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Contents

R. NarayanManaging Editor

Disclaimer: While the publishers have made every attempt possible to get accurate information on published content in this handbook they cannot be held liable for any errors herein.

Published by: JNS Media International MFZEP.O. Box: 121075, Montana Building 404, Zabeel Road, Near GPO, Karama, Dubai-UAETel: 04-3705022 Fax: 04-3706639

Editorial

Founder & CEO: Vivek Sharma Managing Editor: R. NarayanEditor: David NdichuArt Director: Faiz Ahmed Sr. Sales Manager: R. Subramanyan Sales Coordinator: Smitha Jithesh

There are a lot more of new vendors coming into the market and we can see the spread in the portfolios of several Value

Add Distributors. Several start-ups have emerged of late and they are bringing solutions to fix challenges in niche areas across the major domains of security, networking, storage systems etc.

What is the fate that lies ahead for each of these relatively smaller sized vendors? Quite certainly, a few of them will grow into bigger Brands in future and some may get bought along the way by a larger company.But importantly, they all have a chance because the stranglehold of some of the powerhouse brands of the industry has loosened of late and may continue to do so as the move to cloud based models will challenge their agility to adapt to the new ways. Significant technology breakthroughs are helping smaller companies create greater value differentiation and helping them carve out their toehold in the market space. These companies especially have a good opportunity because more customers are looking at virtualization deployments and would be keen to look at new age solutions.

More customers are aware that equations in the industry are changing and there is a need to go with open standards based deployments that give them the option of interoperability and scalability with additional solutions that they may need to integrate in later phases. Decision making by IT departments when it comes to look at IT purchases need therefore to look at a wider range of options that will also give them flexible models of procurement. They would ideally want to avoid vendor lock-in.

This year, more customers would be looking to scale up capabilities of their IT infrastructures even as they look to roll out private clouds and therefore give ample opportunities for the new generation vendors to make serious inroads into customer accounts in the region. IDC predicts the overall spending on IT products and services in the region to be in MEA to exceed $32 Billion this year and with such a significant figure in prospect, the established brands will be battling it out with smaller but more agile vendors to corner as much market share for themselves in their chosen domains.

The stakes begin to even out

If they can TYPE on it, TALK on it, SWIPE on it, SURF on it, WORK on it, PLAY on it, TEXT on it, EMAIL on it, SEARCH on it, WRITE on it, or take thousands of unnecessary PHOTOS on it...

... you can SECURE it.

Try it free: sophos.com/mobile

Sophos Middle East | Office 205-EIB 5 | Alpha BuildingPO Box 500469 | Dubai Internet City | Dubai | UAE

Email: salesmea@sophos.com | Tel: +971 4375 4332

Sophos Mobile ControlCountless devices. One solution.

Cover Feature - 18

Riding the Cloud

More IT solutions are being made available over the cloud and companies will continue making progress towards adopting the model that fits their requirements best, with the hybrid cloud likely to be most popular option.

News in detail

Dell opens solution Centre in Dubai - 11

Fortinet unveils ‘Connected UTM’ strategy with new launches - 12

Feature - 14

Secured VisionTop Brands brought out the best in surveillance solutions at Intersec 2014

Techknow - 23

Cloudy outlookFayçal Saile, GM, META at Red Hat and an industry veteran, shares his insights about cloud computing trends in the region.

Point2Point

Virtual Stakes - 24Biju Chacko, MD, Flamingus Technologies FZE speaks about some focus areas and partnerships it is associated with

Striking at niche opportunities - 26Sarwan Singh, Managing Director at Prologix Distribution discusses the company’s key focus areas

Thriving on smart alliances - 28AnandChoudha, MD at Spectrami discusses how the VAD has equipped itself with some vital vendor alliances to have a wide portfolio focusing on security and cloud solutions

Insight - 30

The road to an optical futureShibu Vahid, Head of Technical Operations, R&M Middle East, Turkey & Africa shares his perspectives

Regulars

News BytesEyetechStats & Trends

4  |  February 2014 

News Bytes

Mackeen Technology, one of the fastest growing technology companies in Qatar, has announced that it is grouping its security-focused services under one new division, Mackeen Security. The consolidation will enable Mackeen to deliver more targeted and dedicated security solutions to its rapidly growing local customer base.

After winning major security systems contracts for the majority of leading five-star hotels and a renowned jewelry chain in Qatar, Mackeen has established itself as one of the country’s top security specialists. Mackeen Security will lean on its mother company’s solid reputation in the security space to offer cutting-edge solutions spanning Access Control, Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Surveillance, Vehicle Tracking, Radio Frequency Identification, and Building Management, among others.

Mackeen Security’s inception is well-timed as advanced security technologies are figuring more prominently in local development plans. The Qatari Government’s emphasis on ICT enabled growth and preparations for hosting the 2022 FIFA in particular are expected to boost demand for security solutions.

Mackeen consolidates security expertise

Mindware has achieved Distributor of the Year 2013 by Juniper Networks. The annual awards, made at Juniper’s recent Middle East & Africa regional partner summit in Dubai, U.A.E., recognized partners who have made the most notable contribution to their customers and so grown their business value with Juniper throughout 2013.

“According to some independent market analysis the MEA region is expected to have one of the fastest-growing Internet penetration rates globally, so effective, secure high-performance networking is a key business driver for service providers and enterprises in MEA,” said Mario Georgiou, area partner director for Juniper

Networks, Middle East & Africa. “Because we operate an indirect go-to-market model, Juniper’s channel partners are fundamentally important to our customers’ experience and Juniper’s success. Mindware was a great example of an effective partnership to build the best networks for our shared customers during 2013. ”

“This award is a testament to our expertise and widespread partner network, which has made us a valuable partner for Juniper– Mindware is extremely honoured to receive this award from Juniper. Combining Mindware’s local experience with Juniper’s innovative portfolio, we have been able to deliver highly-effective solutions to meet business needs,” says Mario Gay, General Manager, Mindware.

Mindware received its award during Juniper’s partner summit held in December.

StarLink, an IT security-specialized “true” Value-Added-Distributor (VAD) conducted its Annual Partner Conference for 2014 in Dubai, following another year of record growth and expansion. During the all-day event, StarLink and 6 of its key strategic vendors presented to Strategic Partners, and resellers alike, to enhance engagement and strengthen business relationships.

The Partner Conference was attended by over 100 channel partners from across the Middle East region and the event was kicked off by unveiling “StarLink Choice” which is StarLink’s new 2014 Channel Incentive Program, as well as, technology overviews and vendor keynotes from FireEye, RedSeal, Dell SonicWall, Bit9, Core Security and TITUS. In between presentations, interactive breakout sessions provided networking opportunities aimed to help channel partners accelerate revenue growth in 2014.

Nidal Othman, Managing Director at StarLink said. “We are extremely pleased with the excellent feedback we have received from Partners who attended the Conference. StarLink is gearing up to exponentially increase Channel momentum this year by optimizing the revenue and profitability potential for partners. On behalf of all at StarLink, we would like to thank our Channel Partners for attending this successful event, as well as, for their continuous dedication over the years, and we look forward to helping our Partners achieve exponential growth in 2014”

Mindware receives Juniper’s Award for Best Distributor

StarLink holds partner conference

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6  |  February 2014 

News Bytes

2X Software, a virtual desktop and application delivery solutions provider, has unveiled its latest 2X ApplicationServer XG version 11 in the Middle Eastern markets. This is the latest update to 2X ApplicationServer XG which enables any desktop or Windows application to be virtualized, centralized and managed in the datacenter and instantly delivered to users anywhere on any device.

2X ApplicationServer XG version 11 focuses on additional core Enterprise functionality which includes Sites Management and Role Based Administration. 2X has also set a new standard in Enterprise licensing for Cloud infrastructure by offering their solution at a cost of $75 per concurrent user.

“This is a significant release for 2X as it enables businesses of all sizes the ability to scale their virtualization infrastructure according to their organizational demands. We have achieved this through the development of a feature-rich, yet flexible virtual desktop and application delivery solution,” said Nikolaos Makris, CEO, 2X Software.

2X Software unveils new version

NetApp has appointed Fadi Kanafani as the new Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan. A skilled sales leader with 20 years of IT experience, Kanafani will be responsible for driving the NetApp business across these rapidly growing markets. His role covers development and execution of sales and marketing strategies, enhancing the channel ecosystem and expanding the NetApp customer base together with his teams. He reports to Konstantin Ebert, NetApp Director MEEEA for the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa.

“I am very excited about joining NetApp as I believe the market opportunity is great and it is

our chance to partner with the region to make the leap together into the future,” says Fadi Kanafani, Regional Director Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at NetApp. “NetApp is a leader in the IT industry and we rely on first class partners and distributors in pursuit of this market requirement. Together with them, we will team up to offer NetApp consulting and professional services along with the best kit to manage, access and safeguard our customer's most valuable assets, their data.”

FVC, a leading Value Added Distributor and authorised distributor for Cyan announced the launch of Cyan software-defined networking (SDN) and packet-optical solutions for enterprise networks in the Middle East. The announcement coincided with the recent visit of Cyan’s Chairman and CEO, Mark Floyd, to the region.

Cyan, a provider of SDN and packet-optical solutions, traditionally works with telecom operators and is offering these solutions now to enterprises across the Middle East. K. S. Parag, MD of FVC, said, “The solution is especially useful for large networks like university campuses, e-government services, airports, as well as oil & gas networks. This technology is also an enabler for smart cities and will help governments in the region provide a more diverse set of e-government services.”

To support the growing demand for SDN solutions in the region, Cyan has announced that it will be opening its Middle East presence with a regional office in Dubai. As part of its ongoing commitment to FVC, the new office will provide support to FVC’s sales, pre-sales and post-sales team.

“Bandwidth demands, cloud computing, mobility and other demands are forcing a new era in network transformation,” said Mark Floyd, chairman and CEO of Cyan. “With the increasingly distributed nature of enterprise infrastructures, new, flexible, and elastic SDN and packet optical services provide an important new means to monetize network investments and give end-users the ability to control their own services. Cyan is proud to expand its presence in the region and play an integral role in FVC’s offerings to the Middle East market.”

NETAPP appoints new Regional Director

FVC launches SDN solutions from Cyan

8  |  February 2014 

News Bytes

Huawei was a participant at the 2014 GASCO IT Exhibition showcasing the benefits of flexible and secure mobile Video Conferencing solutions within the Oil and Gas sector. The GASCO IT Exhibition took place in the MadinatZayed City between 26 and 30 January 2014.

“The shift from simple voice to video infrastructure is fuelling the growth of the unified communication market in the Middle East. The rising adoption of smart devices and the increasing acceptance of mobility solutions within regional enterprises are widening the usage of video conferencing as a mainstream form of communication,” said Eddy Wen, Director of Huawei Enterprise, UAE. Middle East.

Huawei has completed various successful HD Telepresence deployments worldwide for enterprises in the Energy sector, which has delivered significant staff travel expenditure reductions and increased remote working capabilities. To date, Huawei has successfully deployed approximately 300 video conferencing systems worldwide of which 70% deployed were its immersive Telepresence.

Huawei showcases video conferencing solutions at GASCO Linksys has announced the expansion of its small

business solutions with a line-up of indoor and outdoor IP surveillance cameras and a network video recorder for remote and live monitoring, playback and recording. The line-up offers four new 1080p IP surveillance cameras, available in dome and bullet options with additional features such as night vision, weatherproof, IK10 vandal-proof housing, remote access, zoom, pan and tilt features plus more. The network video recorder, developed specifically for use with the Linksys surveillance cameras, provides up to 8TB of storage and records up to eight video feeds simultaneously.

“The introduction of our new IP surveillance camera offerings combined with Linksys Business switches and VPN routers build upon our commitment to deliver high quality and reliable connectivity and security solutions that provide scalable connectivity to meet the growing demands of small businesses,” said Amanulla Khan, Regional Director - Emerging Markets, Linksys. “The cameras and network video recorder give small businesses and resellers with tools they need to provide superior security, surveillance and supervision.”

According to Linksys, the new surveillance cameras and network video recorder give small businesses and resellers a flexible monitoring solution that can be accessed on site or remotely using the existing IP network.

Linksys broadens IP surveillance portfolio

Red Hat has announced the general availability of OpenShift Enterprise 2, the latest version of its on-premise private Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering. With OpenShift Enterprise 2, customers can increase the velocity, efficiency and scalability of their IT service delivery, drive faster development of new applications and business services and reduce time-to-market. With enhanced features including datacenter infrastructure integration, an advanced administration console, support for even more programming languages, and new collaboration capabilities and expanded global availability, a wider range of developers can achieve the benefits of private PaaS technology for their cloud deployments.

Ashesh Badani, general manager, Cloud and OpenShift, Red Hat said, ““PaaS represents the fastest growing segment of cloud computing , and Red Hat offers the industry’s only full suite of open source PaaS solutions for both public and private PaaS. OpenShift Enterprise 2 extends this leadership and delivers what users want – an application-driven enterprise – by making PaaS even easier to consume.”

OpenShift Enterprise, introduced in November 2012, is a critical component of Red Hat’s vision for the open hybrid cloud.

Red Hat advances PaaS platform capabilities

©2014 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, APC, InfraStruxure, and Business-wise, Future-driven are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. www.schneider-electric.com • 998-3860_GMA-UK_Note3

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Business Value

The-Integrator_UAE_Feb_43467p.indd 1 2/10/14 8:25 AM

10  |  February 2014 

News Bytes

Canon Middle East has further consolidated its security camera business in the region with the launch of its ‘S’ series innovative IP security cameras. The new models were unveiled at Intersec 2014.

The new ultra-compact ‘S’ series has been designed for indoor environments which require sensitive monitoring of specific areas or items, such as the retail, education, commercial and hospitality sectors.

The new range comes equipped with inbuilt analytics providing end-users with solutions that are clearly value-for-money.

“Our partners, system integrators and resellers attended the show to witness the latest Canon security solutions and have clearly identified the significant business opportunities that lie ahead with the new range. Based on feedback from security partners and system integrators to help customers tighten security and minimise risk, we now offer the same comprehensive set of in-built analytics on the new compact series as already available on our high end security cameras,” said Hendrik Verbrugghe, Marketing Director, Canon Middle East.

The full HD IP cameras including its inbuilt analytics were showcased with a live demonstration. Features that impressed the IT channel include the True Wide Angle coverage, low light capability and the Smart Shade Control feature.

Canon broadens IP camera portfolio

Cambium Networks together with its preferred distributor partner, Prologix Distribution, held its largest Middle East end-user event in Dubai on 22 January, 2014. A large number of C-level, high profile delegates from the region's leading government and private sector institutions were in attendance. The mega-event christened as 'Connect the Unconnected', was hosted by Atul Bhatnagar, President and CEO of Cambium Networks.

Atul Bhatnagar said, “We have big plans for the MEA and are eager to make our customers and partners aware of our deep interest in this market. Prologix with its excellent technical capabilities and support is

spearheading our efforts in this region and ensuring top quality through the value chain. Together, we have determined a comprehensive strategy to deliver the best solutions, services and support and we will unveil this to the attendees.”

Bhatnagar was accompanied by his top executive team from Cambium and his Prologix counterparts. The year 2013 has been one of high intensity and acceleration at Cambium Networks with the launch of three of their new breakthrough product platforms - PMP 450, ePMP and PTP 650.

Cambium and Prologix hold Wireless Connectivity Event

StorIT, has announced the launch of its new subsidiary, Data Science Technologies (DST), a pioneer in the Big Data Analytics solutions and services space. As a wholly owned subsidiary of StorIT Distribution, Data Science Technologies will function as an independent company focused on providing cutting-edge tools, integration services and application development capabilities related to Big Data Analytics. “Organizations, in both private and public domains, are drastically ramping up investments in Big Data analytics as the hype around it in the last couple of years is turning into apparent value proposition that can define their core competencies. Enterprises across the world are planning to implement predictive analytics which can help use big data to increase productivity and profitability in all areas of business. DST has got the right pool of data scientists, developers, consultants, business practitioners and visionaries, who constitute the Big Data Practice, with industry-specific experience and skills to deliver appropriate solutions,” said Suren Vedantham, Group Managing Director, StorIT Distribution.

DST has initiated a channel development program to enable its reseller partners with the necessary skills to identify and address the high-growth potential opportunities in the Middle East.

DST has expertise in Hadoop, MapR, MapReduce, Greenplum, Elastic Search, Python, MongoDB, Redis Solr etc., and can offer consulting and integration services in the Big Data Analytics.

StorIT’s subsidiary focuses on Big Data

  February 2014  |  11

News In Detail

Dell recently announced the opening of its Dubai Solution Centre to

help customers in the EMEA Emerging region explore, test and deploy end-to-end solutions that help drive business outcomes and create competitive advantage.

The 330 square meter facility consists of a data centre, customer meeting rooms and labs. The new Centre supports the strategic expansion of Dell’s solutions and services capabilities, and highlights a wide range of cloud computing, software, data centre and end-user computing solutions. The Dubai centre is the 14thSolution Centre to be opened globally and the first in the EMEA Emerging Markets region.

The centre will be staffed by experts to work with customers, according to Lee Morgan-Vice President, Solutions and Sales Enablement at Dell. “We aim at a partnership system where the customer will come in with their challenges through the Dell Solutions and Services teamsavailable at the Centre,” Lee added.

The Solution Centre also marks part of Dell’s ongoing expansion in the Middle East, following its relocation to new

offices late last year. The new facilities have allowed Dell to consolidate much of its current Middle East operations and create an innovation hub for the company’s expanding team, as well as partners and customers. Dell has acquired several companies as part of its solutions strategy including Everdream, Force10, KACE, Ocarina, Scalent, SonicWALL, WYSE and Zing.

“The Middle East, as a fast-growing emerging market, is very important market to Dell,” said Lee, adding, “There’s a lot of interesting technology and innovation happening here as you do not have a lot of ingrained legacy systems as a lot of them are new companies. There’s therefore a lot of innovation around open standard platforms and the kind of solutions that Dell has so we see this as a very big opportunity.”

Through a network of global Solution Centres, Dell is helping customers architect, validate and build solutions from the data centre to the edge of the network. Dell Solution Centre’s offer on-site resources and experts who can assist customers with proof of concept testing prior to deployments, in order to ensure

that the solutions work in the customer’s environment. To date, more than 15,000 customer engagements have been completed at Dell Solution Centres around the world.

Lee said that the Solutions Centre is an integral part of Dell’s go-to market model being one of the important assets that the company uses to help win in the market. “Part of the vision for Dell here in the UAE and across the emerging markets is that we continue to work with our partners around innovation to have some critical solutions in the cloud area, and BYOD, and security as well as building out services capabilities that wrap around that,” Lee said.

Specific to the Middle East market, Dell will offer some specific geared more toward oil & gas, banking and the government sectors that have a strong presence here. “We have standard Dell solutions consistently throughout all the global centres but each centre has its own personality with solutions particular to that market,” said Lee. “I like to think it as having global expertise but brought down to the unique needs of the market,” Lee added.

Dell opens region’s first Solution Centre in DubaiDubai is set to become the first location in the region for a Dell Solutions Centre, joining a worldwide network of specially designed solutions experience hub for partners and customers Le

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12  |  February 2014 

Fortinet has unveiled 12 new products designed to connect and extend

Fortinet’s integrated security platforms for retail, branch offices and distributed enterprises. Under the umbrella of “Connected UTM,” Fortinet’s new FortiGate unified threat management appliances, wireless access points, wireless WAN extender, and Ethernet switches provide unparalleled policy and access control, threat protection and business continuity.

“Fortinet’s vision for retailers, branch offices and other massively distributed enterprise environments is Connected UTM,” said Alain Penel, Regional vice President for Fortinet in the Middle East. “By integrating the flexibility of Fortinet’s UTM appliances, wireless access points, wireless WAN extender and switching products, businesses can simplify their complex networks, improve management and ensure seamless policy enforcement, aggressively pursue new business opportunities, and reduce costs while enjoying all the benefits of high-performance network security.”

The foundation for Connected UTM begins with integration and management. Fortinet’s new FortiGate/FortiWiFi-30D-

POE, FortiGate/FortiWiFi-60D-POE and FortiGate/FortiWiFi-90D-POE and FortiGate-280D-POE all integrate the full suite of UTM security features plus WiFi access point control, switching, authentication, endpoint management and policy control in a single easy-to-manage device. This consolidated approach allows businesses to enforce policies across a number of device types and provide better security by having these devices plugged into and managed by a single FortiGate. The FG-280D-POE, with a total of 84 ports, was purpose-built for smaller networks

(such as retail locations and healthcare facilities) that want to take advantage of the very high port density to eliminate devices in their infrastructure, such as switches.

The next level in the Connected UTM platform incorporates the ability to connect and manage multiple devices through integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports. With this functionality, multiple devices, such as wireless access points,Point of Sale (PoS) devices, network video cameras and video recorders, digital signage, IP telephony systems can be attached and managed from a FortiGate Connected UTM.

Fortinet today also announced two new WiFi access points. The FortiAP-221C and FortiAP-320C support the new 802.11ac wireless standard, which offers data rates in excess of 1 Gbps. This level of performance helps meet higher bandwidth requirements for guest WiFi access without slowing down the performance of critical corporate data. In addition, by using FortiAP access points or FortiWiFi models, retailers can segment their network in order to provide guest access while

maintaining PCI DSS compliance.For organizations requiring broadband

as their primary connection or continuity/fail-over, Fortinet offers the FortiExtender-100B, an unobtrusive device that acts as a 3G/4G wireless WAN extender for improved relaying of critical data between a service provider and a FortiGate device. The FortiGate and the FortiExtender devices can be separated by as much as 100 meters, allowing the FortiGate to be in a basement or wiring closet and the FortiExtender antenna to be mounted in a different location.

Fortinet has also unveiled two

new switching appliances that extend the connected capabilities of the FortiGate platform. The FortiSwitch-224D-POE is a rack-mount appliance with 24 (10/100/1000) access ports and 12 PoE ports, and the FortiSwitch-108D-POE is a desktop appliance that offers 10 (10/100/1000) access ports and 8 PoE ports. These switches enable organizations to seamlessly integrate additional IP devices such as wireless access points, IP phones and other PoE equipment into the network.

Fortinet’s ability to integrate with Retail Analytics providers is an example of the power behind Connected UTM. Retail Analytics offers retailers a complete spectrum of big data management solutions, including monitoring, analyzing, influencing and monetizing consumer data in real time.

Fortinet unveils ‘Connected UTM’A

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14  |  February 2014 

If INTERSEC 2014 is any indication, the surveillance industry in the Middle East

is standing on solid ground.The region’s largest and most

prestigious event for everything security, INTTERSEC this year was a vibrant and undoubtedly gainful affair as the largest players in the industry gathered to showcase the latest technology in security and surveillance.

Among them were Axis Communications and the duo of Japanese electronics giants, Sony and Panasonic.

The region has no shortage of massive infrastructure projects for high end surveillance systems from the vendors.

However, with technology advancement and lowered prices overall, many SMBs are increasingly getting in on the surveillance bandwagon.

Marwan Khoury, Axis Communications Marketing Manager for the MEA concurs. He says that SMBs are now entering the market rapidly as technology allows the company to drive down costs to target these smaller players. “Having high-end products is not really crucial for these small businesses so they typically will go for lower-priced products. Having said that, image quality and the quality of the product has not changed.”

Hidenori Taguchi, Head of Marketing B2B Products and Solutions Sony Professional Solutions MEA explains that there has been a notable reduction in prices due simply to more competition as a lot more manufactures come into the market. “We have to cover different needs from users. So if cost is the top priority for the customer, we need to cover those customers as well with entry-level cameras at a lower cost. For those that

require higher-end devices, we have the products for that market at higher prices,” said Taguchi.

According to Noriyuki Hayashi, Marketing Manager, System Solutions Dept. Panasonic Marketing, MEA, specific applications ultimately determines what surveillance system customers will buy. “For instance for government and mission-critical applications, they prefer a higher level of quality and this is an area we are traditionally very strong at. Having said that, we are also growing in residential, retail and hospitality sectors, segments that are quite price sensitive. So now we have entry-level products to

compete in this segment even though we still maintain our quality standard,” said Hayashi.

As markets stagnate elsewhere in the world, the MEA Market is a unique bright spot for the surveillance industry with the regional market growing at double digits, according to industry figures.

Sony’s Taguchi says that as an emerging market, the Middle East is one of the few growing markets in the world with the headquarters in Japan investing a lot of resources here.

The Middle East, although not a very big market compared to Europe, Asia and North America for Panasonic, is a very high growth market, said Hayashi. “There are also major events in the near future in the region and we expect significant demand for our products because of this. And because of the rich natural resources in the region, we look forward to stable growth in years to come,” Hayashi added.

Although today a lot of movement is around IP, there are still a lot of companies in the region still with legacy analogue

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Secured Visionsystems in place and vendor support is crucial to help them transition to IP.

To help in this transition, Sony offers unique solutions such as IP over Coax such as the SNC Z-series range which features an IP camera that can be attached to a conventional coaxial cable ordinarily used for analogue cameras. So if a customer already has an analogue connection and they do not want to replace their cabling, they can just still utilize those existing coaxial cables and simply replace cameras at the edge. The resolution will increase from standard analogue to full HD resolution, Taguchi explained.

Top brands brought out the best in surveillance solutions as INTERSEC 2014made a successful return in Dubai for the15th year running.

Feature | INTERSEC 2014

16  |  February 2014 

With smaller projects for instance in small retail outlets, it’s crucial for customers to be able to install the systems quickly but also be able to not manage it with no complicated support regime.

For Axis this means integrating a lot more features in the cameras themselves. Marwan explains that Axis is offering storage inbuilt in the camera itself. And with better technology, cameras do not need to be filming 24 hours continuously and will only get activated when there’s a perimeter breach to the system,which again reduces costs, adds Marwan.

Most of Sony’s cameras are built with ease of use in mind. “All of our cameras comply with ONVIS standards which means they are supported by a lot of recording solutions providers like Milestone, Genetec etc. The customer can choose virtually any recording solution with our cameras which makes it easy to use for end users.”

The cameras themselves are becoming smart with intelligence built-in.

Panasonic has invested in video analytics technology built into the IP camera itself. Features such as instant intelligent video motion detection through face detection technology are now standard in many cameras, Hayashi

explained. “Intelligent systems are an area we are very strong at and this year we have introduced a face-matching technology suitable for high-security applications,” Hayashi said.

Taguchi explained that some of Sony’s cameras have built-in intelligence allowing users to set different intelligent functions for example a virtual trip wire that triggers breaches triggering an alarm.

Customers have a full range of innovative features to choose from when they are shopping for a surveillance system today.

Axis offers Nightfinder technology which provides users in low-light conditions the ability to see perfectly in full colour. The Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) of cameras is also in high demand in this part of the world particularly where you have a lot of sunlight. WDR eliminates the glare effect so you always nice crisp images, explains Marwan.

The new products from Panasonic this year are the 6-series IP cameras which among other features offer super-enhanced dynamic technology. “We continue to develop IP cameras with advanced technology. We are also deploying a compact portable IP camera with wide angle ideal for ARM applications,” said Hayashi.

The region, with high temperatures, sandstorms and bright sunlight requires specialized cameras able to withstand these conditions.

With the Middle East experiencing high temperatures, Taguchi explained, Sony offers a range of outdoor cameras specifically tailored to this region that can withstand up to 60 degrees temperatures.

This year Panasonic was displaying an environmental surveillance solution as based on its video analytics technology. “Our software support now makes contrast better making it easy to identify inclement weather conditions and adjust accordingly so images can still be identified even under extreme weather conditions,” said Hayashi.

At Axis “We have a range of cameras that we have introduced specifically for this region such as the Q60RC which can withstand temperatures of up to 75 degrees Celsius but also dust proof, humidity proof and has an active cooling system inside,” said Marwan.

Surveillance solutions vendors have their work cut out for them. The Middle East is a region that takes its security seriously. Add that to the numerous infrastructure projects now and in the near future and these brands will need to work hard just to keep up.

Feature | INTERSEC 2014M

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18  |  February 2014 

More IT solutions are being made available over the cloud and companies will continue making progress towards adopting the model that fits their requirements best, with the hybrid cloud likely to be most popular option.

The pace at which the market is responding to adopting more of

cloud computing services is beginning to show an acceleration. This is primarily because more decision makers are aware and confident about how these new generation solutions enable their infrastructure and processes, while keeping costs reasonable.

There are reports that suggest further momentum. Gartner predicts the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is projected to experience one of the highest global growth rates for public cloud services. The UAE’s cloud market in particular is primed for annual compound growth of 43.7% until 2016, according to a recent report from technology-focused market intelligence firm IDC.

Yarob Sakhnini, Regional Sales Director, MEMA at Brocade Communications says, “CIOs are aware of the new business models, consumption models, user expectations, security issues and privacy concerns associated with the cloud - and they will use the cloud to drive growth and innovation throughout their organizations.In 2014, cloud computing will develop into a key business enabler and, as private clouds mature, the desire to leverage public cloud elasticity will grow.”

There is a buzz and growing adoption of over the cloud services across verticals. Some specific applications are seeing more traction in this transition towards the cloud services model.

Prramhod Shetty, Regional Sales Director, Brams says, “We have been seeing a very positive growth year after year in this region in deployments of cloud based solutions. We are excited with the response as more and more verticals have started deploying several cloud services like Messaging, Collaboration, ERP& CRM.”

Noman Qadir,Director, Channels, Citrix Middle East and Africa however opines that there has been a delay in adoption that varies from market to market.

He says, “Service providers have seen a slow uptake from their customers. The

Cover Feature | Cloud Computing

Ridingthe Cloud

  February 2014  |  19

emotional shift and time needed to build trust with service providers is slowing the pace of consumption of cloud computing services. The diverse Middle Eastern region, with several countries and varying needs and requirements, is also an influencing factor given that organizations are sensitive about working with providers from other countries.”

Trust towards service providers plays a crucial part and will take time to build. Inevitably, the advantage would be with telecom operators as they extend into such services as they already have an installed base of customers as well as the infrastructure in place.

Glen Ogden, Regional Sales Director, Middle East at A10 Networks says, “If we look across the region, operators have a unique advantage over other Cloud players as they already have much of the required infrastructure already deployed, making it far more cost effective for them to launch Cloud based offerings. A wider choice from more cloud providers would certainly help accelerate the pace of cloud as a technology in our region but the key issue for many is how to do this cost effectively given the upfront cost of deploying such a solution and the lack of predictable revenues until a critical mass of users has been achieved.”

While it cannot be denied that cloud computing is a paradigm change and is certainly going to get more pervasive as a dominant model of how computing services are delivered and accessed, there are not as many service providers offering such services. Companies are still unsure of the commercial viability of offering cloud services.

Glen says, “It could be argued, that companies wishing to offer Cloud solutions, have waited in order to assess the success of existing services currently available in the market, or

have chosen to launch using a managed cloud service from the larger players. This behaviour, has clearly slowed down the proliferation of cloud solutions as the number of players that can offer these services is limited and it takes time to assess their success as revenue is typically back-ended once that critical mass of users has been achieved.”

The onus is on service providers to move faster to make more over the cloud services available. This will take its due course of time via a gradual build-up but is inevitable. In the longer run, the adoption rates could go through the roof.

Noman says, “Given the lack and variety of offerings available from service providers, users have that dilemma and hence there could be complexities. However, like any innovative concept, time will settle down the nerves and offerings will become simpler as the business processes and local skills develop. The technology to make is happen is there, it is just a matter of optimising the go-to-market approach, simplifying subscription processes and costs and the whole phenomenon will mushroom into mass adoption.”

The rise of the hybridWith public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud options to choose from, customers will figure out which approach suits their objectives either on immediate basis or longer term and accordingly opt. For instance, smaller to medium size organisations could find an easier access to enterprise grade services when they sign up with a public cloud services provider. On the other hand, larger organisations will give more emphasis to security. According to Yarob, questions such as where will the data be stored, who will be responsible for the security of data, what are the SLA's that will be provided by third-party cloud providers are among the hurdles to the advancement and adoption of the public cloud.

Yarob adds, “We have definitely

seen more companies approach the cloud with actual interest beyond the initial hype. While SMB's may turn to the public cloud in order to avail of enterprise class services without the inhibiting cost overheads, it is unlikely that these risks will be overlooked by larger organizations. It comes as no surprise then that enterprises are instead choosing to test the waters by deploying private and hybrid cloud models.I think at first this will be the way to go since the legal aspects pertaining to public cloud models are still far from being standardized.”

Hybrid clouds offer the best features of both the public and private cloud options. So if it has been designed well, it will offer both scalability and cost efficiency of the public cloud while at the same instance also offer the assurance of data governance, security and control

Yarob SakhniniSales Director, MEMA

Brocade Communications

20  |  February 2014 

that a private cloud offers.Yarob adds,“When properly built,

hybrid clouds offer a strategic advantage to businesses by redirecting resources from siloed IT provisioning to service innovation. When you splice together a hybrid environment where services talk to each other -- rather than sitting as stand-alone applications -- you can build a tapestry of rich, engaging services for your target audience, whether they are customers, internal, or public-facing.”

However, Noman believes public clouds will eventually gain trust and popularity and gain precedence over both the hybrid and private cloud options.

Noman says, “In the early stages the hybrid cloud approach can work. However, Citrix believes that there will be convergence of the various cloud types eventually and public clouds will become the source of services worldwide.”

The checklistLarger organisations are better placed to adopt cloud computing since they have deployed virtualisation in some form or the other in their IT infrastructure.

“We have seen virtualization become

something of a norm among our large customers. This rampant virtualization has fundamentally changed the nature of applications by detaching them from their underlying IT infrastructure and introducing a high degree of application mobility across the entire enterprise. It is this concept of the 'Virtual Enterprise' that we feel unleashes the true potential of cloud computing in all its forms - private, hybrid and public. “

Cloud readiness is a challenge currently smaller sized organizations face that haven’t as yet deployed any Virtualisation Technology as yet.

Yarob says, “An increasing number of small organizations are making the transition toward virtualization and cloud, but many are grappling with the challenge of managing IT infrastructure and ensuring application availability. Further, many do not have in-house technical expertise or resources available to larger enterprises to smoothly make this transition.

There is much legwork to be done before organizations can look at optimizing their usage of cloud services. This involves the evaluation of the

underlying IT infrastructure that will be necessary to support the cloud.

“Most of the customers are deploying multiple Cloud products where Cloud brokers like us play a major role in deploying and integrating the services together to avoid any complexities. Once customer decides on the Cloud products it’s important to consider 4 most important tasks in deploying cloud i.e. Planning, Migration & Transition, Internal Communication Plan and Adoption survey,” says Prramhod.

Customers need to be aware if they would be getting into deployments that are ensuring vendor-lock which can be detrimental to the objectives of going in for cloud based solutions. Interoperability as well as the relative freedom to change cloud providers as required should be part of the considerations.

“Given the open nature of cloud computing, IT managers need to be especially wary of proprietary cloud offerings as moving away from this can be both complex and costly. Instead they should opt for open standards based solutions which bring together best-in-class technologies from leading vendors

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Cover Feature | Cloud Computing

  February 2014  |  21

in order to create highly flexible IT environments. These solutions should enable the customer to specify their choice of server, network and virtualizations technologies within a pre-validated framework,” says Yarob.

There are more challenges on the road ahead. For instance, bandwidth requirements for mission critical applications as they shift to the cloud could be significant and could lead to bottlenecks. Further security should not be an afterthought but rather be an integral part of the framework.

He says, “While the requirements may not be significant for non-mission critical applications, but as businesses shift increasingly complex processes to the cloud, the demands on the network will increase. This is further intensified by access to cloud services from remote locations and though mobile devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.Security should be a core factor when developing a cloud solution. Cloud computing security must be engineered into the cloud design, rather than added as a retrofitted control or a paper-based exercise at the point of audit.”

Organizations need to take note of risks and reduce them while deploying the cloud infrastructure. That will ensure they get to enjoy the real benefits of adopting the cloud. Further, the service providers need to focus on the user experience.

Noman comments, “Trust related to security and confidentiality, user experience, service management, and choice of services are key to adoption. Since the entire cloud model depends on end users, it is crucial to consider their views when developing cloud and deploying cloud offerings. Technology companies must change their way of thinking and reverse the thought process,

it is about the one who will consume the services and not about how great and fancy a provider’s service is. Hence relevance to the needs will decide the fate of cloud providers. “

The channel’s roleThe Cloud services model challenges the channel to change the way they have taken themselves to market. There are opportunities for smaller as well as larger sized integrators. With smaller sized integrators, the lack of short team predictability with the revenue streams in cloud based model could prove to be a bottleneck. A certain threshold magic figure would need to be reached to get the economics right and which could take time and that could be testing for smaller sized integrators.

Glen says, “The opportunities are there for the taking. However, cloud services are demand driven and typically follow an incremental revenue model which places a significant financial burden on the mid-size/smaller integrators until a critical mass of users is achieved whereupon their initial investment can be recovered and profits finally achieved. This lag between the launch of a cloud service and its ability to generate predictable revenue adversely affects the smaller players in the market as they are more likely to struggle with bridging this gap financially.”

Generating this critical mass would be a challenge and would either require giving some trial offers in the beginning or a slower method of incremental growth. Whichever it is, it going to be a tough rope walk in the initial phase for smaller sized players who may not

have the financial muscle to stay put during a lean phase of cash flow.

Glen adds, “Regardless of the go to market strategy, cloud is about building a

critical mass of customers and providing excellent service for the long term, whilst continually evolving the service around business needs until a predictable revenue stream is reached. Therefore, the reality is, it’s significantly easier and carries less financial risk for the large services providers to achieve this in comparison to the small to medium size integrators.”

Reselling services from larger operators could be an easier option in the beginning for smaller integrators looking to have a cloud services module in their go to market offerings.

Glen further adds, “There is a clear desire from the channel to launch cloud services to their customers but as we have seen, the high costs of doing this coupled with the burden of going it alone mean this isn’t an easy decision to make. This is where the ‘managed' or ‘self provisioned’ cloud options from the larger players/operators become invaluable as they allow the channel to launch services without significant cost or risk. The larger players/operators have many options in terms of launching these services, from incremental revenue through value add services and support, allowing customers to self-provision or 'try before they buy’.”

Having said that, all integrators certainly need to build in cloud services into their offerings. They can always look to extend such services to existing customers in their journey towards gaining traction in their cloud services model.

Noman say, “Most System Integrators have thought about moving to a cloud based model to offer workloads like mobility and end user computing as

"There is a clear desire from the channel to launchcloud services to their customers but as we

have seen, the high costs of doing this coupledwith the burden of going it alone mean this isn’t an

easy decision to make."

22  |  February 2014 

Cover Feature | Cloud Computing

an offering. These mid-sized integrators usually have two to three year contracts for end points and core infrastructure maintenance with customers anyway. The majority of businesses in our region fall into the mid-market category and therefore there is a huge opportunity in the market for service based offerings.”

The channel will also have a vital role to play in the transition phase as enterprises and other customers adopt more and more of cloud computing services.

“Irrespective of wherever it is and whoever owns it, the underlying physical infrastructure must still be optimized for cloud delivery. Herein lies the opportunity, as channel partners play a critical role in the design and delivery of the network. Cloud may be the buzz word; but transformation – complex, confusing, and potentially costly – is vital, and is the first step on the journey to the cloud. The cloud is definitely not 'plug and play.' Which is why providing a clear path to cloud and providing solutions to remove the complexity, confusion and reduce the cost, is where the channel comes into its own,” says Yarob.

There is a heavy emphasis on value addition in the cloud era with new generation vendors coming in all the time into the market. The channel would need to offer customers alternatives that don’t lock in CAPEX dollars for upgrades for instance.

“As the cloud levels the IT playing field, customers will now look for the best-in-class, not the biggest; and vendors will be pushed to deliver solutions that are more open, flexible and cost-effective in a mixed environment. The days of ‘rip-and-replace’ are over. Customers can’t afford it any more. And this is where the channel is key– playing the role of integrator, trusted advisor

and expert. Channel can help bring old infrastructure and new together to deliver performance improvements, cut complexity, reduce management and maintenance costs, and enable virtualized environments and cloud,” explains Yarob.

According to Prramhod, smaller integrators can be very successful in this Cloud services business. It is a skill based business and those who wants to get into Cloud service need to enable their team skills to handle Migration, deployment, Change management and continuous support on integration.

He adds, "As the opportunities for large implementations/upgrades dwindle, the pure-play SI need to re-focus on subject matter expertise, high touch value-added services that still need to be delivered through local channel.”

Channel partners now have an opportunity to go up the value chain instead of focusing on activities like hardware upgrades, help-desk, maintenance and so on. Getting on the cloud bandwagon will require them to develop new skill sets.

Prramhod says, “ Cloud Business allows them to focus on areas like Business Process orchestration, integration, legacy Migration Change Management and building vertical applications on cloud platforms.

Partners will have to reassess their go to market metholdologies. They will need to develop a greater understanding of the customer's Business processes and accordingly design solutions.

"The cloud is definitely not 'plug and play.' Which is why providing a clear path to cloud and

providing solutions to remove the complexity, confusion and reduce the cost, is where the channel

comes into its own"

Noman adds, “We have to be careful about generalising the term “the channel” though. Skilled partners who understand the technology but

also processes and ideologies like service management and delivery, cost models, co-existing platforms and consumer experience will have a bigger role to play and such channel partners are a rare breed today. The channel partners that embody the aforementioned attributes will be the ones that help clear the cloud clutter.”

Noman QadirDirector Channel

Citirx Middle East & Africa

  February 2014  |  23

TechKnow | Red Hat

to serving as a more passive intermediary.Are users looking to multiple cloud service providers for their needs? Does this lead to complexities?Industry analysts and others are in broad agreement that IT is increasingly hybrid. Multiple providers, whether IaaS, PaaS, or Saas, will be the norm as will be a mix of on-premise and public clouds. Managing this heterogeneity is therefore just something that organizations will have to do. Thus, they should strategically consider hybrid cloud management that's built on an open approach that cuts across vendor and technology stacks.

Hybrid cloud is highlighted as the most robust way to approach cloud deployment. Is this the trend in the region?While it's still early days for hybrid

clouds (and, indeed, cloud computing broadly), the trend is clearly toward IT becoming a broker of services whether built in-house or sourced from a variety of outside providers. Both hybrid IT and the integrated management and governance of hybrid IT services are where IT is headed and forward-looking organizations are headed down that path.

What are the critical things to look at before deploying cloud?Cloud is a strategic decision. The most successful organizations will approach it as such--rather than just the next iteration of virtualization. They'll proceed systematically--whether starting with a private cloud or by sourcing select public cloud services--and build toward a hybrid future using open technologies and approaches.

Red Hat recently

announced the

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general manager

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Africa (META)

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trends in the

region.

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Are cloud deployments seeing a good pace of adoption?Given the variety of forecasts about various aspects of cloud computing, it's hard to say what "was expected" in the general sense. In the case of public cloud providers specifically, though, it's probably fair to say that it has increased more quickly than many expected as organizations have become increasingly educated about and comfortable with using cloud service providers for appropriate workloads. In general, there are "enough" cloud service providers although I expect to continue seeing new entrants aiming to address the requirements of specific vertical industries or other groups that aren't fully met by broad-based public clouds.

Are there opportunities for smaller integrators in the cloud model?There are opportunities for mid-size and small providers but they will need to legitimately differentiate from the large providers such as Amazon. Differentiation could include tailored services for a specific country, industry, or other groups of users with unique data locality, regulatory, support, or localization needs (such as language). That said, the best large providers are continually adding services and will be tough to compete with on operational efficiency so smaller providers will have to pick their targets carefully and execute well to succeed.

How can the channel look to provide cloud services to customers? One way that the channel can benefit from the cloud is to help their customers acquire public cloud services and implement private clouds, as appropriate, to satisfy their specific business requirements. The channel has, in effect, a trusted advisor role that draws on their expertise in the customer's industry or whatever other aspect they've chosen to differentiate on. One implication is that--as has been the general trend over time--the channel will have to increasingly develop deep expertise in their focus areas as opposed

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be cost savings in facility overheads. Company employees can work from the comfort of their home or office, or wherever they may happen to be. And perhaps most importantly, money can be saved by reducing the cost of expensive computers and office equipment.

Discuss the markets and verticals you focus on?We have provided IT solutions and services to customers of all sizes across all verticals from the beginning. While our corporate office is in Dubai and most of our business is in the Middle East region. However, we have provided services on a worldwide basis.

We cross train our technical team members to know the strengths and weaknesses of all the different vendor solutions. We will always recommend

what is best for our customers without having bias towards any vendor.

Our extensive experience, vendor relationships, and a proven track record provide a solid foundation for our on-going success and growth. This allows us to thrive in a sometimes unforgiving economy and meet our commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices, while providing a core group of services

Discuss your virtualization services in detailOur consulting services covers the whole gamut around enablingvirtualization. This includes Server Virtualization, Application Virtualization and Application Virtualization. Server Virtualization services are a component to the general virtualization strategy within the IT

Flamingus is a new generation IT consulting company based out of Dubai. It has expertise in virtualization solutions, mainly application and Desktop virtualization. Biju Chacko, MD, Flamingus Technologies FZE speaks about some focus areas and partnerships it is associated with

Virtual stakesDiscuss the major market and Technology domains that Flamingus focuses on as a consulting company? Flamingus Technologies as a company focuses mainly around vitualization and cloud computing consulting and solutions. We are a Microsoft Partner, Citrix Partner, Cloud Project partner and VMware Authorized Consultant. In addition, we have also established relationships with many other top tier vendors including Veeam and Manage Engine.

We specialize in helping customers create a private cloud using server and desktop virtualization, thus enabling IT departments to offer Software and IT As a Service to their internal users. We provide best in class Virtualization consulting services that can help save companies from having to pay extra power and maintenance expenses. There can also

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Point2Point | Flamingus

  February 2014  |  25

enterprise, which works in tandem with network virtualization services, desktop virtualization services, cloud computing and more. Application virtualization is software technology that encapsulates application software from the underlying operating system on which it is executed. Desktop virtualization means running many machines in a datacenter on a hypervisor. For server, desktop and application virtualization, we provide solutions from Microsoft, VMware and Citrix.

We also provide Virtualization Management, Monitoring and Backup solutions from Veeam

As a partner for Citrix, there is also a significant focus on consulting for Thin client computing. Thin client devices help reduce operations costs in terms of managing hardware and software for end points.

We provide a solution to manage virtualized desktops, virtualized servers, terminal servers (with or without Citrix XenApp) and physical systems to provide an end-to-end view of the environment. This also supports the complete range of deployments, from physical environments to partially/fully virtualized environments, to cloud computing.

In addition, as a Citrix partner, we also do auditing of existing Citrix infrastructure and recommend improvements.

Do you see a growing demand for virtualization and cloud computing solutions? Yes, we are witnessing a growing demand for virtualization and cloud computing solutions. Analysts forecast the Global Server Virtualization market to grow at a rate of 31 percent over the period 2012-2016. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the

need for better productivity of enterprise servers. The Global Server Virtualization market has also been witnessing the reduced downtime of end-user systems. However, the need for huge initial capital investment is reducing the adoption among SMEs which could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.

Do you also focus on physical infrastructural deployments and consulting?Apart from virtualization, in terms of physical, we focus on Lakeside Systrack based tools to analyze physical devices and resolve issues. We also provide solutions for helpdesk management and network monitoring.

What is the cloud computing portfolio of the company? Please elaborateWe provide consulting solutions for organizations to move to cloud seamlessly. We recommend suitable hosting providers. As Amazon Web Services partner, we are keen to develop cloud infrastructure based on AWS in this region. We also recommend Office 365 based could based E-mail solutions.

Discuss your association with Cloud Project. We are a partner for CloudProject in the region. Cloud Project provides a rethinking of the VDI concept through its devices, i.e. exploit the power of the CloudProject devices to carry over the most common tasks that do not require a full client environment or are better suited to run on the CloudProjectt client, and resort to a Virtual Desktop only when really needed,

substantially reducing the hidden costs of a traditional VDI solution.

What kind of devices does Cloud Project offer?

Cloud project pocket key devices can be as small as a USB stick, inside them there’s enough CPU power and memory (up to 4 cores ARM Cortex A9 1.6GHz, 2GB DDR3 RAM) to run natively a concurrent number of Android applications. Legacy applications are fully supported to run with legacy VDI clients (VMware View, Citrix Receiver, Microsoft RDS). They have wired Ethernet connectivity as well as WiFi 802.11b/g/n (up to 300 mbps). With their Mali400MP GPU, they are also perfectly suitable for running multimedia applications up to 1080p resolution with extreme smoothness and fluidity. They are a unique key enabling technology to achieve a real ROI in a VDI project.

CloudProject devices have been designed using the latest Smartphone & tablet technologies in order to reduce power consumption and to provide the best performance under all conditions.Compared to traditional Thin Client solutions, which very often require costly adjustments to the Company network and server infrastructure that lower the TCO of the VDI project, CloudProject devices do not require any changes to the network and can reduce the needs in terms of the number of Virtual Desktops in the Datacenter. Multimedia applications run natively on the device without the need to encapsulate the stream into compression protocols and redirect the audio/video streams inside virtual machines. At the same time, the lower network bandwidth required by this solution can help a Business to move to the Cloud technology, being either Private or Public.

"we are witnessing a growing demand for

virtualization and cloud computing solutions. Analysts

forecast the Global Server Virtualization market to grow

at a rate of 31 percent over the period 2012-2016"

26  |  February 2014 

Prologix has carved out its strongholds in value add distribution, in key areas including Testing& Measurement and has branched out into additional domains. Sarwan Singh,Managing Director at Prologix Distribution discusses the company’s key focus areas.

Striking atniche opportunities

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What have been some of the key trends that have emerged of late in value added distribution and how have you shaped your market strategy accordingly?The distribution industry has seen some changes in the way business operate by bringing in effect additional deliverables as part of “Value Added Distribution”. For some organizations, it is about providing right solutions but for others it is all about delivering at best prices. 2013 has seen a fierce competition in terms of new players emerging in the market with innovative strategies to differentiate from the rest and earn more profits.

For Prologix, the strategy has always been to deliver the clients what the partner could have done. We act as an extended arm for our partners and ensure that we lend the right solution/products to the customer. From the very beginning, Prologix has focused on niche segments

like Test & Measurement, Wireless, RF& Microwave with the best in class products and we believe our efforts are appropriately “Value-Add”.

Who are the vendors you are associated with?Prologix partners with brands like Cambium Networks, Totolink, LevelOne, Sub10, Ideal Networks, Agilent Technologies and many more which has products/solutions in these categories- Test & Measurement, Wireless, RF & Microwave. Government and private businesses today need cost effective

solutions with unmatched quality and performance and we as VAD stand out to deliver technology solutions to meet specific IT needs in this region.

One of your major segments seems to be Unified Communications. Discuss the adoption of teleconferencing and related solutions as this sector continues to progress in the Middle East and Africa

For Unified Communications, Prologix having achieved Avaya’s highest certification level, is one of the vendor’s select ‘Platinum’ partners in the region. We have been associated with Avaya since 2005 and Prologix has a dedicated pre-

sales, sales and support team to design and implement Avaya Voice, Video and Data. With the expertise and experience, we have delivered high quality solutions to over 30 customers in the past 2 years spanning diverse industry verticals that include education, finance, logistics, hospitality and construction. With Avaya, every interaction is an experience and we help customers integrate voice, video and data to communicate and collaborate in real time.

The most reliable and secure UC solutions from Avaya can be seamlessly integrated allowing customers to

Point2Point | Prologix

  February 2014  |  27

answer deskphone from mobile, reply to e-mail with voice and many other innovative features. Enterprises today need an end-to-end customer experience management system to deliver the best customer services and focus on the core business. We assist organizations communicate with their customers in the most perfect and reliable way. We provide networking solutions which provide better performance, increased reliability, efficiency and scalability.

Avaya switches and routers build networks that will stay up and running with no downtime. Prologix works closely with Avaya to deliver comprehensive communications solutions that meet and exceed customer expectations. The award “Best Avaya Partner of the Year Award-Mid Market Category” has brought in more momentum to drive sales and effectiveness in the delivery of complex large scale Avaya communications.

Prologix maintains offices in Africa with physical locations in Kenya and Nigeria.

Do you have a larger strategy for the Africa market?Prologix has expanded the operations to the African continent with respect to the distribution segment. We have our offices in Nigeria and Kenya and have managed to enter into the African market by building relationships with local resellers and SIs in the region. We have signed up distributor agreements with our partners for the African region to deliver the right mix of technologies to enterprises and government sectors alike.

Prologix has seen a huge potential and we see many other technology companies having their eye on this Africa continent as well. Companies delivering best technologies in the field of wireless intends to bring broadband to places that do not have electricity yet. Our strategy focuses on investing in local people, focusing on local projects and make a significant contribution technically and commercially.

Discuss your partnership with Cambium

NetworksPrologix has signed up with Cambium Networks, a leading Global manufacturer of outdoor wireless infrastructure solutions for the Middle East and African Regions. Prologix with this partnership is offering industry innovative wireless outdoor solutions. We have also had two amazing events in Kenya and UAE which drew a massive attendance of C-level professionals from across the GCC and African nations. .

Discuss growth prospects for 2014Growth, both in terms of value and volume and we will be focusing on enhancing our VAD deliverables.We aim to have over 5000 channel partners on board and in excess of 25 brands in our products portfolio by the end of 2014. We would be focusing on striking alliances with enabled partners who will eventually be responsible for pre-sales, sales, marketing and post-sales support as well which is the most important factor to drive growth in this region.

28  |  February 2014 

large enterprises, major business and government entities.Beside, individuals and groups, this region has also witnessed a rise in state sponsored cyber-attacks around disruptions of services and advanced threats through malware and social engineering. Apart from external threats, we are also seeing privileged user threats, which is the cause of sensitive data exfiltration.

To combat such modern threats, Spectrami has tied up with the world’s leading security specialist vendors. These include General Dynamics Fidelis Cybersecurity for Advanced Persistent Threat (APT), Verdasysfor Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Tenable for vulnerability and threat detection, LogRhythmfor Log correlation and SIEM, Good Technologyfor Mobile Device Management and Mobile security among others.

As BYOD takes centre stage, discuss how Spectrami is helping customers secure their mobile platformsOur solution offering consists of device management, containerisation, mobile DLP, information protection, & secure collaboration, which provides a holistic approach for secure mobility strategy for the enterprise in the region.

Discuss the recent vendor partnerships that you have entered into?We have recently expanded our portfolio by signing up with two new vendors. One of them is Good Technology, providers of Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile security. And, the other is Violin Memory,the pioneersin flash storage for the enterprise data centre.

What challenges do increase in Cloud applications pose for companies and how do you help secure customers

migrating into the cloud?We believe the major hurdles in this scenario are management of data & applications in the cloud. While, managing user access and encryption are the challenge. We have solutions which maintain integrity of data in the cloud like APT, Data loss preventions & log correlation that helps an enterprise secure the environment in the cloud. There have been few large scale Hacktivism and APT cases reported lately. What is the threat scenario?Hacktivism and APT use sophisticated tools which beat conventional security offerings. Fortunately today, there are new generation tools available in market that can catch such specific attacks and they are helping to improve the security situation in the region

Spectrami is a new generation value add distributor and has over the past couple of years made its presence felt. Anand Choudha, MD at Spectrami discusses how the VAD has equipped itself with some vital vendor alliances to have a wide portfolio focusing on security and cloud solutions

Thriving on smart alliancesDoes Spectrami offer security solutions that are capable to address current threats?In our observation, the trends prevalent in regional security business suggest need for advanced malware protection, greater need for threat intelligence surrounding advanced adversary and attribution as well as network and host based intrusion detection for advanced threats.

Spectrami is well placed to counter these challenges as our vendor partners such as General Dynamics Fidelis Cyber security and ThreatGRID offer world class solutions to address these areas.

Discuss some specific threats facing the MEA business currently and solutions for some of themIn recent times, there has been increase in specified targeted cyber-attacks on

An

and

Ch

oud

ha,

MD,

Spe

ctra

tmi

Point2Point | Spectrami

30  |  February 2014 

Insight | R & M

bandwidth as the number of

concurrent video streams per

household steadily increases.

For Middle East telecom

providers, this it is not all bad

though. With the possibility

of selling higher connection

speeds and larger data bundles

to home users now being an

easier proposition, telcos can

expect staggering growth in

revenues from this segment-

provided of course that they

can guarantee quality of

service and robust network

performance. For customers,

internet connectivity is now all

about unwavering speeds to

support high-end services and

applications without buffering

or delay. This is why; the time

is now right for wide scale

roll-out of Fiber-to-the-Home

(FTTH) networks in the region.

Optical fibers truly are

the future of networking.

While typical copper cabling

does have its performance

limitations, the maximum

capacity of an optic cable is

theoretically unlimited. Once

this 'future-proof' infrastructure

is installed, increase in

bandwidth is dependent on

the transmission and reception

technologies and does not

require replacing the cables

and connectivitythemselves.

Since the factors promoting

the need and practicality

of FTTH deployments in the

Middle East are abundantly

clear, operators must no

longer ask whether or not

to roll-out FTTH networks.

Instead, they must now rise to

the execution challenges that

must be mastered, often in

short time frames, in order to

deploy fiber networks for the

smart cities of tomorrow. Of

High demand for superfast broadband and internet services by

households across the region necessitates large scale rollout

of FTTH networks. Field cabling or Outside Plant (OSP) cabling

is now the biggest challenge in these deployments and the

long term success of telecom operators will be decided by how

they plan and deploy these networks today.Shibu Vahid, Head

of Technical Operations, R&M Middle East, Turkey & Africa

shares his perspectives

The road to an optical future

Internet usage in the Middle

East is growing with over

40.2 percent of the population

now connected. This, coupled

with increasing smartphone

penetration in the region

foreshadows a worrying

trend for telecom providers.

Home-users, particularly those

from younger demographics,

are bypassing traditional

entertainment programming

and instead opting for audio

and HD video delivery via

the internet. This change

in viewing habits is quickly

accelerating the demand for

Shibu VahidTechnical Operations Head

R&M Middle East & Turkey & Africa

  February 2014  |  31

these challenges,

perhaps most

important of all

is planning and

correctly installing

cable sections

deployed in the

field.

Developing

fiber optic networks requires

far-sightedness. From the very

outset, telecom operators

demand an optimal balance

between investment costs

and operating expenses and

this is particularly relevant for

cabling in the field or Outside

Plant (OSP) cabling. In the

field, everything must be

perfect, secure, serviceable

and sustainable to make

the considerable expense

worthwhile.

OSP refers to the network

section between the operator's

central office and the end-

user's building entry point.

Though it is the largest portion

of the network, it is also one

of the largest investment areas

and the most problematic

sections in Fiber-to-the-Home

projects. Typically, up to 60

percent of the estimated

project costs must be allocated

to ground work. The risk

potential here is significantly

higher than in closed buildings

as it is impossible to monitor

every meter of cabling route

all the time. Quite often,

damage occurs requiring

comprehensive repairs to the

affected section.

Operators must

therefore ensure that

it is possible to handle

installation, maintenance and

management tasks in OSP

equipment as quickly and

easily as possible. Otherwise

the operating expenditure

for the passive infrastructure

would represent an

incalculable investment risk.

The connection and

distribution technology for OSP

platforms must be resistant,

durable and absolutely

reliable because the supply to

large numbers of subscribers

depends on the quality and

reliability of these platforms-

as does the economic success

of the network operator.

The need for foresightGiven that most operators

in the region are still in

the initial phases of FTTH

planning and implementation,

they can yet address any

shortcomings. Network

providers must understand

that passive infrastructure

must not only incorporate all

the progress made in the field

of transmission technology;

it must also be capable of

flexible development. While in

the region today, a fairly small

number of subscribers are

supplied by fiber-optic cable,

this figure will soon reach

hundreds or even thousands

in the near future. Scalability

and packing density should

therefore be given their due

importance.

FTTH Planners must also

anticipate that despite a

high packing density, every

fiber must be routed stress-

free in the distributor while

optimum performance must

be available over a period

of decades as performance

is bound to increase in fiber

optic networks. With a view

to protecting investments in

the long term, the installed

cabling technology should be

capable of incorporating future

appliances both seamlessly

and effortlessly.

A desire for flexibilityNetwork operators also

desire flexibility with regard

to their extension plans and

the type of topologies and

cabling types. In any event,

the connection and cabling

technologies must be able

to cater to all strategies,

irrespective of

whether hybrid

networks are

maintained at

present before

being extended

at a later date

or whether fiber

optic cables are

routed to apartments from the

outset; irrespective of whether

P2P or P2MP is the chosen

path; irrespective of whether

traditional underground

cables, blow-in tubes or aerial

cables are used; irrespective

of whether splicing is used

throughout or whether

variable combinations with

patch options are required in

the distributors.

When it comes to FTTH

deployments, handling should

be consistent at all network

levels during installation,

maintenance and routine

management. This reduces the

learning curve and simplifies

logistics while the technical

personnel make quicker and

more efficient progress.

High demand for superfast

broadband and internet

services by households across

the region should encourage

telecom operator to focus

more investment into next-

generation fixed networks.

FTTH has been clearly

identified as the end-game

for broadband access and

sound investments today will

guarantee an operator's long

term success.

"Optical fibers truly are the future of networking.

While typical copper cabling does have its

performance limitations, the maximum capacity

of an optic cable is theoretically unlimited."

32  |  February 2014 

eyetech

Tripplite PDUMVR30HVNET Canon VB-S900F Network Camera

Overview:The VB-S900F Micro Box Full HD Network Camera is

one of the smallest fixed box security cameras offered

today. Smaller circuit boards and components including

a compact F1.6 high refractive lens, with Ultra Low

Dispersion and Aspherical lens elements are

carefully laid out to minimize space -

delivering a compact 2.13"H x 1.26"W

x 4.49"D camera offering flexible

and easy installation options. The

superb compact F1.6 lens, with

an impressive 96° wide angle

of view, is a lens design that

virtually eliminates focus shift

due to temperature changes

through a wide range, from 14°F

to 122°F.

That is all combined with

Canon's legendary outstanding

image quality, coming from Canon's DIGIC DV III image

processor along with the DIGIC NET II processor. Its

compact design makes it ideal for a range of discrete

indoor commercial environments. It comes equipped with

inbuilt analytics providing end-users with solutions that

are clearly value-for-money.

Key features:• Outstandingly compact Mini Fixed Box design

• Full HD at 30fps for clear, detailed images

• CMOS sensor delivers high performance in low light

• Wide angle F/1.6 Canon lens offers a 96° Angle

of View

• Multi-streaming of MJPEG and H.264 video in Full HD

or lower resolutions Direct recording/playback from

MicroSD card (64GB)

• Comprehensive and intelligent

• in-built analytics

• Auto Smart Shade Control applies the

• optimum exposure for every environment

• ONVIF v2.2 and Profile S compliant

• Ideal in a wide range of indoor commercial

environments

OverviewTripplite PDUMVR30HVNET is a Single-Phase Switched PDU with outlet level metering, 5/5.8kW 30A 208/240V, 0U Vertical Rackmount, C19 & C13 outlets, L6-30P input. It is ideal for network configurations requiring a switched, metered and monitored PDU supporting individual outlet rebooting, load shedding and remote web/network current monitoring of critical networking componentsTripp Lite single phase Switched PDU / Power Distribution Unit with individual outlet metering offers advanced network control and monitoring with the ability to turn on, turn off, recycle or lock-out power to each individual receptacle, monitor site electrical conditions and remotely monitor output power consumption for each individual outlet. Built-in current monitoring offers 1% billing grade accuracy.

Key features:• Switched 30A 208/240V PDU, 0U 70 in. / 178cm Vertical Rackmount Format• Reports voltage, frequency & load per-outlet or load bank via ethernet interface• Visual current meter, Toolless button mount installation• NEMA L6-30P input, attached 10 ft. / 3m cord• 24 switched outlets (4 C19 / 20 C13) with cord retention brackets• Temperature, humidity and contact closure monitoring options• Supports power-on, power-off or reboot of each outlet on a real-time or programmable basis• Enables reboot of locked equipment, custom power- on/power-off sequences, load-shedding and disabling unused outlets• Network interface provides PDU control and data regarding input voltage and load level for each load bank or each individual outlet in amps

  February 2014  |  33

Overview:Sophos SafeGuard 6.1 allows you to manage Mac FileVault 2 and Microsoft BitLocker encryption in one console. It’s encryption without compromise for all of your devices. With new support for Windows 8 and 8.1, file and disk encryption on Macs, usability improvements and much more, SafeGuard Enterprise 6.1 is the complete data protection solution that keeps business data safe and compliant wherever it goes. It also extends access to encrypted data on the move from your mobile devices with the free Mobile Encryption App.

Key features:• Seamlessly manage keys and recovery functions on BitLocker- and FileVault 2-encrypted drives from the SafeGuard Management Center.• The simplified, central control offered by SafeGuard Enterprise helps you comply with data protection regulations and prevent data breaches.• Define, set up and manage encryption for all devices and platforms from a unified and central Management center.• SafeGuard Enterprise comes with industry-leading encryption technology that provides fast and secure encryption whenever built-in operating system encryption is not available or applicable. Encryption of files, folders or devices is completely transparent and integrates in the management center alongside all other devices.• SafeGuard Data Exchange automatically and transparently encrypts files on removable media such as USB sticks, memory cards and CDs/DVDs.• SafeGuard Encryption for Cloud Storage automatically and invisibly encrypts/decrypts files as they are uploaded or downloaded from cloud services.

Sophos SafeGuard 6.1FortiGate/FortiWiFi-90D Series

Overview: The FortiGate/FortiWiFi-90D Series are compact, all-in-one security appliances that deliver Fortinet’s Connected UTM. Ideal for remote, customer premise equipment (CPE) and retail networks, these appliances offer the network security, connectivity, and performance you need at a single low per-device price. You get advanced threat protection, including firewall, application control, advanced threat protection, IPS, VPN, and web filtering, all from one device that’s easy to deploy and manage. With its comprehensive management console, remote provisioning and wide range of connectivity options you have an easy-to-deploy, easy-to-manage

solution that’s great for a centrally managed infrastructure. Reduce the need for additional wireless access points by integrating a

highbandwidth “fat-client” into your FortiGate with the FortiWiFi-90D. It’s also a great option to secure mobile devices in BYOD environments with automatic device identification and customizable access and security policies.

Key features:• Enterprise-Class Protection that’s Easy to Deploy and Manage • 3.5 Gbps throughput performance delivers fast network response• Integrated switch and options for PoE simplify your network infrastructure• Up to 2x WAN and 14x LAN (4x Power Over Ethernet ports on POE models) • Runs on FortiOS 5• Unified Security Multi-threat protection from a single device increases security and lowers costs for remote locations• Simplified Licensing Unlimited user licensing and comprehensive features.

34  |  February 2014 

The Machine-to-Machine industry is forecast by Strategy Analytics to grow at a CAGR of 18 percent, from $45 billion

in 2013 and reaching $242 billion in 2022, according to the new Strategy Analytics Machine-to-Machine Strategies (M2M) service report, "M2M Revenues by Industry Vertical".

Dominant sectors will be Healthcare (including mHealth services), Consumer Electronics (including cameras, music players and TVs), Utilities and Vehicles (usage-based –insurance (UBI), emergency call or eCall and vehicle tracking), which combined will comprise 85% of overall revenues by 2022.

mHealth dominants the segment in terms of revenue. Global spending on healthcare currently exceeds $6.5 trillion and continues to trend upwards. The majority of mHealth revenues will come from services to streamline or replace existing costly face-to-face processes, monitor and track patients with chronic conditions, as well as assisting with other IT automation to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The US will be a leading driver of this trend, currently comprising more than 40% of healthcare costs.

"Healthcare, CE, Utilities and vehicles are areas that will see major revenue growth, through the driving out of inefficiency in existing processes as well as the creation of new service opportunities", said Andrew Brown, Executive Director of Enterprise and M2M research at Strategy Analytics and author of the study.

"The growth in providers of regulatory compliant NOCs (Network Operation Centers), investment from industrial giants like GE and growth in the number of "big data", System Integrator, IT and analytics companies highlight the real and significant revenue potential that exists in the M2M market", he added.

Stats & Trends

M2M Market will generate $242 billion revenue by 2022

The government sectors of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries remain as buoyant as ever for IT services

providers, according to the latest research insights from IDC. The recently published report, 'IT Services Opportunities and Challenges in the GCC Government Sector, 2013 and Beyond', rates public sector entities among the region's primary spenders on IT services and highlights the continuing economic recovery as a key driver behind the increasing desire of GCC governments to channel investments toward improving their social infrastructures.

To this end, a number of megaprojects are being carried out in the region to establish new economic cities that are supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure and technologies. At the same time, a number of large projects are currently underway in support of various egovernment and mgovernment initiatives. "Investments in these projects will drive demand for new IT infrastructure, as well as for the wide array of IT services required for ensuring the smooth running of operations," says Omar Saleem, a senior IT services analyst at IDC."Most of these projects are expected to be business and IT consulting-led engagements accompanied by larger systems integration projects."

The pressing need to improve citizen-centric services is another key area of focus identified by IDC for each of the GCC governments. Nationwide initiatives are underway in each of the GCC countries aimed at driving investment in egovernment programs that facilitate public services. Meanwhile, a number of government entities have launched modernization drives focused on bringing their IT infrastructure and systems up to date so as to ensure efficient day-to-day operations.

At the same time, each of the national governments is focused on improving the provision of healthcare, education, and transportation services in their respective countries. IDC expects investment in the healthcare sector to increase considerably across the GCC on the back of extensive plans to increase the number of hospitals and clinics in the region and modernize existing facilities. The introduction of healthcare management systems and improvements in the availability of electronic medical records are two key areas of related investment, while the private sector is also being encouraged to improve the quality of healthcare services offered in the region.

Gulf governments are similarly focused on improving the provision of education services across the region, according to IDC's research. Indeed, the report shows that new universities are being set up throughout the GCC to offer specialized programs, while other institutions are partnering with multinational vendors to offer new technical programs as part of their academic curricula.

IT services opportunities growing in government sector

Setting up your Cloud Camera is easy!Do-It-Yourself - just plug it in!Zero Configuration makes it easy to set up your D-Link Cloud Camera. Simply connect it to a mydlink-enabled Cloud Router - that’s it! Your camera will automatically appear in your mydlink™ account the next time you sign in.

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