Two of the biggest launches in Rich Internet Application history took place in 2007/2008 when Adobe launched AIR 1.0 in February '08 and Microsoft launched Silverlight (September '07). At the 6th International AJAXWorld RIA Conference & Expo in October SYS-CON Events is delighted to be presenting major industry keynotes from the two industry executives with overall responsibility for both of those massive richer-web initiatives: Adobe's CTO Kevin Lynch and Scott Guthrie, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft's .NET Developer Platform.

To no one's particular surprise, Oracle has claimed that it suffered hundreds of millions, if not 'at least' a billion dollars worth of damages because of SAP and the IP hacking theft of its TomorrowNow PeopleSoft/JD Edwards customer support subsidiary.

Salesforce.com, which has already linked its CRM software to Google Apps and integrated AdWords tracking into its platform, is deploying a free new Force.com Toolkit for Google Data APIs so third-party developers can interact with data in Google services. The toolkit is supposed to bring together data and content in Google Apps with the database, logic and workflow capabilities in Salesforce.com?s Force.com development platform. Salesforce claims the move creates a -multi-cloud computing platform? that will accelerate the creation of newfangled web-based applications.

SAP Integration and Certification Centers (ICC) have granted Datalogic Mobile SAP Certified Integration status. Therefore, the company from Bologna is now a SAP certified partner, guaranteeing logistics and warehousing solutions that provide compatibility with SAP. SAP delivers products and services that help accelerate business innovation for our customers and partners by rationalizing operations and reaching high levels of efficiency within the supply chain world.

SAP announced its intent to acquire Visiprise. With the addition of Visiprise, SAP will deliver on its 'Perfect Plant' strategy to bring together core SAP solutions with the software, hardware and services offerings of ecosystem partners to drive innovation for discrete manufacturers. The integration of Visiprise's proven plant-level manufacturing execution solutions brings discrete manufacturing customers a robust product offering to increase production responsiveness, improve operational efficiencies and enhance quality and regulatory compliance.

SAP announced that Kabel BW has selected the latest version of the SAP Customer Relationship Management application, SAP CRM 2007, to strengthen its connection to customers and build its foundation for future growth. The company, which serves more than 2.3 million subscribers, also plans to enhance its existing deployment of SAP's flagship enterprise resource planning application, SAP ERP, with the industry-specific SAP solution for telecommunications providers, the SAP Revenue Management and Contract Accounting application. The objectives of its modernization efforts are to streamline the company's customer service and ultimately deliver superior customer value.

Novell announced it has received an SAP Pinnacle Award in the category 'Technology: Co-Innovation for Core Business,' recognizing Novell as an SAP partner who has made significant contributions to SAP's customer-focused ecosystem. Novell was honored specifically for work with SAP on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Priority Support for SAP as well as SUSE Linux Enterprise Server high availability and virtualization for SAP.

Wipro announced an agreement with SAP, through which it established a closer collaboration and an increased focus on customer adoption of SAP solutions. Under this agreement, Wipro has invested in a state-of-the-art Solutions Lab, through which it is building 'Industry Networks' to help companies leverage industry best practices and templates on SAP's business process platform.

From Application Virtualization to Xen, a round-up of the virtualization themes & topics being discussed in NYC June 23-24, 2008 by the world-class speaker faculty at the 3rd International Virtualization Conference & Expo being held by SYS-CON Events in The Roosevelt Hotel, in midtown Manhattan.

Mike Neil is general manager for virtualization strategy in the Windows Server Division at Microsoft. Mike is focused on the delivery of the Windows virtualization technology, including Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, Microsoft Hyper-V Server and Virtual PC 2007. Mike also directs the technical enablement of Microsoft's broader vision for virtualization, to include virtualization management tools and virtualized desktop infrastructure. Prior to this role, Mike was responsible for Microsoft?s server and PC virtualization efforts since 2003.

'There is no spillover from the recession in the U.S. to Asia and Europe,' SAP CEO Henning Kagermann told a press reception in Berlin recently. His co-CEO, Leo Apotheker, told the press at the same event that the integration of Business Objects was moving ahead 'in a very satisfactory manner' and that it would be complete before the end of 2008.

SAP announced that it has delivered a complete accompaniment of service-oriented architecture (SOA) technologies, ready-to-run services and comprehensive support offerings to help companies achieve additional business value and increased IT efficiencies. With SOA as the de facto market standard and mass adoption underway, customers can turn to SAP for a simplified, comprehensive option for executing a sound SOA strategy that delivers rapid value. The breadth of offerings from SAP addresses the full lifecycle of SOA projects -- from development to deployment and ongoing management -- making the transition to SOA easy and affordable. By taking advantage of hands-on guidance through SAP's methodology, customers can accelerate business network transformation.

EDS has announced the adoption of the Run SAP methodology for use in its application management services and hosting operations. Through this adoption, EDS also plans to incorporate the methodology into its consulting practice, where it will leverage its expertise with SAP applications management, gained through the implementation of SAP solutions by more than 800,000 client users globally.

Brian Stevens, the Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Engineering of Red Hat, delivered his Virtualization Keynote 'The Future of the Virtual Enterprise' at SYS-CON's Virtualization Conference & Expo 2007 West in San Francisco. 'Virtualization is the hottest subject today,' said Stevens, an industry luminary, who is credited with having pioneered new technologies that contributed to the rise of Linux as an industry-standard operating platform.

Cúram Software announced its market-leading Cúram Business Application Suite 5.0 has achieved 'Powered by SAP NetWeaver' certification status. Endorsed by SAP in 2007, the Cúram Business Application Suite, which is Cúram Software's Social Enterprise Management (SEM) solution, provides client-centric business processes and outcomes-driven, integrated service delivery on the newly released SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment (SAP NetWeaver CE) offering Release 7.1. Cúram Software is pleased its Cúram Business Application Suite has achieved Powered by SAP NetWeaver status, which leverages the open-standard Java platform, Enterprise Edition 5 (Java EE 5), for enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA)-based composition and deployment. SAP NetWeaver 7.1 CE provides a complete standards-based platform and runtime environment for developing, deploying and efficiently managing composite applications using enterprise SOA.

Reminding people of how its backing was the making of Linux, IBM, to no one's surprise, has thrown its support behind cloud computing, that delicious nexus of every chi-chi buzzword technology currently in vogue: Web 2.0, rich Internet applications, software-as-a-service, SOA, grid computing, Web Services, virtualization and utility computing. IBM calls its initiative Blue Cloud - like it could have another name - and claims it's a 'game-changing model for Internet-scale computing,' providing customer with just the right size computer power while at one and the same time being 'green' as well as 'self-healing and self-managing' based on open standards and Linux. Lordy, if this thing was a cute guy with money, it would be every mother's dream.

Pacer International announced completion of the Blueprinting phase of its SAP information technology system. The Blueprint, under development since October 2007, provides a path for the complete integration of Pacer International's business units under a single IT system, the implementation is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2008.

SAP announced findings of a research effort conducted with the University of St. Gallen that show IT projects based on a service-oriented architecture (SOA) improve software reusability, reduce operations cost and offer substantial process efficiencies. As SOA is currently undergoing mass adoption and establishing itself as a de facto technology standard for implementing software architectures for increased flexibility and simplified integration, organizations are looking for more economic justification for their initial SOA projects. The study focuses on the SOA business-value proof points that organizations are using to convey the benefits of an SOA strategy to decision makers.

SAP announced plans for the release of SAP NetWeaver Business Process Management and SAP NetWeaver Business Rules Management. The addition of these planned capabilities will further establish SAP NetWeaver as the strategic platform of choice for customers that execute a service-oriented architecture (SOA) strategy. The new tools from SAP are aimed to provide the business process flexibility needed to enable customers to turn strategic business insight into real-world execution. A vital part of SAP's robust platform offering, SAP NetWeaver allows IT organizations to drive more value by providing the agility to respond to requests from the business for new or adapted business processes. The addition of the planned capabilities will enable business process experts to design, model and execute new or adapted business processes without having to develop code. The SAP NetWeaver technology platform and its full set of capabilities allows companies to accelerate the consolidation of their IT landscapes, enabling them to enjoy new levels of the business process flexibility used to drive innovation and competitive advantage.

SAP announced a design and development governance offering for enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA.) The new offering will enable SAP customers to experience tangible business benefits as a result of an enterprise SOA strategy. Growing adoption of the SAP enterprise SOA strategy -- the design and reuse of rich enterprise services to enable efficiencies in business performance -- has led to customer requests for training and education involving SAP's proven design and development governance methodologies to help them speed their path toward enterprise SOA.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients has selected SAP to provide enterprise applications to replace its legacy system. The deal includes SAP ERP, Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Ballance's existing legacy system had been customized over the years in order to meet increasing business requirements. When it came time to upgrade, the company decided that SAP's packaged approach would be better able to achieve the desired business benefits when compared with competitors' offerings.

SAP and TechniData announced the availability of SAP REACH Compliance, a comprehensive software application for addressing complex tasks required by the European Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) legislation. The first REACH compliance deadline is pre- registration, which runs from June 1, 2008 to November 30, 2008. The remaining three REACH deadlines will occur in 2010, 2013 and 2018, respectively.

Demonstrating ongoing success in providing innovative solutions to insurers worldwide, SAP America, a subsidiary of SAP, announced that ICW Group has selected SAP to support its growth and transformation goals. Rather than work with point solution insurance providers, ICW Group has selected SAP solutions to upgrade its multiple lines of business onto one platform. As more insurers are experiencing the value of consolidation on a single-platform, ICW Group's decision to move away from a siloed information technology (IT) landscape will help to lower its total cost of ownership. ICW Group will implement industry-specific solutions from SAP for claims, payments, billing, financials and corporate performance management.

AMC Technology announced that seven additional Connectors for its MCIS 5.2 product recently achieved 'Certified for SAP NetWeaver' status from SAP for the interaction center capabilities integrated with the SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) application. The certified connectors include six connectors that integrate with SAP CRM via the SAP integrated communications interface: AMC Telephony Connector for Cisco ICM 5.2, AMC Telephony Connector for Envox CT Connect 5.2, AMC Telephony Connector for AES 5.2, AMC Telephony Connector for AIC 5.2, AMC Telephony Connector for Nortel CCT 5.2 and AMC MCIS WebChat 5.2. Also certified is the AMC MCIS Telephony Channel 5.2 connector that integrates with SAP CRM via the SAPphone interface.

SoftBrands announced an extension of its partnership with SAP. The companies will jointly pursue opportunities for affiliates and smaller sites of large enterprises. The goal and commitment is to pursue an SAP-centric solution at the plant level for large enterprises. SoftBrands is one of the first partners to work with SAP on a joint market approach and strategy for this market segment.

SAP announced that Oxford Industries will replace its financial information systems with the SAP ERP Financials solution. Oxford selected SAP as its software vendor of choice based on the company's reputation for providing value in the retail industry, its proven platform that supports customers with global operations and the superior functionality of the product.

Founded in 2006, SYS-CON Media's 'Virtualization Journal' is the world's first magazine devoted exclusively to what Gartner has earmarked as the single highest-impact IT trend through 2012: virtualization. And now it will be available on newsstands worldwide, as SYS-CON Media seeks to support the world-beating 'International Virtualization Conference & Expo' series produced by SYS-CON Events with top-quality print collateral, available at newsstands wherever fine-quality technical journals are sold.

SAP Public Services announced that Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has selected SAP's flagship enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP ERP. M-DCPS joins an increasing number of school systems investing in modern information technology to better manage their operations and improve public education.

EnteGreat announced its acquisition of the SAP Consulting Practice of Technology Solutions Company (TSC). The move substantially augments EnteGreat's existing SAP business and positions the company for growth in emerging markets. EnteGreat brings a blend of manufacturing expertise and technology systems integration to the new unit, while TSC's SAP Consulting Practice brings comprehensive consulting services, products, and project management expertise. By adding best-of-breed SAP consulting and project management capabilities to EnteGreat's existing SAP services, the newly expanded company will enable customers to align their enterprise business processes to their manufacturing operations more efficiently and cost effectively.

SAP announced growing market adoption for the company's new support services offering, SAP Enterprise Support. SAP Enterprise Support meets the evolving needs of customers by supporting a company's mission-critical business processes and heterogeneous software environment. The ongoing growth of SAP's robust product offerings and mass adoption of service-oriented architecture (SOA) have challenged traditional support models. No longer are bug fixes and maintenance sufficient. SAP Enterprise Support provides companies with a holistic offering that helps to reduce the risk and maximize the value that customers receive from their IT investments.

Infosys and SAP announced that Infosys has signed up to the SAP Global Service Partner Program in order to strengthen its capabilities to deliver enhanced value to customers. This announcement marks an important milestone in the relationship between the two organizations, which have been working together for more than five years to help companies realize information technology (IT) and business results from their investments in SAP applications. Through this newly expanded relationship, customers will benefit from bolstered implementation services, enhanced solution delivery and increased global reach. Progressive companies such as ABB Group have already realized the benefits of the existing partnership.

Optimal Solutions announced that it is a SAP channel partner authorized to resell the SAP Business All-in-One solution to midsize companies in North America. As an SAP Business All-in-One channel partner, Optimal further expands its middle-market offerings to include reselling SAP Business All-in-One solutions to midsize companies in select industries throughout North America. SAP Business All-in-One is a comprehensive, proven solution with preconfigured, industry-specific business processes to enable predictable and affordable implementations. Optimized for midsize companies, SAP Business All-in-One has the flexibility to adapt and extend as a business evolves and grows.

SAP revealed plans to further extend its fast-start program for SAP Business All-in-One solutions by expanding the strategic partnership with IBM that looks back on a long history of close collaboration in the areas of technology, channel and services. The two companies now take their established, reliable and scalable solutions that are for small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) to achieve optimal implementation times and total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers. The components will include IBM Power Systems, System x and BladeCenter servers, SAP Business All-in-One and an optimized database and operating system. Midsize companies in the services, trade and manufacturing industries are expected to gain benefits from these comprehensive offerings, as they allow for quick time to deployment of end-to-end business processes at a low TCO.

HCL Technologies introduced HCL's new BW Cockpit Solution. The new offering is a centralized repository of real-time and historical load data combined with a simple user interface that enables customers to predict and avoid SAP Business Information Warehouse slowdowns and failures. Leveraging this solution, customers can reduce monitoring costs by 30 percent, secure better analysis of patterns and trends, and eliminate manual errors.

Worksoft announced the availability of Worksoft Certify version 8.2, providing enhanced support for SAP business process functionality. Worksoft's flagship product, Worksoft Certify, offers a patented 'scriptless' approach to functional and business process validation testing, which allows business analysts and functional users to define, execute, and maintain tests through a menu-driven interface with business language narratives.

Siemens IT Solutions and Services announced that it has achieved gold-level status in the SAP Consulting Partner Program in North America. Siemens is also a global SAP-certified provider of application management services, a SAP global services partner, and a certified SAP global hosting partner. To achieve gold partner status, Siemens met strict SAP conditions for sound internal processes and procedures, internal organization and service quality. Gold partners in the SAP Consulting Partner Program, including Siemens IT Solutions and Services, have SAP consulting capabilities spanning several industries.

Novell announced a platform of identity and security management solutions optimized for use with the SAP NetWeaver platform and SAP business software applications. Targeted to address enterprise needs for end-to-end management solutions, Novell's identity and security management products augment SAP solutions for governance, risk and compliance (SAP solutions for GRC), as well as human resources and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. With Novell identity and security management solutions, SAP customers have access to policy management and enforcement capabilities, allowing them to reduce redundant administrative costs, automate tedious and error-prone manual processes, simplify password management, and adapt to a changing employee structure.

SAP announced growing adoption of its business software among small businesses and midsize companies across all regions, and in particular from growing economies as Brazil, China, India and Russia. The company's portfolio of business software for small businesses and midsize companies -- comprised of SAP Business One, SAP Business ByDesign and SAP Business All-in-One -- continues to attract an increasing number of customers from the small and midsize market. Currently at about 75 percent of the company's overall customer base, the number of small and midsize enterprise (SME) customers grew by 28 percent in the first quarter of 2008 (year-over-year).

Talend announced that Pipeline Software has signed a strategic partnership within the Talend Alliance Program. Under the terms of the agreement, the optimized interoperability between Talend's open source data integration technologies and Pipeline Software's Transporter solution will allow customers to integrate data between SAP and other business-critical applications.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions announced that its parent company, Konica Minolta Business Technologies (President: Akio Kitani), is participating in the new SAP Printer Vendor program, launched by SAP in collaboration with printer manufacturers. Konica Minolta Business Technologies is participating in the program as a gold-level member.