Compuware's integrated application performance management (APM) solution not only has been upgraded but also rechristened the Compuware Gomez Platform. Gomez, says Compuware, “optimizes mobile and Web application performance across the entire application delivery chain, from data centers, through the cloud, to the edge of the Internet”. This update includes new functionality in both Compuware's on-premise APM products (formerly called Vantage) and its software as a service (SaaS) APM products, now all operating under the Gomez product brand name. New features and capabilities in the new Gomez release include real-user monitoring, mobile-readiness assessment, real-user transaction analytics, integration with Google Page Speed and Internet health map with last-mile data.
Noble Systems has released the next generation (that is, version 2) of Noble Harmony, a browser access tool for remote and mobile contact center management. Version 2 builds on the earlier edition's flexible, browser-agnostic design, adding improved user-interface layout and customization. The net effect is that managers and supervisors can operate effectively without being tethered to an individual station by allowing them to monitor real-time activities with mobile devices and tablets. More specifically, they now can arrange how KPI information is displayed on the dashboard, speed access to frequently used screens, query a vastly expanded array of variables, set alerts to be triggered on specific activities and parameters, find and analyze individual campaigns and agents, and manage list assignments.
The folks at Protecode have expanded the reach of Developer Assistant, a tool that the company calls “the industry's first solution for real-time management of open-source licensing and copyrights”. Previously available only for the Eclipse IDE, the tool now supports all operating systems and all software development tools worldwide. Developer Assistant, says Protecode, operates unobtrusively in the background and requires no training for developers, allowing them to concentrate on development rather than open-source license management. Operating directly at the developer workstation, it uses the code analysis services of Protecode's Enterprise Server and compares the code structure of a file to signatures of millions of files stored in Protecode Global IP Signatures. There, it identifies the licensing and copyright obligations of the file and provides instant feedback to the developer as the code is put together or brought in from the Internet, an external storage device or a corporate repository.
If your daily grind involves development with Apache Lucene/Solr technology, surf on over to Lucid Imagination to find out more about its new Lucid Certified Developer Exam. The company calls the exam “the industry's only standardized benchmark of open-source search knowledge, skills and experience”. Created by some of the most esteemed experts and contributors for the Lucene/Solr Project, the Lucid Certified Developer Exam provides developers with a way to validate their expertise and differentiate themselves in the competitive job market, as well as helps employers select new hires with more confidence and more accurately assess knowledge gaps in the current employee base.
Sencha is encouraging interactive designers to switch to its new Sencha Animator v.1, “the industry's first purpose-built tool for creating CSS3-based animations that deliver plug-in-free rich-media experiences”. Designed for interactive designers and advertising creatives who want to create cross-platform animations for playback on WebKit browsers and touchscreen mobile devices, Sencha Animator brings static Web pages to life and ensures high-fidelity playback on all leading mobile devices and desktop browsers. Key product features include full CSS3 support, interactive timeline and intuitive object property controls, an intuitive timeline interface and exporting of animations to readable HTML.
From the backup and recovery news desk comes breaking news from InMage on version 6 of InMage Scout—a single, easy-to-use solution for local backup and replication of physical and virtual environments that is based on continuous data protection (CDP) technology. InMage claims that the upgraded InMage Scout becomes the only unified product on the market featuring CDP-based backup and remote disaster recovery support for most major enterprise platforms, including Linux, AIX, Windows, VMware, Solaris, XenServer and Hyper-V. The new Scout also features both asynchronous IP and synchronous FC-based data protection without imposing software-based storage virtualization on customers. With this launch, InMage Scout 6.0 also introduces the PureSplit architecture, which allows customers to use their existing storage without having to virtualize it though server appliances.
Integrate your disparate cloud-based, SaaS and on-premise applications with Queplix's new QueCloud, easily and without coding. This can be done using QueCloud, says Queplix, at low cost and with a great deal of automation while avoiding common drawbacks, such as long service engagements, manual processes and the constant wholesale movement of entire datasets. QueCloud cites its Application Software Blades technology that provides automatic connection to data sources, complemented by data virtualization that brings all of the structure of the data sources into the system instantly. From there, the entire data integration process merely involves checking off boxes to align the data and the business rules desired. Once applications are integrated, QueCloud keeps critical customer, product and financial data consistent between applications. Absent from the process are typical elements of ETL technology, such as coding, SQL, complex widgets and wire diagrams.
Ready to take your world-class skills out of the cubicle and into the big, brutal world? Before you take that jump, sit down long enough to digest the new book Building Professional Services: The Sirens' Song from Thomas Lah, Steve O'Connor and Mitchel Peterson. There certainly is money to be made, but the pitfalls are also deep and treacherous, say the authors. These leading experts present a comprehensive guide to creating professional services organizations, managing them to maturity and delivering quality services while earning superior margins. Readers will learn how to adopt a complete, practical framework for delivering a full spectrum of professional services—from support and education services to managed, consulting and productized services. Besides emphasizing the key factors that drive success—revenue, references and repeatability—the book covers frameworks for organization, project delivery, solutions development and operational infrastructure.