LogicLibrary has announced the release of Logiscan 2.0 (formerly known as BugScan (Profile, Products, Articles) (Overview, Articles, Company)). Logiscan, part of LogicLibrary's governance platform for service-oriented architectures (SOAs), is an easy-to-use appliance that analyzes binary code. Logiscan helps developers and architects to scan and eliminate bugs before software is deployed in an enterprise. Version 2.0 features J2EE and Sparc support; expanded reporting options; and a 3-D interface that lets users visually trace data flow. LogicLibrary also announced Logiscan's integration with the Logidex SDA management solution. Logiscan can be used as a stand-alone product or in conjunction with Logidex.

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Novell (Profile, Products, Articles) and Wincor Nixdorf partner on Linux POS systems
April 11, 6:45 a.m. PDT
Wincor Nixdorf, a supplier of IT systems for the banking and retail sectors, will install the open source Linux OS in its check-out systems under an agreement announced Monday with Novell. Under the global partnership, Wincor Nixdorf will embed Novell Linux Point of Service 9 software in a range of systems, including the German company's Beetle electronic point-of-sale (POS) terminals. Novell Linux Point of Service 9 allows retailers to use an open, standards-based technology to reduce their operating costs and complexity, according to Novell. The software includes several components of the company's Suse Linux Enterprise Server technology. The combination provides a common Linux environment for the various systems in a retailer's IT infrastructure, including POS terminals, kiosks, embedded devices and servers. In addition to Linux, Wincor Nixdorf offers Microsoft (Profile, Products, Articles) Windows as an alternative OS for its retail systems. In 2003, Novell acquired Suse Linux, based in Nuremberg, Germany.

Siemens (Profile, Products, Articles) acquires IPTV software company Myrio
April 8, 6:50 a.m. PDT
German electronics giant Siemens has reached an agreement to acquire U.S. software company Myrio, which specializes in technology for providing TV service over the Net. Myrio provides middleware and applications for emerging IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) services that use the Internet -- and not broadcast towers or satellites -- to deliver video into consumers' homes. The acquisition will help strengthen Siemens' portfolio of so-called "triple-play" voice, data, and video technologies aimed at network operators, ISPs, and cable companies. Numerous players in the telecoms sector see strong growth potential in providing services such as interactive TV and TV on demand, in addition to telephony and high-speed Internet access. The terms of the deal with the privately held company were not disclosed. Myrio, a 75-person software company, began life as an ISP, formerly called SourceNet. The company later changed its name and focus, moving into the development of software to provide video over IP.

Network Appliance (Profile, Products, Articles) acquires Alacritus
April 7, 7:40 a.m. PDT
Network Appliance announced Thursday an agreement to acquire privately held Alacritus for approximately $11 million in cash. Alacritus' Virtual Tape Library (VTL) software makes disks emulate tape, providing high performance for large-scale backup environments without disrupting established tape backups. In December 2004, NetApp announced a solution that combined Alacritus VTL with NetApp NearStore and FAS storage systems. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the fourth fiscal quarter of 2005.

HDS, Aptare partner on backup management software
April 7, 7:15 a.m. PDT
Hitachi Data Systems (Profile, Products, Articles) (HDS) and Aptare, a provider of backup resource management software, on Thursday announced a partnership that aims to help IT departments better manage their data protection solutions. HDS will integrate Aptare's StorageConsole Suite with its HiCommand Backup Services Manager software, due later this year. HiCommand Backup Services Manager simplifies backup reporting and monitoring and helps in preventing data loss with its advanced forecasting and analysis capabilities. Aptare's technology will help HDS users with reporting on and managing complex backup and recovery environments, ensuring that their organizations’ data assets are protected and available. 

Microsoft to release Office Small Business Accounting
April 6, 7:25 a.m. PDT
Microsoft in September plans to release Office Small Business Accounting, a new product designed to help small businesses operate better, taking on Intuit, Best Software (Profile, Products, Articles), and others. Microsoft will sell Office Small Business Accounting as a stand-alone product and as part of a new Office bundle called Office Small Business Management Edition. The new Office bundle will include the familiar Office 2003 applications along with an updated version of Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager, Microsoft has said. Pricing has not yet been disclosed. With the new product, small businesses will be able to manage customer, financial, and business processes, according to Microsoft. Payroll functionality is offered through integration with services from outsourced payroll services provider Automatic Data Processing. Office Small Business Accounting is currently available in a beta test version. Office Small Business Accounting will be available in the U.S. first, with other countries set to follow about a year-and-a-half after the U.S. release.

Brocade, Sun offer SilkWorm SAN switch
April 6, 7:25 a.m. PDT
Brocade Communications Systems' (Profile, Products, Articles) SilkWorm 4100 4Gbps SAN switch is now available as part of Sun Microsystems' (Profile, Products, Articles) StorEdge portfolio of storage solutions. The SilkWorm family of fabric switches and software is designed to optimize data availability and storage and server resources in the enterprise. Brocade claims its 4100 switch delivers double the data transfer rate of competitive 2Gbps switches available today. The switch can be scaled from 16-port to 24- and 32-port configurations. It provides such enterprise-class features as redundant and hot-swappable power supplies and cooling fans; hot-swappable SFP media; and enterprise-level security, fabric management, and ease-of-use features.