports full hardware graphics acceleration via OpenGL ES 2.0.

  • Nitty-Gritty of Cloud Storage: Interview with Robert Peglar, Xiotech

    Xiotech has been leading the way in redefining the value of storage since 1995 and stands as the world’s largest privately held storage company.

    The storage industry has been a hot bed for innovation and debate with discussion on local storage versus cloud storage, and the pros and cons of each.

    Xiotech offers a wide array of services that tend to cater to the small and mid-tier businesses where they have made a name for themselves. Just recently they have expanded their services to larger enterprises, and have recorded the same successes they’ve seen with their smaller partners.

    VP of Technology for Xiotech, Robert Peglar states that "Xiotech has been a pioneer of virtualization and have done innovative work in the space." Robert Peglar serves a dual role, working externally with customers and industry professional.

    The other role is the internal role, working to get product out the door, and plan a road map of the future with the technology trends that they should be taking advantage of.

    Robert shares that many things separate them from their competition to include: ease of use (through virtualization), intuitive user interfaces and web services.

    Robert Peglar

    "There’s not a real need to know all the nitty gritty of the storage equipment, web services give you what you need and you’re done," Peglar comments.

    Many companies find it hard to understand storage and for some the learning curve is too high. Xiotech provides simplicity in accessing and integrating into their own company’s growth.

    "The staff and training required is greatly different from competitors and much less rigorous. Anyone can access their storage systems. Storage should just work with automatic processes such as self healing and self checking processes without the need of constant hands on," Robert says regarding how easy it is for people to access their systems.

    Patented ISE Technology

    Xiotech is known for having patented the Intelligent Storage Element (ISE) back in 2007, offering improved performance, advanced capabilities, and improved system telemetry.

    "In typical RAID arrays the more drives you add the more the performance begins to degrade, but with the ISE in place, you see consistent and reliable performance no matter how many drives you install. This allows us to put a 5 year guarantee on their ISE products because we know it’s going to work, we put our confidence in it," Robert explains.

    The ISE offers scalability to grow with the company from 1TB to 1 PB, without seeing a single drop is performance.

    Allowing users to make adjustments to the ISE is one of their key selling points as well because Xiotech has truly focused on making their products customer centric with ease of use.

    "Standardized web services have streamlined the process which is easier for the end user to log in access, conduct business, and leave," comments Peglar.

    Cloud Storage

    Xiotech offers both virtualization and cloud storage. Some use the terms synonymously, but there is a distinct difference when looked at more closely. Virtualization would be a first step to cloud storage, but it still requires on-site equipment and man power to maintain, but simply localizes all software, applications and user information in one spot while allowing other computers to route through in order to gain access.

    Cloud storage is completely off-site, requires no equipment or manpower and simply offers you a place to store data, access software applications, share information and communications. Physical storage is slowly becoming a thing of the past, cloud computing is the way of the future.

    Currently the real drive for cloud interest is economic. The sheer cost of maintaining on-site equipment is becoming outrageously expensive considering the maintenance and manpower required to do it.

    A downside to cloud storage is the perceived security risks, perceived latency issues, and reliability issues. Robert states that "industry professionals across the globe are working on to boost the waning confidence in cloud computing due to these perceptions." There is no doubt that progress is being made everyday and that soon more and more companies will move towards the cloud as a way to manage their storage and data.

    Robert made sure to note that the same issues exist with local storage, but some put more emphasis on the cloud due to perceived lack of control. It’s easier for people to manage downtime and other issues when they feel like they have control on internal equipment, but putting that same faith on equipment that you can’t see or touch is another thing.

    When asked about how companies are balancing what needs to be physically at the location and in the cloud, Robert says, "I believe most company will end up using a combination of both, physical on premise and cloud."

    Cash for Disk Clunkers

    One of the more eco-friendly marketing efforts to assist companies around the globe was the start of the Cash for Disk Clunkers. Xiotech is once again taking the lead in encouraging companies to turn in their old arrays that are now too inefficient and less powerful to be of any use.

    "Some of the older systems require reinforced floors just to store. It’s an interesting marketing ploy, playing off the federal initiative for the cash for clunkers program. There’s been a huge user response for this to the point where they go to the offices to inquire on the process. It’s an effort to promote efficiency, getting rid of the old one which is costing a lot to maintain, to include some of their own older models," states Peglar.

    It’s definitely an interesting economic incentive for those interested in participating and a bonus with regards to their efforts to protect the environment from improper disposal of old equipment.

    Most recently Xiotech made an appearance at the SC09 Conference (Computing for a Changing World) and Interop New York where they focused on helping provide knowledge and insight to help IT and corporate decision-makers achieve business success.

  • Will Chrome OS Lead Consumers into Cloud Computing?

    "Chrome OS is ideal for ‘smartbooks’ and will lead consumers further into cloud computing," says Canalys in its recent Notebook Pulse Report.

    Google unveiled its Chrome operating system, making the source code available to developers and enabling them to assist in the project a year before Chrome OS is due for public release.

    “Speculation about Chrome OS and its impact on the PC industry has been rife since Google first announced it was working on the project in July. The announcement goes some way to address some of the questions that have since surrounded the OS,” says Canalys.

    Google has provided information on its initial use cases for devices running Chrome OS in documentation released on the platform. Canalys thinks it suggests that Chrome will suit secondary devices for ‘couch computing’, devices that are shared among family members, and those used in coffee shops.

    “To all intents and purposes, Chrome OS is an expansion of Google’s Chrome browser. All applications running on Chrome OS will be web applications that run from within a browser window.”

    But there are additional features that extend the functionality beyond that of a standard web browser. The addition of persistent windows, called ‘panels’, enables developers to create simple applications that can float on top of the browser window or be minimised when not needed.

    Two usage cases of panels that Google has so far demonstrated were an instant messaging client and a window for playing media. According to the analysts, another aspect of Chrome OS that Google is keen to promote is its security.

    “If the OS has been compromised, it is able to repair itself using its verified boot process. If the OS detects any changes to the system on start-up it will automatically initiate a recovery process that will replace the OS with the latest available version,” the report says.

    As Chrome users cannot install native applications, Chrome will not require additional security software. “Instead, Google will take responsibility for securing Chrome OS, possibly extending protection technologies from the Postini acquisition to protect Chrome users before threats reach the devices.”

    Chrome OS stores all of a user’s personal data in the cloud, so that if a chrome OS device is lost or stolen, personal data is not compromised and remains permanently backed up.

    Canalys says, as usual, concerns will remain regarding the storage of personal data with an advertising company. “A further concern is that Chrome’s lack of local data storage and limited offline functionality will make it largely unusable without an Internet connection.”

    Canalys therefore expects that devices running chrome OS will be bundled with mobile data contracts, and support for ARM-based processors will make it an ideal ‘smartbook’ OS.

    Analysts say the fact that the OS is not intended for offline use comes as no great surprise. “After all, unconnected users cannot access Google’s services or be reached by Google’s advertising.”

    “Though much could change between now and Chrome’s release in 2010, it is clear that, at present, the OS is not intended as a replacement for Windows or any other fully functional OS.”

    According to the report, one thing is clear: “However, Chrome OS will be the next step in bringing consumers further into the world of cloud computing, a world where Google provides many applications and most of which are free.”

  • DroboElite Brings BeyondRAID Technology to SMBs

    Data Robotics announced DroboElite, the first iSCSI SAN storage that manages itself.

    DroboElite is a business class data storage solution that brings the company’s BeyondRAID technology to small and medium businesses.

    According to Data Robotics, DroboElite, the fastest Drobo to date, features a new hardware architecture that includes an enhanced processing engine and dual high-speed iSCSI interfaces for 150 percent of the performance of previous Drobo models.

    “True multi-host support with LUN affinity allows small and medium businesses with limited IT resources to simplify management and reduce costs by consolidating storage across multiple servers,” the company says.

    DroboElite delivers automated capacity expansion and one-click single- or dual-drive redundancy for data protection for Windows, Mac and Linux machines.

    The new system extends the number of Smart Volumes – Data Robotics’ unique thin provisioning that pulls storage from a common pool of drives – so that users can now create up to 255 virtual storage volumes.

    “Smart Volumes allow companies to create new volumes in seconds and manage them over time by pulling storage from a common pool rather than a specific physical drive allocation. Smart Volumes are also file system aware which allows deleted data blocks to be immediately returned to the pool for future use,” the firm says.

    The new Drobo features multi-host support that enables the companies with multiple servers to add or consolidate storage by connecting the DroboElite into their existing TCP/IP network and utilizing the industry-standard iSCSI protocol.

    The Elite also comes with VMware-ready features: with dual iSCSI ports and the ability to create up to 255 Smart Volumes, it can support VMware environments and advanced functionality including VMotion, Storage VMotion, snapshots, and high availability.

    DroboElite features multiple stream optimization, dual Gigabit Ethernet interfaces for high-speed iSCSI and 8-drive capacity with instant capacity expansion to 16TB and beyond.

    With simplified dual-drive redundancy companies are protected against the simultaneous failure of up to two hard drives without losing access to their data.

    “Our products are exceedingly simple and straightforward to use while providing all of the features that SMBs need to keep their data safe and accessible,” said Dr. Geoff Barrall, CEO and founder of Data Robotics.

    He claims Data Robotics can deliver cost savings up to 90 percent compared to other iSCSI solutions by combining cost-effective hardware with robust iSCSI features.

    DroboElite is currently available starting at a price of $3,499 MSRP, with multiple configurations to $5,899 for a 16TB (8x 2TB) solution.

    The company also introduced Drobo S, a professional-class storage solution.

    “With the introduction of eSATA and a fifth drive bay, as well as enhancements to FireWire 800 throughput, the Drobo S offers 150 percent of the performance of the current four-bay Drobo, making it an ideal storage solution for creative professionals, small offices, and home office users,” according to press release.