While the cookies bake. . .
From NN's website:
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Cutting Edge Vision from Teletulua
Colombian Carrier Poised to Provide Value-Added Video Services
Tuluá is a rich, agricultural region in Colombia, South America. In recent years, rising demand for sugar and oil-related products has led to a commercial boom and increased prosperity for many area businesses and residents. Similar to other economically successful cities, Tuluá's wealth has also fostered increased demands for reliable, cost-effective security systems to detect and curb criminal activity.
Telecommunications service provider Teletulua is preparing to address the growing demand for video monitoring, as well as advanced data services related to explosive Internet growth. The company, with headquarters in Tuluá, is one of 15 "teleasociadas", or tele-associates, of the country's incumbent carrier, Telecom Columbia. As deregulation in Colombia proceeds, the tele-associates, or alternative carriers are seeking to differentiate themselves. Teletulua is leading the way with networking solutions from Newbridge Networks and Telexis Corporation.
Building on Existing Investments
With extensive copper infrastructure already in place, Teletulua focused on investing in network platforms that could enhance its current telephone service offering. The platform had to be compatible with its existing fiber optic infrastructure and scalable to allow the company to deliver video and data services to current and new customers.
Having made the decision to build on legacy equipment, Teletulua needed a vendor that could supply superior networking hardware. Amongst competing bidders, only Newbridge was able to offer a video monitoring platform in addition to user-friendly and manageable networking capabilities. Newbridge and its Affiliate Telexis teamed up to offer the only platform solution that met all of Teletulua's requirements.
Installation of the Newbridge advanced multiservices platform, designed to sit on top of Teletulua's fiber optic network, began in May 1998 following a successful six month trial period. Seven 3600+ MainStreet Bandwidth Manager switches support high bandwidth voice and video traffic from Teletulua customer sites. With the addition of the Telexis ViaNet platform, video monitoring services to customers such as banks, hospitals and shopping centers is made possible. A ViaNet video management system (VMS), located at Teletulua's headquarters, allows technicians to monitor, manage and store video received from Newbridge 2611 MainStreet Video Transmission Units (VTUs). The VTUs are installed throughout Teletulua operations including company headquarters and remote central switching offices.
Intelligent Monitoring
The ViaNet VMS provides extensive functionality for enhanced security. Teletulua is able to receive, display, store and record video from up to 256 video transmission units per VMS. The company can manage multiple video streams, view video simultaneously from several sites, switch to specific camera views and automatically activate remote security equipment like floodlights and sirens. Visual confirmation following an alarm is also possible and saves the company the expense of responding to false alarms. In addition to video management, ViaNet provides automatic alarm response such as switching to specific camera views and displaying operator instruction. As the ViaNet platform satisfies Teletulua's security requirements, the transfer to providing video monitoring services for its customers will be an easy next step.
The Newbridge VTUs allow Teletulua to utilize unused bandwidth by combining surveillance video with existing voice and data traffic. The Newbridge equipment is especially cost-effective for Teletulua because, in combination with the ViaNet VMS, it can support video transmissions over the existing wide area network without additional coaxial cable installations. The powerful MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager, from Siemens and Newbridge, interoperates with network devices to ensure that voice and data traffic can be smoothly managed. Network configurations are accomplished easily and automatically using a point-and-click graphical user interface.
The comprehensive security monitoring services provided by Newbridge and Telexis are critical to Teletulua's emergence as a leading, value-added services provider. The new network platforms will allow Teletulua to increase revenue from its existing customer base, while attracting new clients. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems currently dominate the Colombian security systems market. Teletulua's position in offering video monitoring services will provide both a cost-effective alternative to these ubiquitous systems and an easily installed and maintained addition for companies seeking to leverage their investments in CCTV.
One-Stop Shopping
In addition, the Teletulua network will prove attractive to customers because of its one-stop shopping features. Customers can receive one bill and deal with a single contact for all telephone, data and video services.
With advanced networking solutions from Newbridge and Telexis, Teletulua is poised to offer reliable, cost-effective telecommunications and video services to a wide range of customers. The company expects to continue carving its new niche in the multiservices market and building upon its robust network to meet specific customer needs.
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From TimeStep:
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TimeStep Secures Macintosh Remote Access Users
Mac IPsec Client Introduced
TimeStep Corp., a leading vendor of IPsec-compliant secure virtual private network (VPN) solutions, recently announced the introduction of its PERMIT/Client for Macintosh Operating System software. Part of the PERMIT Enterprise VPN solution, the Mac client joins TimeStep's existing family of client software for Windows '95 and NT 4.0. Compliant with the Internet protocol security standard (IPsec), the new PERMIT/Client for Mac OS enables PowerBook remote users to simply dial into a local ISP and enjoy automatic and transparent secure communication back to their central site.
"Macintosh users are Internet savvy and new Macintosh products like iMac and our PowerBook G3s are designed to get customers on the Internet as quickly as possible," said Clent Richardson, Senior Director of Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple Computer. "We're pleased that TimeStep has developed an innovative client application that supports the Mac OS and gives our customers even more choice when it comes to Internet communication."
PERMIT/Client for Mac secures communications for a single workstation and is ideal for telecommuters and Internet remote access by business travelers. PERMIT/Client for Mac software loaded on a PowerBook and a connection to any point-of-presence (POP), is all that road warriors need to connect to the secure VPN from anywhere in the world. Additionally, because the Mac client is IPsec-compliant, it will work with all other IPsec-compliant VPN solutions.
"Working with past, present, and future technologies is one of the hallmarks of the PERMIT Enterprise VPN solution," said Tim Hember, TimeStep President and CEO. "Introducing the Mac client helps us round out our VPN client offering so our Mac-based customers can take advantage of using the Internet for business communications without sacrificing the security of their information."
TimeStep's PERMIT/Client for Mac's user interface was designed from the ground up to take advantage of the unique Mac look and feel, and incorporates several Mac specific OS technologies. It supports Ethernet, PPP, and tunneling connections and provides assurances that their communications are secure by allowing the user to view, log, and trace the status of their secure VPN connections.
About TimeStep
Since its inception, TimeStep Corporation, an Affiliate of Newbridge Networks, has focused on developing network security solutions that are simple, powerful, and compatible with today's networking technologies. TimeStep's flagship product line, PERMIT Enterprise, recently won Data Communication's "1998 Hot Product of the Year" and Network Computing's "1998 Well Connected" awards. Using sophisticated IPsec technology, the PERMIT Enterprise secure VPN solution enables business users to exchange information over shared corporate and public networks, such as the Internet, with total privacy, confidentiality and integrity.
TimeStep Corporation headquarters is located at 362 Terry Fox Drive, Kanata, Ontario, K2K 2P5, Canada. For more information on TimeStep Corporation and the PERMIT Enterprise product suite, contact info@timestep.com or visit the corporate Web site at timestep.com.
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From a recent LAtimes:
latimes.com;
Monday, November 30, 1998
THE CUTTING EDGE GIFT GUIDE
The Latest Toys for High-Tech Trendsetters
By CHARLES PILLER
When you look around at most of the computers on the market, it seems clear that computer makers can't quite understand a fundamental truth: Millions of people find computers, well, dull.
Apple Computer(<Picture: [Company Capsule]>) broke that mold in 1984 with the original Macintosh and after years of struggle in the wilderness has done it again with the iMac.
Part fashion statement, part object lesson in simplicity, this machine is nonetheless a capable computer ready for serious-minded number crunching, page layout, game-playing or Web surfing. Credit Apple with another brilliant stroke.
True, the $1,299 iMac is more costly and less expandable than competing PCs. It lacks a floppy drive, so it requires additional hardware, and it isn't quite the speed demon that Apple ads claim.
Judging from burgeoning sales, the public considers such drawbacks a small price to pay. Even a few Windows users have moved over to the Macintosh camp because of it.
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Apple Offers $29.99 A Month Financing For iMac
CUPERTINO, Calif. (Reuters) - In a bid to further pump up demand for its iMac personal computer, Apple Computer Inc., said it is offering consumers a $29.99 a month financing program to buy the iMac. "For the price of three pizzas a month, you can own an iMac," Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder and acting chief executive, said in a statement. The snazzy translucent blue iMac, which first became available in August, has proved be to the fastest-selling new product in the fabled computer maker's history. It retails for around $1,300.
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DT + FT = ThinkOne
cnn.com
A Sept. article on ATM that mentions NN that I found interesting:
cnn.com
Cold and rainy here in the southland. Saw Psycho this afternoon. May give up showers forever. Definitely won't date taxidermists. :/
Later ---
Pat |
