SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Strategies & Market Trends : The New Economy and its Winners -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (28033)3/22/2006 3:04:17 PM
From: stockman_scott  Respond to of 57684
 
Centeris Secures $11.5 Million in Financing from Leading VCs Including Trinity Ventures and Intel Capital

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Mar. 22, 2006 - Centeris Corporation, a pioneer in developing software for easy management of Linux® servers in a Microsoft® Windows® network, today announced it has raised more than $11.5 million in Series B financing from leading venture capital firms, including co-leads Trinity Ventures and Intel Capital. Existing investor Ignition Partners also participated in the round. The series B funding will be used to expand sales and marketing activities and to fund future product development activities.

"With the strength of its management team and business model, plus the proven market opportunity for mixed network management solutions, Centeris represents an excellent investment for Trinity," said Tim McAdam, Trinity Ventures general partner. "Less than 60 days after the launch of Likewise 1.0, we've already seen tremendous interest in this product."

The Centeris Likewise Management Suite is the first server management solution to seamlessly integrate Linux servers in a Windows network. The Likewise solution simplifies configuration of Linux servers, provides Windows-based tools for day-to-day server management and improves compatibility between Windows and Linux.

"Integration of Linux and Windows servers is a critical issue as more and more organizations take advantage of mixed operating system environments," said Dirk Hohndel, Director of Linux and Open Source Strategy for Intel. "The Centeris Likewise Management Suite offers customers a solution to simplify administration and extend management tools for these mixed configurations."

Centeris launched Likewise 1.0 in the United States and Europe in mid-January. The company confirmed that interest in the product has been significant, with more than 1,000 companies participating in its beta evaluation program over the last few months.

"Over the last several months we've reached a number of critical milestones," said Barry Crist, CEO of Centeris. "We launched our company in the fall, conducted a highly successful beta evaluation program, closed our first paying customers, launched Likewise 1.0 across the U.S. and Europe, and introduced a new open source project. We're extremely pleased to see that momentum continue, and we're excited to have this opportunity to work with outstanding VC partners like Intel and Trinity."

About Trinity Ventures

Founded in 1986, Trinity Ventures is a value-added investor that provides capital, networks and resources to early-stage software, services, communications and networked systems companies. With more than $1 billion under management, Trinity Ventures has invested in over 100 companies, including Extreme Networks, Network Alchemy, Crescendo Communications, Forte Software, Illustra, Blue Nile and Starbucks. Trinity Ventures has offices in Menlo Park. For more information, visit trinityventures.com.

About Intel Capital

Intel Capital, Intel''s venture capital organization, makes equity investments in innovative technology start-ups worldwide. Intel Capital invests in a broad range of companies offering hardware, software, and services targeting enterprise, home, mobility, health, and semiconductor manufacturing.

Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested more than US$4 billion in over 1,000 companies spanning 30+ countries. During this time, about 160 portfolio companies have been acquired and another 150 have gone public on exchanges around the world. In 2005, Intel Capital invested about US$265 million in about 140 deals, with approximately 60% of funds invested outside the U.S.

For more information, visit intelcapital.com.

About Centeris

Centeris solutions give customers the freedom to choose the server platform best suited to their business needs. Our flagship product, Centeris Likewise, makes it easy for midsized and enterprise companies running Microsoft® Windows® networks to configure and manage Linux® servers. Likewise provides familiar Windows-based management tools and improved integration of Windows and Linux servers, helping companies achieve the full benefits of running mixed networks. Centeris Corporation is a Bellevue, WA-based software company funded by leading venture capital firms Ignition Partners, Intel Capital, and Trinity Ventures. Centeris is led by senior executives from leading technology companies such as Microsoft, F5 Networks, EMC and Mercury. For more information, visit centeris.com.



To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (28033)3/22/2006 3:10:03 PM
From: stockman_scott  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 57684
 
Finance section a sign of Google's evolution

seattlepi.nwsource.com

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
03/22/06

The finance section Google Inc. unveiled Tuesday continues a philosophical shift that's turning its once-pure Internet search engine into an all-purpose Web site that seems increasingly interested in getting people to stick around instead of sending them elsewhere.

The evolution has been unfolding during the past four years as Google has introduced free e-mail, news, photo sharing, instant messaging, shopping and mapping services that are staples of one-stop Web sites commonly known as "portals."

The changes have sparked a debate about whether Google is moving wisely to counteract its biggest rivals -- longtime Web portals such as Yahoo! Inc. and Microsoft Corp.'s MSN -- or overextending itself in a way that ultimately will diminish the appeal of its leading search engine.

"There have been concerns that Google is doing just about everything these days but focusing on search," said Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch, a closely watched industry newsletter.

Although Google dislikes being described as a portal, Sullivan and industry analysts said its new finance section leaves little doubt where the company is headed.

"They are being fairly careful about it, but they are walking very rapidly toward becoming a portal," Forrester Research analyst Charlene Li said. "They have a lot of other services gunning for them, so they have become most keen about building user loyalty so the users don't have a reason to go someplace else."

By keeping visitors on its site longer, Google gets more chances to serve up the ads that account for virtually all of its profits, although for now, at least, Google doesn't plan to show ads on its finance section.

Google spokeswoman Sonya Boralv said the company remains committed to guiding its visitors to other Web sites with useful information. "Our motivation isn't to provide sticky services," she said.

When Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded the company in 1998, they pledged to focus obsessively on Web search and avoid the temptation to diversify into other areas that might distract them.

The corporate philosophy section of Google's Web site continues to declare: "It's best to do one thing really, really well."

But that same page now includes a footnote to reflect the company's mind-set has changed during the past four years.

"Over time we've expanded our view of the range of services we can offer ... and products that then seemed unlikely are now key aspects of our portfolio," Google said. "This doesn't mean we've changed our core mission; just that the farther we travel toward achieving it, the more those blurry objects on the horizon come into sharper focus (to be replaced, of course, by more blurry objects)."

Now that Google has started a finance section, Gartner Inc. analyst Allen Weiner believes the company is more likely to add financial planning and personal banking software to compete with Microsoft.