IBM is laying down the groundwork in its Information Management software portfolio to allow customers to take advantage of acutely integrated information as a service within SOAs (service oriented architectures). IBM officials say this will lead to improved decision-making due to more reliable data accuracy and a common format to leverage and share relevant information, reducing business process complexity. At its Information Integration Live user event in Las Vegas on Monday, IBM spruced up by announcing its new Master Data Management product set. Products within that offering that were unveiled on Monday, include IBM WebSphere Customer Center v.6.0, IBM WebSphere Product Center and IBM WebSphere Metadata Server.

Shaking off its staid reputation, the venerable C++ language is strutting its stuff at the C++ Connections conference. The evolution of the language can be seen in the plans for the next version, dubbed C++Ox, in the acceptance of new open-source code libraries, and the reception for certain enhancements to the language. In many programming circles, the mention of C++ merits a big yawn. It’s not that the language is retired, since some 38 percent of software developers use C++ at least part of the time, according to Evans Data. But it’s no longer perceived as cool. Certainly, many developers think of C++ as static, dusty, unchanging. But C++ has staying power–it’s 25 years old, this year, and has outlasted many other languages.

Agnitum has signed a technology transfer agreement to incorporate its Outpost Firewall PRO engine into Lavasoft’s product lineup. Firewall protection is an important constituent of a complete computer protection package. Alongside with mighty antivirus, antispyware, and other security fortifications for an Internet-connected computer the firewall still continues to be a must-have. Through the firewall, users can restrict access to their computers from the outside, and proactively defend their systems against the latest Internet-borne risks. By having this type of defense in place, a firewall constitutes a sizable security boost to the owners of home and office PCs. Lavasoft, which makes products that protect millions of home and corporate users against the threat posed by spyware, will complement its existing security offerings with the arrival of a re-branded Lavasoft Personal Firewall product.

The many gadgets carried around by workers today pose a real security risk to organizations and require action, session attendees at a security conference agreed Tuesday. Smart phones, handheld computers, thumb drives, digital cameras, iPods and other MP3 players can all connect to computers. That’s fine when used at home, but when connected to a work PC, the devices can pose a serious risk, said Norm Laudermilch, chief security officer at Trust Digital, a mobile security vendor. Connecting the gadgets to work PCs could lead to a number of unwanted scenarios, Laudermilch said. For example, malicious code that crept onto the device at home could enter the corporate network unseen by the firewall or intrusion detection software, he said. Also, a disgruntled employee could copy confidential information to the device and walk out with it. Classified information on a mobile device could be a business risk even when used by loyal workers, when their gadget is lost or stolen, for example.

There are at least three new variants of the Sober worm spreading across the Internet via e-mail messages. The viruses are activated once a user clicks on an infected attachment. The new variants of Sober, a worm that first appeared in 2003, are capable of disabling antivirus programs, according to Finland-based company F-Secure. Antivirus company Kapersky Lab said on its Web site that large numbers of infected emails have been intercepted. This confirms, according to the company, that the epidemic was caused by spamming. Kapersky identified the variants as Sober.u, Sober.v, and Sober.w.

Prominic.NET announced pricing for its IBM Lotus Notes & Domino 7 hosting packages that include numerous upgrades in service levels, and price drops from its Version 6 offerings. Hosting packages are available for shared Development servers, partitioned Production servers, and Dedicated servers, as well as both Notes and UNIX-based email hosting options. Each of these hosting options includes multiple service levels so that customers can choose the package that is best suited to their needs. As always, Prominic hosting packages all include bundled technical support at no charge.

Lotus Notes and Domino 7 is designed to deliver business-critical and enterprise strength features, and as an IBM Business Partner, Prominic’s hosting services are designed to be complementary.

Prominic President Jon Schultz commented, "Prominic’s ND7 offerings represent a step forward in both service level and value. Our customers can expect to get more for their dollar. The improvements are highlighted by high availability clustering options, expanded Blackberry services, and increased disk space across the board. As always, every Prominic hosting account comes with bundled support."

Development, Production, and Dedicated hosting packages feature lower pricing and include increased disk space allotments, bandwidth, and data transfer. Clustering of servers has been included as an option to enhance reliability. Also added are Blackberry hosting and GeoTrust SSL options, with high level users having the ability to obtain free Blackberry accounts and devices, and free SSL keys.

All ND7 mail accounts are clustered at no charge to enhance availability. Physically separate and dedicated mail servers are used to increase reliability and uptime. A larger 1GB mail file option was created based upon customer demand, and Postini email security services are provided at no charge to 500MB and 1GB mail file users.

For those interested in taking advantage of its ND7 services, Prominic can assist with the upgrade to ND7.

Prominic.NET is a leading hosting provider in the IBM Lotus category, and is widely recognized for its outstanding service levels. In addition to IBM Lotus hosting services, Prominic also provides Blackberry hosting, email hosting, data protection, and disaster recovery services. Based in Champaign, IL, Prominic has specialized in hosting services since its inception in 1998.

Avalon Business Systems will be demonstrating its ReduceMail Pro Advanced system for IBM Lotus Notes at Lotusphere 2006. ReduceMail Pro Advanced now features all-in-the-mailfile access to archived mail for both the end user and Notes administrator. This allows auditable storage management for the Lotus Notes administrator with minimal impact on the end user. ReduceMail Pro Advanced all-in-the-mailfile approach allows the Lotus Notes administrator to control archived mail by simply controlling the content of the mailfile. Mail can be audited and removed by the Notes administrator as if it was never archived. End users have access to archived mail through the Lotus Notes client, the iNotes client, and the WebMail client. All mail is contained and managed through a single folder structure in the mailfile from all access points.

HELIOS Software has begun shipping its next generation cross-platform HELIOS UB Unbreakable Server Solutions. HELIOS WebShare UB, EtherShare UB, and PCShare UB provide integrated cross-platform networking for remote Web clients, and Mac and Windows clients, with advanced file and print server services, and easy remote server administration. HELIOS ImageServer UB, PDF HandShake UB, and PrintPreview UB deliver high efficiency and advanced capabilities to design, prepress and printing operations.

Zimbra will release a second beta test of its messaging and calendaring software and introduce a version targeted specifically to businesses. Using an open-source business model and a modern development technique known as Ajax, the start-up is looking to unseat entrenched messaging suppliers IBM and Microsoft. The company, which launched its first beta in August, makes its Web-based messaging product available for free with an open-source license. It intends to make money by charging corporate customers a license fee for a more functional "Network" version and a yearly support fee based on the number of mailboxes used.

Juniper Networks, a maker of routing and security equipment, said that it plans to pay $122 million for security company Funk Software. Funk, which is based in Cambridge, Mass., develops software that manages and provides secure access for wireless and remote users. The functionality of the software looks similar to technology that Juniper rival Cisco Systems has already been shipping on its products for more than a year.