Mediaprint Transforms IT, Streamlines Editorial, with EMC

Mediaprint, Austria’s largest newspaper and magazine publisher, has transformed its IT infrastructure with EMC VNX unified storage, EMC VPLEX Metro virtual storage, and VMware virtualization solutions. They have allowed Mediaprint to increase application performance by 300%, achieve five-nines availability for critical publishing, editorial, and production systems, and accelerate virtualization of its IT infrastructure. More

HP Increases Dividend by 10 Percent

HP has announced that its board of directors has authorized a 10 percent increase in the amount of its regular quarterly dividend to $0.1452 per share. The increase will take effect when the BoD declares HP’s next dividend, expected in May. Its previously announced dividend payable on April 3 for stockholders of record on March 13 will remain at $0.132. More

State of Ohio Awards Contact to Modernize IT Infrastructure to IBM

The State of Ohio has awarded IBM a $267 million, 10-year contract to modernize and consolidate the State of Ohio Computing Center (SOCC), including development of a private cloud computing environment and other hardware, software, and services. The contract is a fundamental component of Ohio’s IT optimization initiative that will create savings and consolidate the state’s IT assets into a primary state data center. The SOCC has more than 350,000 sq. ft. of floor space on four floors and houses infrastructure for several state agencies supporting more than 1,600 applications on 2,700 servers in a complex network environment supported by a $108 million annual budget. More

Microsoft Announces Strategic Alliance with iHub, m:lab to Accelerate Innovation in East Africa

As part of its Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, Microsoft Corp. has announced a strategic cooperation with business incubator iHub and the m:lab East Africa consortium to enable startups, innovators, and developers in East Africa to increase their skills and build businesses with Microsoft technologies. The alliance will increase access to software, skills development opportunities, and a channel through which innovative startups can access capital investment and international outreach. More

Cisco BIG Awards Celebrates Innovative UK Startups and SMEs

Based on the success of last year’s BIG Awards, Cisco has opened registration for the 2013 awards to new UK startups and SMEs. This years BIG Awards will run through mid-November and involve a four-stage judging process. The final will take place at a special event on November 14, where six finalists will present their business plans live to a judging panel. More

Cisco Introduces Validated Apprenticeship Program in the UK

Cisco today announced its validated apprentice programs in the UK in an evening event featuring representatives from partners including Pearson, reseller partners, and the National Apprenticeship Service. The program incorporates CCNA and CNP certification, offering candidates the opportunity to prepare for a career in the growing field of IT networking. More

Fusion-io Acquires ID7

Fusion-io has acquired software-defined-storage pioneer ID7, an open-source leader in shared storage systems, and the developers and key contributors of SCST, a Linux storage software subsystem used by many storage vendors. ID7 has been collaborating with Fusion-io on software development for the ION Data Accelerator software that transforms industry-standard servers into shared storage appliances. More

Ernst & Young Names Woody Driggs as Global Advisory Customer Leader

Ernst & Young has announced the promotion of Woody Driggs, its Americas Customer leader, to Global Customer lead for the organization. He will coordinate customer client teams in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia in addition to the Americas. More

Stan Hales, Andy Martyn Join Ernst & Young LLP Financial Services Transfer Pricing Group

Ernst & Young LLP has announced that Stan Hales and Andy Martyn have joined the firm’s Financial Services Office (FSO) Transfer Pricing practice. Ernst & Young is expanding its FSO network to provide clients with services relating to transfer pricing, controversy, and tax-related valuation issues in the financial services industry. More

Ernst & Young Tops Kennedy’s List for Highest Growth Rate

Kennedy Consulting Research & Advisory has reported that the Ernst & Young network had the highest growth rate in consulting and advisory services in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa based on calendar year 2011 revenues. The listing, in Kennedy’s Geographic Consulting Index 2012 also ranked Ernst & Young as number one consulting and advisory organization in Latin America and number two in consulting and advisory services in Asia Pacific. More