horizons

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SSSSTSS ART LOADINGTHE FUTURE

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Welcome to Horizons

About GBM

Our recent developments

Key events in IBM history

Conversation with Cesare Cardone

NOC

Salesforce.com

Learning Services

Anti-money laundering

Business intelligence

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Business Process Management

Virtualisation

Smarter money for a smarter planet

Social networking

Let’s Connect

2

20 years and beyond

It is with great pride that we look

back at the past 20 years and it

certainly isn’t a case of resting

on laurels. When Gulf Business

Machines (GBM) was formed in

1990 there were questions about

its viability. Two decades later the

question is “what next?”

Today, GBM is one of the largest,

most respected IT companies in

the Gulf. With a well-balanced

presence in every country we

are operating in, partnerships

with some of the world’s most

recognized names in the IT

business and an enviable

customer list, we have come a

long way. This is wholly due to the

hard work and determination of

Welcome to Horizons

a small, but not insignificant,

decline in business.

In truth, the impact would

have been more significant if

the company did not have the

structure it does, offering a

diverse range of products and

services. It also helped that a

sizeable part of our business

is related to ongoing contracts

and integration projects that

have long gestation periods. All

of this allowed GBM to weather

the storm with steady revenues.

What’s more is that our market-

wide reputation for reliability

and stability made us the

partner of choice for a number

of new customers.

There is now evidence of

recovery. There is also a sense

of normalcy in our market, but it

is very different to the normalcy

we experienced before the crisis

where skyrocketing growth rates

were the rule rather than the

exception.

As we move into a more stable

economic environment we need

to march forward with an eye on

the future, making intelligent

decisions on investing in the new

and divesting the old. We need

The past two decades

have seen GBM grow

from strength to

strength to become

one of the largest,

most capable and most

profitable IT companies

in the Middle East.

CESARE CARDONE, CEO, GBM

JALAL M. JALAL, CHAIRMAN, GBM

our employees, the support of our

shareholders and the trust of our

customers.

When GBM was first formed,

it functioned in a very different

environment to what we experience

today. And the differences do not

begin or end with the sophistication

of technology at the time. We now

work in an industry which caters to

increasingly granular needs, be it

technology or skills. We also contend

with a fast evolving environment

where companies like ours need to

adapt quickly to change or become a

historical footnote.

Throughout, GBM has

demonstrated an extraordinary

resilience. Whether the challenge

was economic, technological

or simply business-related,

we overcame them all with our

customer-centric approach, in

effect, positioning ourselves to

offer our customers the right

products and services at the right

time. That, in essence, is the

bottom line.

A very good example of GBM’s

strength is its performance since

2009, when the region experienced

its most recent economic crisis.

As with most other businesses

we were affected and experienced

to build on our achievements and

continue our focus on providing

best-of-breed solutions and

services to our customers.

And the future starts now. Our

investment in setting up the

region’s first Network Operations

Centre (NOC) and developing our

Cloud Computing offering is only

the beginning. In an increasingly

competitive environment we

aim to remain distinct from the

competition and stand out for our

excellence and expertise.

As we celebrate 20 years of GBM’s

existence, it’s important for all of

us to realize that we are not at the

end, but rather the beginning and

that we should strive to build this

company into something bigger

and better.

Cesare Cardone, CEO

Message from the ChairmanCelebrating 20 years of success is a matter of pride for most companies, but this is an especially proud moment for all of us at Gulf Business Machines because of the challenges we have overcome to get here.

The past two decades have seen GBM grow from strength to strength to become one of the largest, most capable and most profitable IT companies in the Middle East. We not only have a local presence in the markets in which we operate, but have a significant pool of skilled talent to support our customers, delivering the right products and solutions every time.

None of this would have been possible without the total commitment and support of our shareholders who have stood firmly by this company over the past 20 years. Success would not have come without the intelligent stewardship of our management team who have steered this company through boom times and economic crises. And last, but certainly not the least, GBM has been built on the sheer hard work and commitment of our employees who have devoted themselves to delivering only the best to our customers across the region.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our customers, many of whom have been with us for several years, for their trust and support. On behalf of GBM, I would like to reiterate our commitment to constantly improving our services and delivering best-of-breed technologies. You can be assured that we will not rest on our laurels accumulated over the last 20 years, but will strive to be stronger in partnership with you.

Jalal M. Jalal, Chairman

Message from the CEO

3The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

We intend to continue to invest in GBM in order to further add value for our current and future customers

About GBM

Founded in 1990, Gulf Business Machines (GBM) is the leading IT solutions provider in the region fulfilling the IT requirements of local, regional and international organisations in the GCC.

A spin-off from IBM, GBM is the sole distributor for IBM – excluding selected IBM products and services – throughout the GCC, except for Saudi Arabia. GBM’s momentum was further enhanced in 1999, when the team secured the Cisco portfolio. GBM now holds the highest level of recognition in the region from Cisco, Gold Partner status, in addition to the Cisco Learning Partner status.

Today, GBM is one of the largest IT solutions providers in the GCC, with

more than 1000 employees and over 20 solid strategic partnerships forged with internationally recognised IT solution providers. This means that GBM can offer an extensive range of IT infrastructure, IT solutions and services ranging from consulting, resource deployment and integration to after-sales support.

GBM’s experience and expertise span across multiple sectors and particularly e-Government, Banking and Finance, Telecommunications, Retail and Oil.

Believing in the importance of being where our customers are, GBM today has offices in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, as well as in

Looking beyond 2010

Pakistan. GBM Pakistan now operates three offices as an IBM Premium Partner, one in each of Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. The Pakistani operation also holds a Silver Partner status from Cisco.

Through a unique combination of local market presence, international level skills, a network of business partners and the access to the worldwide resources of IBM and Cisco, GBM consistently brings to customers unparalleled IT business solutions.

GBM invests in the continuous training of its employees. The result, GBM’s specialised team is well equipped to address the ever-evolving, industry-specific IT demands in every market.

* Excluding selected IBM products and services, excluding Saudi Arabia

Our journey into the future

IBM founded

in GCC

135 employees

GBM founded as a Sole*

Distributor for IBM in GCC

204 employees

ISO 9001:2000

430 employees

Rebranding of GBM

643 employees

GBM expands to

Pakistan

981 employees

20th Anniversary

177 employees

GBM Distribution

365 employees

CISCO Gold

Partner Status

510 employees

Highest Growth

Award from IBM

842 employees

CISCO Learning

Partner Status

1945 1992 2003 2006 2008

1990 1997 2005 2007 2010

INTERESTING FACTS

$361ma compound growth rate of 10% over 20 years

GBM’s revenue in 2009 was

2000customers in the GCC region

GBM has over

1990as a spin-off from IBM

GBM was founded in

20solid strategic partnerships with internationally recognised IT solutions providers

GBM has forged more than

1000

42employees from over

GBM has more than

nationalities

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4

GBM Earns Red Hat Premier Business Partner status in GCC region

Our recent developments

Gulf Business Machines has earned

Red Hat Premier Business Partner

status in the Gulf Cooperation

Council (GCC) region.

GBM already shares a longstanding

relationship with Red Hat, the

world’s leading provider of open

source solutions, and offers its full

range of products and services. The

enhanced partnership will allow a

fresh focus on developing complex,

high-end open source solutions for

customers in the region. Red Hat

Premier Business Partners must

demonstrate extensive knowledge

of Red Hat solutions and be able

to provide the highest level of

contribution to its business and

partner ecosystem.

“We are very pleased to have

earned Red Hat Premier Business

Partner status for the GCC region.

This recognition validates not only

our partnership with Red Hat over

the past 10 years, but also our

commitment to investing resources

in developing the market for

solutions based on open source

platforms,” said Cesare Cardone,

CEO, GBM.

GBM is already a Red Hat

Training Partner, a reseller of

Red Hat Enterprise Linux and a

provider and integrator of Red

Hat Solutions. GBM also has a

large pool of Linux-certified Red

Hat Certified Engineers (RHCE)

and Red Hat Certified Technicians

(RHCT) in the region.

IBM AND RED HAT

together have been instrumental

in the global adoption of Linux

and in the development of the

operating system. As leading

participants in the massive

collaboration that drives Linux to

give birth to new technologies,

IBM and Red Hat should be

applauded. Today is an important

day as we look 10 years back and

10 years into the future. Linux is

fueling a new software economy,

and IBM and Red Hat will surely

be as instrumental in its future

as they have been in its history.

- Linux Foundation’s Jim Zemlin

“GBM has an excellent track

record of customer service and

contribution towards building

open source competencies in the

region,” said Anuj Kumar, general

manager for Middle East and Africa

at Red Hat. “In addition, GBM is

the sole distributor for a range of

IBM products and services, many

of which use Red Hat’s Linux-

based software solutions. This

strengthened partnership is a win-

win for our customers and we’re

looking forward to working closely

together to help enterprises in the

region leverage the power of open

source solutions.”

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GBM eyeing major Mideast expansion

“Last year was a year of consolidation

in Bahrain with growth of between

4pc and 5pc.

“The flow of business tends to be

irregular but 2009 remained positive.

“Our strategy for the future means

we will drop products that come

comodotised,” he added. “We moved

out of PCs a long time ago. We will

concentrate on areas where there

is added value and we will move up

the value ladder and stay on top of

technology.”

Published in Gulf Daily News on Feb 04, 2010

“Part of that growth lies in increasing

the skills of individuals you employ

and then the number of people you

can afford to employ.

“We need to grow both revenues and

the size of the business.

“That allows us to employ more people

with a wider range of expertise and

offer a wider range of services at the

top level in the industry,” he added.

GBM has largely weathered the storm

of the recent economic downturn

because of its position as a company

that has multiple lines of business in

multiple countries.

“We are a solutions provider more

than a technology provider. There

has been a systemic drop in capital

As GBM celebrates its 20th birthday

this year, it is looking for even greater

expansion across the region. And

it is looking to do this both through

technological innovation and

geographical expansion according to

Cesare Cardone, CEO, GBM.

“There is scope for geographical

expansion, particularly in Iraq when

that country stabilises,” he said.

But he also emphasised that GBM

was in an ever expanding industry and

there was a lot of scope for growth

by moving ahead and keeping at the

forefront of the latest technology.

“We have expanded very fast in the

past five years and have increased

our workforce from around 300 in

2001 to 1000,” he said.

h

investment, but that does not cut into

our ongoing projects.

“In a downturn you may put back

a decision to buy a new flat screen

television, but you will not give up

your house and with our position

as a solutions provider we remain

necessary to our customers who may

be putting off capital decisions.

“We operate across the GCC outside

Saudi Arabia and the market has

remained very healthy.

“Abu Dhabi and Qatar have been

largely untouched by the downturn

though Dubai has taken a big hit.”

“Bahrain was a positive year for us. In

2007 and 2008 we increased business

by 25pc to 30pc.

h

5The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

NOVEMBER

GBM Launched Middle East’s First Network Operations Centre

GBM Gold sponsor for IBEX 2010 InternationalBanking & Financial Services Technology Exhibition - Abu DhabiThe partnership allowed both

TrustDefender and GBM to unite

their extensive market knowledge

and expertise in response to market

demand in the GCC and Pakistan.

IBM Next Generation Enterprise Systems RoadshowGBM showcased the benefits of

IBM’s range of Power Systems at

a road show in Kuwait, Oman

and Qatar.

Our recent developments

h

Red Hat is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide.

Red Hat has become associated with its enterprise operating system Red Hat Enterprise Linux and with the acquisition of open source enterprise middleware vendor JBoss. It provides operating system platforms along with middleware, applications, and management products, as well as support, training, and consulting services.

As of February 2009, Red Hat was the largest corporate contributor to the

Linux kernel. The Red Hat Partner Program helps partners:

Grow business with a full portfolio of open source software and services

Deliver results that maximize loyalty and satisfaction

Build an annuity income stream

Develop additional sales and consulting opportunities through

the up-sale and cross-sale of Red Hat partner solutions

Get staff up to speed quickly and easily with comprehensive sales

and technical training courses and certifications

Manage the partnership through the Red Hat Partner Center

Gain access to Red Hat solutions and support, including access to

the global Red Hat sales team.

WHAT IS RED HAT?

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2010 events OCTOBER

HR Access and GBM Hosted Seminar on Lean Human Resources for UAE Companies - Abu Dhabi

The event featured a presentation

on HR Management Challenges in

the Middle East.

JULY

GBM hosted Business Process Management in Banking Seminar - Dubai The event featured a presentation

on best BPM practice.

GBM Participated in Power Systems Top Flight Event - Montepellier, FranceThe event introduced the latest

technology from IBM.

MAY

GBM the Diamond Sponsor of the Bahrain International eGovernment Forum 2010

The forum shared vision and

insight on the latest solutions

and innovations in eServices and

eGovernment technologies around

the world.

APRIL

GBM showcased IBM Power Systems driven by POWER7™ in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar

The state-of-the-art line of

IT hardware was launched

worldwide in February 2010. IBM

representatives at the event spoke

about the company’s “Smarter

Systems for a Smarter Planet”

premise.

MARCH

GBM the Platinum Sponsor for Cisco Networkers Bahrain 2010

This was the first time that the

industry-accredited networking

forum was held in the Middle

East. The event comprises five

conferences in one, under the

theme ‘Knowledge is Power’.

FEBRUARY

GBM the Platinum Sponsor for InfoBiz Kuwait

This event focused on

e-government with the theme

“Toward the union of GCC

e-Governments.” Participants

exhibited the latest technologies

and solutions with an emphasis

on networking and security, office

technology and IT solutions.

6

Key events in IBM’s history

1990 1993 1997 2000

Environmental programs

IBM joins 14 other leading U.S.

corporations in April to establish a

worldwide program designed to achieve

environmental, health and safety goals

by continuously improving environmental

management practices and performance.

IBM has invested more than $1 billion

since 1973 to provide environmental

protection for the communities in which

IBM facilities are located.

Scalable Parallel Systems Technology

IBM introduces the Scalable

POWERparallel System, the first in

a family of microprocessor-based

supercomputers using RISC System/6000

technology. IBM pioneers the

breakthrough scalable parallel system

technology of joining smaller, mass-

produced computer processors rather

than relying on one larger, custom-

designed processor. Complex queries

could then be broken down into a series

of smaller jobs than are run concurrently

(“in parallel”) to speed their completion.

Deep Blue

The 32-node IBM RS/6000 SP

supercomputer, Deep Blue, defeats

World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov

in the first known instance of a computer

vanquishing a reigning world champion

chess player in tournament-style

competition.

Fastest supercomputer

IBM delivers the world’s most

powerful computer to the US

Department of Energy, powerful

enough to process an Internet

transaction for every person on Earth

in less than a minute. IBM built the

supercomputer to accurately test

the safety and effectiveness of the

nation’s aging nuclear weapons

stockpile. This computer is 1,000

times more powerful than Deep Blue,

the supercomputer that beat Garry

Kasparov in chess in 1997.

GBM foresaw a significant growth in business in 2010, even as the company celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.

GBM plans to grow its business by 10 to 12 percent as IT spend is widely expected to increase in the Middle East. The company also revealed plans to maintain an overall growth rate of between 10 and 15 percent over the next five years.

These forecasts were announced at a series of internal ‘kick-off’ meetings held in all GBM locations. The meetings, which form part of GBM’s annual review and are an essential part of its planning and strategising, included in-depth analysis of the company’s performance in the last year and business growth predictions for 2010.

In its very first year of operations in 1990, GBM’s revenue totaled US$50 million which increased to US$361 million in 2009. Over the past twenty years, GBM has consistently grown

GBM CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY, FORECASTS

SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS GROWTH FOR 2010

from strength to strength in all its operating markets from increasing its customer base to partnering with the IT industry’s global names such as IBM and Cisco. In addition, GBM has become a significant player in the region’s e-Government evolution partnering with governments in UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.

“Over the past 20 years, GBM’s revenue has grown at a compound rate of 10% which is significant considering the good and bad years in the two decades,” said GBM’s CEO, Cesare Cardone. GBM’s strength lies both in our excellent reputation as one of the region’s leading IT solutions providers and in our pool of over a thousand experienced professionals who provide best-in-class support services to our customers. As we complete twenty years, we look back with pride at our accomplishments and our heritage. At the same time we’re looking forward to building on our achievements and continuing our consistent growth over the next few years.”

Cardone was confident that 2010 will witness a recovery across the IT industry. He knew it was going to be a challenging year but maintained aggressive plans to grow sales figures by around 10-12% and continue to move towards higher value solutions for GBM customers. “Looking beyond 2010, we aim to continue growing at a rate between 10 and 15 percent over the next five years,” Cesare added.

With broad experience across servers, storage, software and technical support, GBM has many success stories in delivering innovative products and services that helped meet their customers’ business goals in the most effective ways. The company’s achievement over the years is highlighted by their continuous investment in ensuring a strong, unrivaled customer value proposition.

FIRST SECURITIES BROKERAGE

COMPANY (FSBC) ENHANCES

ITS SERVICES WITH ON-LINE

BROKERAGE TECHNOLOGY

First Securities Brokerage

Company (FSBC), an affiliate of the

Kuwait-based Global Investment

House (GIH) has signed an

agreement with Khorafi Business

Machines (KBM), the Kuwait

operation of GBM, to deploy an on-

line brokerage solution.

As part of the agreement, KBM

and its Italian Business partner,

ETA Sistemi, will implement a

sophisticated software package

that will support the Kuwait Stock

Exchange (KSE) OMX/NASDAQ

with a Financial Interface

exchange (FIX) connection.

The term server is used

to refer to one of the

following:

a computer program running as

a service, to serve the needs or

requests of other programs which

may or may not be running on the

same computer.

a physical computer dedicated

to running one or more such

services, to serve the needs

of programs running on other

computers on the same network.

a software/hardware system (i.e.

a software service running on a

dedicated computer) such as a

database server, file server, mail

server, or print server.

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More recent developments

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7The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

“It has become increasingly important for us to ensure that our IT infrastructure is able to cope with the demands of the environment we work in. The deployment of vSphere will help us move towards virtualisation and cloud computing, while the consolidation of our servers and the use of a Cisco Unified Communication System will boost efficiencies at the Ministry,” said Rashid Madani, Director of IT at MoSD.

Significantly, this is the latest in a series of projects that BBM has successfully undertaken for MoSD since 2006.

2010

Cisco Enterprise Partner of the Year in Emerging East UAE

Bahrain eGovernment Excellence Award for Best ICT Solutions Provider

GBMD Lenovo SMB

Distribution Award

2008

IBM Sales Excellence Award Gulf

ACN’s Top 50 IT Companies

Kofax, Implementation of Arabic OCR Solutions

Cisco, Enterprise Partner of the Year, MENA

Cisco Advanced Technology Partner in Security

2007

IBM Achievement Award -

GBM Pakistan

Best Network Integrator for

2007 - Network ME Magazine

Kofax, Implementation of Arabic OCR Solutions

Cisco Enterprise Technology Partner, MENA

Cisco Enterprise Partner of the Year - Emerging Markets

2006

Government of Dubai, Quality

Appreciation Award

Highest Growth from IBM

Best Network Integrator - Network ME Magazine

2005

Cisco Security Partner of the

Year for the Gulf Region

In Recognition of GBM

Outstanding Contribution to

IBM SW Business

Best Network Integrator - Network ME Magazine

2004

Best System Integrator -

Network Middle East

In Recognition of GBM

Outstanding Contribution to

IBM SW Business

Best Network Integrator - Network ME Magazine

2003

In Recognition of GBM Contribution to the IBM SW

Business

Top Business Partner

Achievement Award

Cisco Partner of the Year for Gulf Region

2002

Cisco Partner of the Year for Gulf Region

GBM AWARDS

2003 20102007

Patent power

IBM has been granted more US patents

than any other company. From 1993 to

2007, IBM was awarded over 38,000 US

patents and has invested about $5 billion

a year in research, development and

engineering since 1996. IBM’s current

active portfolio is about 26,000 patents

in the US and over 40,000 patents

worldwide is a direct result of that

investment.

Blue Gene/L

The BLUE GENE team unveils a proto-type

of its Blue Gene/L computer roughly the size

of a standard dishwasher that ranks as the

73rd most powerful supercomputer in the

world. This one cubic meter machine is small

scale model of the full Blue Gene/L built for

the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

in California, which will be 128 times larger

when it’s unveiled two years later.

Super green

Topping the Green500 energy efficiency

review, IBM have 15 of the top 25 most

energy efficient supercomputers in

the world. The top computer on the

Green500 is a prototype of IBM’s next-

generation Blue Gene computer, which

is 77% more energy-efficient than the

second most efficient model, the Tokyo

Institute of Technology’s Tsubame 2.0.

GBM Oman and Cisco Systems have successfully completed the first phase of a project to upgrade the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) Data Centre located in the IT department using the latest Cisco Nexus hardware. Significantly, this is the first time the complete range of Nexus Data Centre switches have been installed in the Sultanate of Oman

The project was undertaken as part of an initiative within PDO to improve efficiency, reliability, expandability and scalability at their data centre, located at PDO’s Mina Al-Fahal head quarters.

Additionally, the upgrade is part of a plan to achieve Tier 3/4 compliance of the Telecommunications Industry Association’s TIA-942 Standard, while paving the way for use of emerging server technologies such as cloud computing and virtualisation. The TIA-942 Standard defines international guidelines for planning and building data centres, particularly with regard to cabling systems and network design.

“Our decision to upgrade to Cisco Nexus switches was driven by the need to optimise reliability and efficiency, while preparing our infrastructure to handle architectural changes involving new server technologies,” said Engr. Abdullah Sultan Al-Rashdi, Data Centre Upgrade Project Manager Petroleum Development Oman. “We share a longstanding relationship with GBM Oman and Cisco Systems and it was only natural that we relied on their expertise to consult on and implement this project.”

Olivier Mouries, CGM, GBM Oman added that GBM with its strong local expertise and its Cisco Gold Partner status will continue to invest in delivering leading edge technology to support customer demand at a time when a tighter economy imposes strong focus on further optimization of their activities.

UAE’s Meydan Group has selected Cisco to deliver a range of networking, security and unified communications system for its flagship horseracing development. The networking vendor completed the deployment with the aid of its Gold Partner, Gulf Business Machines.

The development has seen the deployment of a raft of Cisco systems, including a fully converged IP infrastructure, building management and security, covering the main Meydan Grandstand as well as the Meydan Hotel. The latter also features a new unified communications system for guest use as IPTV, which provides interactive TV services, can accommodate up to 60,000 spectators and is also the site of the Meydan Musuem and Imax theatre.

Published in itp.net on June 29, 2010

MEYDAN GROUP’S NEW NET-

WORK RACES OFF THE BLOCKS

GBM & CISCO SYSTEMS COMPLETE PHASE I OF DATA

CENTRE UPGRADE FOR PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT OMAN

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source: www.wikipedia.org

GULF BUSINESS MACHINES COMPLETES PROJECT TO ENHANCE

IT INFRASTRUCTURE AT MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

GBM has completed a project to augment the Bahrain Ministry of Social Development’s (MoSD) IT infrastructure. The project was undertaken by Bahrain Business Machines (BBM), GBM’s Bahrain division.

In addition to successfully deploying a VMware vSphere virtualisation platform, BBM also completed a project to consolidate the Ministry’s servers and deploy a Cisco Unified Communication System. MoSD is the first Ministry in Bahrain to deploy vSphere, which can aggregate and holistically manage large pools of IT infrastructure including processors, storage and networking. As a result the solution creates a seamless, flexible and dynamic operating environment for the Ministry’s IT infrastructure.

The Cisco Unified Communications System will provide the Ministry with a means of ensuring consistent communications services for all its employees, while providing greater security, resilience and scalability. In addition to connecting Ministry employees and their stakeholders, the system will facilitate better interaction through virtual platforms and will help integrate collaboration and communications into the Ministry’s processes. The System consists of Cisco Call Managers, Cisco Voice Gateways, Cisco Unity Solution, Cisco Presence Server, Cisco FAX Solution and Cisco IP Phones.

8

Despite all of this, it remains to be

seen how customers in the Middle

East and across the world, will

overcome their trepidation. What

is clear, however, is that the large

scale adoption of Cloud Computing

is unlikely to be instant, particularly

amongst medium and large

businesses, many of which will take

a progressive stance, testing the

waters before they take the plunge.

At GBM, we have already taken

the plunge. We have also made

significant investments, such as

the recently-launched Network

Operations Center (NOC), that allow

us to offer Cloud-based services,

while simultaneously also building

on our traditional IT services, which

still form the bulk of our customers’

requirements. After all, as is the case

with any IT business, we have to offer

our customers the right products and

solutions at the right time.

And we also practice what we

preach. We are currently one of the

region’s largest users of SalesForce,

one of the most established Cloud

Computing business applications.

Our heads may be in The Cloud

but our feet remain firmly rooted to

the ground.

Let’s keep our heads in The Cloud, but our feet firmly on the ground

Cesare Cardone

From virtual obscurity to all-

pervading, Cloud Computing has

clearly come of age, particularly

here in the Middle East. The recent

GITEX Technology Week in Dubai

saw a virtual thunder storm of

opinions and viewpoints on Cloud

Computing and its future in the

region.

It seems that there are two schools

of thought on Cloud Computing

in the region: on one hand you

have the Cloud evangelists who

claim that it will have a dramatic

impact on the industry and change

computing in the Middle East in a

very short time; on the other you

have the naysayers who genuinely

believe that it is simply a buzzword

that will fade away and be replaced

by something new.

From GBM’s perspective, I would

say that both points of view are

extreme and do not reflect ground

realities. Cloud Computing is very

much a disruptive innovation that

has the power to make significant

changes to the IT technology

environment we currently operate

in. But we have to be realistic and

understand that these changes are

not going to happen overnight.

Conversation with

One might even argue that

potential Cloud Computing users

would first have to go through the

IT evolutionary cycle with large

scale adoption of more mature

technologies such as IT business

continuity, virtualisation and data

centers.

IBM defines Cloud Computing

as “a style of computing whose

foundation is the delivery of

services, software and processing

capacity using private or public

networks.” In essence, IBM says, it

is an emerging approach to shared

infrastructure in which large pools

of systems are linked together

in private or public networks to

provide IT services.

The argument in favor of Cloud

Computing is hard to find fault

with: a dramatic surge in connected

devices, an increasing need for

real-time data and the adoption of

service-orientated architectures

and Web 2.0 applications have

collectively fuelled demand for

shared infrastructure ecosystems.

Arguably, the Internet has fuelled

and facilitated collaborative working

environments, which in turn, also

drives demand for Cloud-based

solutions. h

In a post-recessionary scenario,

purse strings everywhere are being

tightened and companies are seeking

to streamline operations to maximize

efficiencies and minimize costs.

Here too, Cloud Computing offers

significant benefits including lower

cost of ownership, full scalability

allowing for changes in the business

environment and new efficiencies,

without incurring capital expenses

since services are provided for a

fee that would be considered an

operation cost. What’s more is that

Cloud Computing users are protected

from technology obsolescence since

the responsibility for keeping the

systems up-to-date lies with the

service provider.

Despite the obvious benefits,

however, concerns remain and the

concerns in the Middle East are

not very different from those voiced

in other markets. The biggest of

these are security and privacy and

the largest players in the Cloud

Computing space are working to

reassure potential customers. IBM,

for example, brings state-of-the-art

security tools to its Cloud Computing

offering, providing customers with

security levels that are equivalent or

perhaps even better than what they

can expect in a traditional computing

environment.

CESARE CARDONE, CEO OF GBM, TALKS ABOUT CLOUD COMPUTING

9The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

Contrary to what its name implies, Cloud Computing offers users a number of tangible benefits and these have been recognized across the world and, as is more recently the case, here in the Middle East.

WHAT IS CLOUD COMPUTING?

The term “cloud computing” has different connotations for IT

professionals, depending upon their point of view and often their own

products and offerings. Some believe it is a disruptive trend representing the

next stage in the evolution of the Internet. Others believe it is hype, as it uses

long established computing technologies.

So, what is cloud computing? Today, definitions of cloud computing are

abound, but the general concept held by the market may be seen in this

definition from Wikipedia: “Cloud computing is a style of computing where

IT-related capabilities are provided ‘as a service,’ allowing users to access

technology-enabled services ‘in the cloud’ without knowledge of expertise or

control over the technology infrastructure that supports them.” IBM defines

cloud computing as a new IT service consumption and delivery model that

enables self-service, economies of scale and flexible sourcing options.

Characteristics include:

Elasticity and Rapid Scalability

Location Independence

Highly Virtualized Resources

Standardized Services

Automated, Rapid Provisioning

Optimized for IT and Business Services

End User Focused

Pay-per-use

From a user perspective, cloud computing provides a means of acquiring

computing services without requiring understanding of the underlying

technology. From an organizational perspective, cloud computing

delivers services for consumer and business needs in a simplified way,

providing unbounded scale and differentiated quality of service to foster

rapid innovation and decision making. It is a service acquisition and

delivery model for IT resources and, if properly used within an overall IT

strategy, can help improve business performance and control the costs of

delivering IT resources to the organization.

BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

MAJOR CLOUD COMPUTING MODELS

Cloud computing is considered to be a potentially cost-efficient model for

provisioning processes, applications and services while making IT management

simpler and increasing business responsiveness. In a cost-benefit analysis, a

properly implemented and leveraged cloud computing model will drive lower

cost-of-ownership, responsive delivery of services and higher service quality.

Cloud computing can enable rapid business innovation by delivering easy-to-use

computing services to users “on demand,” regardless of their location or the type

of device they are using. The cloud-based service can be “public,” “private” or a

combination of the two, sometimes referred to as a “hybrid cloud.”

Selecting the right use of cloud computing results in lower cost, by taking

advantage of economies of scale and automated IT operations while optimizing

investment in existing infrastructure. The resulting solution rapidly adjusts

the volume of users as workload increases or decreases. Payment or internal

chargeback for the services is more flexible and typically occurs on a usage basis.

Some popular models of cloud computing that are offered today as services are:

Software as a Service (SaaS): This is a hosted software model where an

enterprise can obtain various application functions through the hosted service

from a SaaS provider through a network connection. SaaS saves the complexity

of software installation, maintenance, upgrades, and patches for the IT team

within the enterprise, because the software is now managed centrally at the

SaaS provider’s facilities. The pricing is typically on a per-user basis for a fixed

bandwidth and storage. Salesforce.com is an example of a SaaS provider.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): PaaS provides a software platform on which

users can build their own applications and host them on the PaaS provider’s

infrastructure. The software platform is used as a development framework to

build, debug, and deploy applications. The platforms offered by PaaS vendors like

Google (with its App-Engine) or Force.com (the PaaS offering from Salesforce.

com) require the applications to follow their own Application Programming

Interface (API) and be written in a specific language. Pricing for PaaS can be on a

per-application developer license and on a hosted-seats basis.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): An IaaS provider offers you “raw” computing,

storage, and network infrastructure so that you can load your own software,

including operating systems and applications, on to this infrastructure. Pricing

for the IaaS can be on a usage or subscription basis. Pricing for the IaaS can

be on a usage or subscription basis. Amazon’s Elastic Computing Cloud (EC2)

service is an example of an IaaS.

Without Cloud Computing With Cloud Computing

• Virtualized resources

• Automated service

management

• Standardized services

• Location independant

• Rapid scalability

• Self-service

Workload A

Service Management

• Software

• Hardware

• Storage

• Networking

Service Management

• Software

• Hardware

• Storage

• Networking

Workload A

Service Management

• Software

• Hardware

Workload A Workload B Workload C

• Storage

• Networking

10

NOC

GBM announced the launch of its

cutting-edge Network Operations

Centre (NOC), the first of its kind in

the region .

Based in Dubai, the Centre will

manage and monitor customers’ IT

Infrastructure to ensure continuous

operations, thereby maximizing

operational efficiencies. In addition

to its monitoring function, the NOC

will also provide quality IT support

to network users across the Middle

East, ensuring quick resolution of

problems. Open 24-hours-a-day,

7-days-a-week and manned by a

team of highly skilled network and

system engineers, the NOC will

provide customers with a single

reliable point of contact for all IT-

related issues.

“The NOC represents the evolution

of GBM’s role as the region’s

preferred IT solutions and service

provider,” said Cesare Cardone,

CEO, GBM. “By launching this Centre

we are providing infrastructure and

applications as a service, allowing

our customers to replace capital

investment with an operational

expense. This, we believe, is truly

one of the important directions in the

future of the IT industry. This is the

reason why GBM decided to make

this investment and launch this new

GBM offering to our customers.”

The Middle East’s First

The NOC features state-of-the-

art security measures including

secured, encrypted connectivity

that relies on multiple layers of

protection. Customers also have

access to three flexible, secure

connectivity modules which include

a choice of an Internet Protocol

Security (IPsec), Virtual Private

Network (VPN) Tunnel, Multiprotocol

Label Switching (MPLS) technology

and Point-to-Point Leased Lines.

The service is available to customers

in the region for a fixed monthly fee

based on the service requirements.

“GBM’s NOC is a wonder of

technology and brings together

best-of-breed solutions and services

in one comprehensive package for

our customers,” said Hugh Hendry,

Regional Manager,

Service Delivery and Service

Support, GBM. “Using a combination

of automated and human monitoring

we are able to keep track of our

customers’ systems 24x7. This

allows proactive and reactive

responses to help manage issues,

no matter how small or big. All of

this allows us to help our customers

manage their IT resources in the

most effective manner possible.”

Network Operations Centre

THE NOC CENTER WILL MANAGE CUSTOMERS’ IT INFRASTRUCTURE

A network operations

center (NOC) is one or

more locations from

which control is exercised

over a computer, tele-

vision broadcast or

telecommunications

network.

h

GBM’s NOC is a

wonder of technology

and brings together

best-of-breed

solutions and services

in one comprehensive

package for our

customers.

Improve workforce productivity

Manage a centralizedworkforce

Reduce operating costs

Enhance customerexperience

NOC benefits:

NOC process

11The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

Salesforce.com is an enterprise cloud computing company

headquartered in San Francisco, USA, with regional headquarters

in Dublin (covering Europe, Middle East, and Africa), Singapore (covering

Asia Pacific less Japan), and Tokyo (covering Japan). Salesforce distributes

business software on a subscription basis and hosts the applications offsite.

It is best known for its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) products.

Salesforce.com has its services translated into 16 different languages and

currently has 82,400 customers and over 2,100,000 subscribers.

Salesforce’s CRM solution is broken down into several broad categories:

Sales Cloud, Service Cloud Small Business Communication, Financial

Services, Healthcare, High-Tech, Public Sector, Retail, Edition and Price,

and AppExchange. Salesforce also offers other activities or services on the

Force.com Platform, Chatter and Jigsaw.

Salesforce.com

GBM has acquired Performance Systems, a provider of Corporate Performance Management and Business Intelligence solutions in MENA and the Cognos preferred services partner for the MENA region. Performance Systems was previously a unit of Almasa Business Solutions.

The acquisition supports GBM’s strategy to build more expertise and expand its current offering to include Corporate Performance Management and Business Intelligence solutions in the MENA region.

A leading provider of innovative and cost-effective solutions designed to improve business performance; Performance Systems is one of only six Cognos platinum consulting partners in the world. Since the company was established in [2002], it has helped businesses across a number of different industries ranging from Telecommunications and Government, to Manufacturing and Hospitality in four continents successfully implement and deploy their Cognos software solution, amplify their business benefits, mitigate their risks and maximize their return on investment.

“It has become increasingly important for us to be able to offer our customers a framework of services that cover the entire lifecycle of a project from solution planning and implementation through to business improvement,” said Cesare Cardone, CEO, GBM. “By acquiring Performance Systems we are able to offer our customers access to one of the most comprehensive IT solutions portfolios in the Middle East.”

The acquisition allows GBM to cater to its customers’ business intelligence and performance management solutions through the IBM Cognos offerings, coupled with access to a wide selection of IT solutions and services. The IBM Cognos product portfolio includes IBM Cognos Business Intelligence, IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning, IBM Cognos TM1 and IBM Cognos Controller.

GBM Acquires Performance Systems to enhance Performance Management and Business Intelligence capabilities

h

SALESFORCE.COM PROVIDES ON-DEMAND CRM SOLUTIONS GLOBALLY

GBM announced partnership with Salesforce.com in GCC region

customers cutting-edge cloud-based solutions tailored to fulfill their needs and meet the level of support they require,” said Ali Hosseini, Director of Professional Services, GBM.

As the demand on cloud computing services becomes increasingly visible, GBM is planning to establish an authorized training centre to leverage local talent while driving technology innovation in the region. GBM is also in the process of deploying cloud-based Business Applications for several regional and local customers in the GCC region.

“We are proud to collaborate with GBM to bring our offering to the region,” said Stephane Viallet, VP Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Salesforce.com. “By joining our forces, customers will have access to world- class expertise and counsel before, during and after the implementation of a project.”

GBM announced that it has earned Salesforce.com’s Business Partner Status in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Salesforce.com is a US based Cloud Computing company which provides on-demand Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions globally.

GBM already shares a longstanding relationship with Salesforce.com and offers its full range of Cloud-based Business Applications. With this partnership, supported by a highly skilled team, GBM will bring local capabilities and expertise to customers in the region. In addition, GBM will also offer service, training and after sales-support to its customers.

“We are very pleased to be business partners with Salesforce.com to cover the GCC region. This partnership validates not only our longstanding relationship, but also our commitment to bringing to the market and our

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Cognos (Cognos Incorporated) was an Ottawa, Ontario-based

company making business intelligence (BI) and performance

management (PM) software. Founded in 1969, at its peak Cognos employed

almost 3,500 people and served more than 23,000 customers in over 135

countries.

Originally Quasar Systems Limited, it adopted the Cognos name in 1982.

On January 31, 2008, Cognos was officially acquired by IBM. The Cognos

name continues to be applied to IBM’s line of business intelligence and

performance management products.

In January 2010, as part of a reorganization of IBM Software Group, Cognos

software and software from recently acquired SPSS were brought together

to create the Business Analytics division.

IBM Cognos 8 BI has won numerous awards including the eWEEK Excellence Award in Analytics and Reporting, the LOTUS ADVISOR “Editor’s Choice” Award, and TechTarget’s SearchCRM.com 2005 Product of the Year.

ABOUT SALESFORCE

ABOUT COGNOS

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13The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

Learning Services

The region’s leading IT training provider

As an exclusive training provider for selected IBM technologies and a Cisco

Learning Partner for the MENA region, GBM Learning Services is well suited to

deliver cutting edge training solutions to fit a wide variety of needs.

GBM Learning Services customers benefit from:

A balanced combination of Theory and Practice

All courses are designed to include a theory portion as well as hands-on

workshops and case studies to provide the trainees with an opportunity to

practice what they have learnt. This ratio in most of the technical courses is

50% theory and 50% practical.

Cognitive factors in learning

The focus of this aspect is on the mental processes associated with

learning. Intelligence, differences in learning styles, cognitive strategies,

meta-cognition and knowledge are always taken into account by our

trainers.

Motivation on learning

The trainers used by GBM are specially trained to motivate the trainees

during the class by introducing discussions, questions and case studies.

Personality, group and social factors

GBM teaching methodology encourages the trainer and trainees to develop

sensitivity to different personality traits. Our train-the-trainer program aims

at providing trainers with the necessary knowledge and skill to facilitate

maximum positive growth and learning by arranging group and social

factors.

Best practices in assessment and evaluation

Our course material uses quizzes, tests and challenge exercises to make

ongoing assessment during the class.

Widest selection of Courses

You get the greatest course selection as we offer the most comprehensive

set of courses in the marketplace, from beginner to advance. Choose from

close to 900 courses supporting a variety of hardware, software and industry

technologies - including IBM, Cisco, Linux and Microsoft.

Learning Effectiveness

You ensure learning effectiveness. Each course delivers specific skills by

job role, so you can be sure to get the exact results you want. We reinforce

the materials discussed in lectures through hands-on labs, improving your

team’s learning experience.

IN NUMBERS

3000students trained annually in different technologies

1000different IT courses conducted

1000customers across the region

50:50the ratio of theory to practical content on technical courses

GBM is setting new milestones by delivering Cisco Authorized Training in the GCC to major clientele from different industry verticals like Banking, Telecom, Petroleum Sector, Aviation, Government and many more.

GBM guarantees training quality standards managed by a comprehensive evaluation system.

Our trainers have an extensive networking experience in the industry and are CCSI’s delivering training as per Cisco International standards.

GBM offers courses on the hottest Cisco technologies using the latest hardware and remote labs. Our Cisco training courses include hands-on labs featuring the latest Cisco equipment, relevant scenarios to help prepare you for real networking environments and Cisco certification exams.

Exclusive Training Provider of selected IBM technologies

Training facilities in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan and Qatar

AT A GLANCE

CISCO LEARNING PARTNER

FOR THE MENA REGION

14

Anti-money laundering

The UAE Central Bank was among the first regulators in the GCC to address this issue by implementing an anti-money laundering system to protect its interests and those of its member institutions.

While the exact origins of money laundering are unclear, it is an established fact that the American mafia was responsible for developing and refining new techniques during the Prohibition era in the late 1920s. Since then, criminal and other outlawed organizations around the world have used money laundering to legitimize illegally obtained funds.

The global money laundering ‘industry’ has evolved into an efficient, powerful system that is, by some estimates, worth close to US$2 trillion per year. Despite the fact that a large percentage of this volume is reportedly concentrated around Europe and North America, every country in the world has an interest in fighting this criminal activity.

While money laundering has historically been an almost exclusive domain of criminal organizations, the events of 9/11 and revelations that terror organizations had laundered money to fund their attacks, changed governments’ perceptions. Suddenly it became a critical issue of national security and wide-ranging international measures, requiring compliance from the financial sector, were subsequently put in place.

Aware of the limits of human analysis and detection of financial crime, institutions turned to technology as

Action Task Force (FATF) with multiple backend algorithms to generate alerts list based on customer profiles and behavior and transactions patterns. These include Risk Pooling, Ranking & Scoring, Peer Group Analysis and Know Your Customer (KYC) concept.

A crucial question is: “how can financial institutions implement effective AML capabilities, with minimum disruption and costs while continuously enhancing customer services?” It must be reiterated here that AML is not only about technology but is a strategy combined with smart software to reduce the exposure of reputational and financial risk while improving customer services.

International best practice calls for implementation of innovative processes and workflows that have the right balance between compliance and customer care and service satisfaction. There are, of course, other factors that play a vital role in AML monitoring such as customer data integrity and quality, knowledge of the financial institutions’ compliance team, accurate detection and effective reporting structures.

In an increasingly electronic and global financial market place, the risks now posed by fraudulent financial transactions have increased so much that integrated AML strategies are no longer a luxury; in fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a critical factor in today’s business environment and a necessity for protecting a financial institution’s reputation and customers.

Published in Gulf Business, July 2009.

Noman Azim, Senior

Consultant for Banking

& Finance, GBM

Technology:

A frontline weapon against money-laundering When the UAE signed a series of anti-money laundering accords in June last year it was yet another indication of the country’s commitment to fighting this financial crime.

their frontline weapon against money laundering. First generation anti-money laundering (AML) detection systems were developed and deployed. Unfortunately, these systems were based on detecting pre-determined transaction patterns and monetary thresholds and it was only a matter of time before the criminals found ways to circumvent detection.

Anxious to protect their business interests and customers, while maintaining compliance, the financial sector adopted more advanced technologies capable of monitoring every transaction, tracking and flagging suspicious behaviour. These new technologies are capable of developing a risk assessment composite profile of a customer using available information, measuring transaction risks and detecting suspicious patterns from large volumes of financial data.

Once the software has filtered the suspicious transactions and patterns, this valuable data is handed over to human investigators for further analysis which may result in criminal prosecution.

In the Middle East, a region with its own set of challenges, banks and financial institutions have adopted highly customised solutions that take local factors into consideration as part of the analytical process. Software solutions such as HLB-NGA’s RiskSecure, supplied by Gulf Business Machines (GBM), are not only compliant with current and future monitoring requirements but integrate recommendations from regional Central Banks and the Financial

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15The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

Business intelligence

Business intelligence at its most basic is all about data. It’s about using an enterprise’s data to make sense of historical trends. It’s about using that same data to plan for times ahead. It’s about enabling enterprises to find out exactly what the state of the business is. This very second.

Yet despite the simplicity of the concept, half of all businesses implementing business intelligence fail to do so effectively. There are, of course, a huge number of factors governing why many business intelligence projects fail to take off. However, according to many analysts, the one common theme behind the high failure rate is a misunderstanding of what business intelligence actually is and who it is for.

Recent research by the University of Cambridge on behalf of international auditors KPMG found that all too often business intelligence is viewed as ‘IT’s problem’ despite the fact that the technology side of the business process is only a small part of it. According to its findings, those companies that find business intelligence failing to help them have more often than no thrust responsibility for the entire implementation process on to the CIO. It says that business intelligence needs to be embedded within all of a company’s processes and not just those of the IT infrastructure if it is to be successful in its aims. Many of the processes that need to be addressed are simply beyond the remit or influence of the CIO.

“The need for business intelligence and reporting is being driven by the high importance of needing to know how your business is doing”, explains Ali Hosseini,

Invaluable intelligence

Half of business intelligence projects fail, but why? As it turns out, it’s a complex combination of a number of things. So just how can your enterprise avoid becoming another statistic when it comes to making your data work?

Director of Professional Services, GBM. “However, it is often initiated by other members of the business, and frequently falls to CIOs to implement it on behalf of the company.”

According to Hosseini, the introduction of business intelligence is driven by forces outside of the IT department in 80% of cases. “Only rarely is it initiated by the IT team, as more often than not it won’t be them using the business intelligence.” He says that it is a dangerous precedent and one of the main reasons why business intelligence comes to be viewed as a technology project – which it isn’t – rather than a change in the business processes.

Some vendors are looking to take advantage of the issues surrounding complex IT infrastructures, and design solutions that fit around the reality of the situation. One such example is IBM. “We offer a solution which can sit on top of any solution, or any application, within an organisation and start generating reports, KPIs or profit reports immediately,” explains Hosseini.

One area that has changed in the past year or so, and has had an enormous impact on the potential efficiency of business intelligence that the average IT manager has within the business. “Because of the transformation of business processes in the wake of the recent financial crisis, enterprises are waking up to the reality that it isn’t enough to have these numbers available to them: they need to also use them,” explains Hosseini.

Excerpt from Arabian Computer News,

September, 2010.

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80%The percentage of business intelligence implementations initiated by non-technology enterprise executives

IN NUMBERS

By Ben Furfie

16

Business Process Management

Success in the banking industry can be tough without a Business Process Management (BPM) strategy which effectively aligns systems and processes with business objectives.

BPM offers a bird’s eye view of the organisation, bringing together business activities or processes, with people and information. This is not only limited to the organisation’s internal mechanics but also includes customers, suppliers, partners and other stakeholders in the banking ecosystem.

The past few years have seen a significant rise in the number of banks that have realized the value in investing in BPM solutions to execute and monitor their business processes. It’s never too late for banks to adopt BPM, but the decision to do so can sometimes be met with hesitation stemming from a lack of clarity in its uses and benefits.

Essentially, BPM solutions help provide a holistic view of a bank’s operations and help to cut cost in the long run by boosting efficiency and enhancing customer service. And how does it do this? By recognising areas that can be automated and reducing the time needed to complete a business process, as well as bringing down the number of errors involved in completing an activity.

Perhaps the most important benefit BPM is seen to offer, given the nature of today’s economy and increasing regulations, is that it provides a stable flexibility to adapt to change.

How does a bank go about implementing a BPM strategy? Initially, it starts with identifying its needs. This might seem easy enough but in reality involves in-depth research on specific processes that currently exist and the related owners of those processes. A process includes both system and human interactions - any activity taken in order to realise a business function, such as credit card issuance, payroll, loans, online banking, sales and marketing, etc.

Next, a bank will decide on application requirements, which simultaneously help in realising business priorities of the organisation. By doing this, banks understand the core demands a BPM system should deliver on and decide whether to choose a ready-to-deploy BPM solution that best fits their needs or opt for a custom solution, tailored exactly to specification. There’s no shortage of solutions available through the best players in the BPM field, such as IBM’s BPM Suite, and successful automation can be seen in banks that choose either a ‘packaged’ or a customised solution. The key is finding a solution that is the best fit.

Business Process Management can get fairly complex depending on the banking institution and a good solution is often the difference between greater effectiveness and chaos while deciding what to automate.

Through it all, there needs to be a focus on return on investment because, while BPM is a necessary investment considering today’s economy, cost, time and effort are key factors that influence the ever-important bottom line.

Often there is a fear that using BPM will result in employees being made redundant but it’s rather a case of finding out where there is an abundance of skills and then streamlining process orchestration. For example, there might be other departments that need more attention and support, like call centres. Significantly, BPM often helps expose the need for further training in order to make best use of human resources.

At Gulf Business Machines, we have already helped a number of the region’s leading banks and financial institutions turn to BPM solutions. This has allowed them to make the most of their resources in order to increase efficiency and gain a competitive edge. BPM is truly enabling their success.

Success in the banking industry can be tough without a Business Process Management (BPM) strategy which effectively aligns systems and processes with business objectives.

By Siddhartha Khare,

WebSphere Sales Manager

– Gulf Region, GBM

Banking on Success

The IBM BPM Suite contains a comprehensive set of collaborative, role-based capabilities that enable customers to model, simulate, execute, rapidly change, monitor and optimize core business processes. The IBM BPM Suite brings together software and services from across IBM and includes a choice of three Foundational Offerings, IBM WebSphere Dynamic Process Edition, IBM WebSphere Lombardi Edition, and IBM FileNet Business Process Manager, that make it easier for customers to get started with BPM.

IBM BPM SUITE

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17The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

Server virtualisation is sweeping through data centres. Here is what you need to know to plan, deploy and maintain a virtual infrastructure.

Virtualisation

Within a short span of time, server virtualisation has emerged as a fundamental part of data centre technology, mainly due to its basic value proposition. When you run many logical servers on a single physical server, you get a lot more out of your hardware. so you can invest in fewer physical servers to handle the same set of workloads. It almost sounds like found money.

The details. of course. are more complicated. The hypervisor, a thin layer of software upon which you deploy virtual servers, is generally wrapped into a complete software solution that incurs some combination of licensing, support and / or maintenance costs (depending on which virtualisation software you chose).

Making the case for server virtualisation

The business case for server virtualisation is pretty compelling. Who doesn’t want to get the most possible use out of server hardware? In fact, the basic idea is so compelling, you need to be careful not to oversell. Make sure you account for the likely capital equipment, deployment, training and maintenance costs. The real savings achieved by virtualisation, as with so many other new technologies, tend to accrue over time.

Train before you fire it up

It’s also important to consider the training of existing staff. Virtualising an existing IT infrastructure implies that the structural foundation of the entire computing platform will be altered. It is therefore essential that IT staff are familiar with handling this infrastructure when it goes live, as virtualisation does introduce various challenges. It is best to train your staff before implementing virtualisation on a full scale. Your chosen vendor should be able to provide some form of training.

“The Success of any technology adoption depends on the skills to implement and maintain the same. Virtualisation is no different. Virtualisation marks the beginning of IT infrastructures turning dynamic and service-oriented. Therefore, organisations need to necessarily train their staff on the technology, management tools and align its processes in order to ensure successful implementation,” says Soubhi Chebib, Director of IBM Systems Brand, GBM.

As you step through the planning stages of virtualisation, you should pay close attention to the network requirements of the proposed solution and the impact it will have on your data centre network. “A virtualised infrastructure places new demands on the networks and requires the networks to evolve

along with the servers and storage. Each step towards server and storage consolidation, virtualisation, automation and integration must be matched by a corresponding improvement in the data centre network infrastructure,’ says Chebib. He adds that the network design should not anymore be taken as independent function but are integral part of the data centre. The servers and storage design teams need to take active role in the network design.

Essentially, virtualisation can be a powerful tool as well as a strong cost-saving initiative, provided it is handled and executed effectively.

Excerpt from Network World Middle East,

October, 2010.

Virtual realities

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Virtualisation is the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as an operating system, a server, a storage device or network resources.

Server virtualisation is the masking of server resources, including the number and identity of individual physical servers, processors, and operating systems, from server users. The server administrator uses a software application to divide one physical server into multiple isolated virtual environments. The virtual environments are sometimes called virtual private servers, but they are also known as guests, instances, containers or emulations.

There are three popular approaches to server virtualisation: the virtual machine model, the paravirtual machine model, and virtualisation at the operating system (OS) layer.

Server virtualisation can be viewed as part of an overall virtualisation trend in enterprise IT that includes storage virtualisation, network virtualisation, and workload management.

WHAT IS SERVER VIRTUALISATION?

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18

IBM feature

Obviously it’s not hard currency, which represents only 11% of the U.S. money supply. The rest of our “money” flows from a paycheck to a bank to a store and then through the store’s supply chain, only to be deposited in another business’s account…to start the journey over again.

Money, in other words, has been reduced to zeros and ones. It’s intangible, invisible. It’s information. Which is central both to the problem we face and to its solution.

Without question, the replacement of physical money with electronic money — and the spectrum of financial innovations that have accompanied it — have helped the world’s economy grow and prosper. They have also helped many more people around the world to join the middle class. But our technical and management systems haven’t kept pace. They couldn’t provide warning signals of risk concentrations, over-leveraging or underpricing. Banks could repackage risk and sell it, but they couldn’t value an individual loan in order to unwind the debt when needed.

However, the same digitization that has helped create this challenge is now providing the means to solve it. Intelligence is being infused into the way the world works, including our financial systems. We’re all aware of advances like ATMs, credit cards and online banking. But the transformation happening underneath is far more profound. Unprecedented computing power and advanced analytics can turn oceans of ones and zeros into insights, in

Smarter money for a smarter planet

real time. Which means we could have a safer, more transparent and intelligent financial system for a smarter planet.

We can already see it happening at the level of national governments. The new integrated information system for the Czech Republic Ministry of Finance, for instance, provides insights to help set monetary policy, and to handle state budget resources and public finance more efficiently.

We see it helping multiple interconnected institutions. The Operational Riskdata eXchange Association, a consortium of 52 leading financial institutions, uses anonymized data to help improve statistical modeling, more accurately quantify risk exposure and address regulatory compliance needs.

We even see it transforming entire global markets. Consider foreign currency exchange, the world’s largest single market. Intraday settlement risk of more than $2 trillion in volume — more than 50% of foreign exchange transactions — has been eliminated.

And through organizations like Grameen Foundation and Financial Information Network and Operations Ltd. (FINO), poor people around the world can overcome impossible odds. Thanks to technology enabled microfinance, they can get collateral-free loans and financial services to support income-generating businesses — for a brighter future for their families and communities.

These changes are exciting, but more are needed. There is growing consensus on the need for a centralized risk utility, to help avert future crises — perhaps building on the work of the International Monetary Fund and other institutions to create an early warning system for global finance.

Of course, restoring trust and confidence is much more than a technology challenge. It’s also a major policy and behavioral challenge. And no system can ever be devoid of risk. But the benefits of smarter finance are clear — for regulators, bankers, investors, companies and communities, rich and poor around the world, all of whose well-being and prosperity depend on a money system that is stable, secure and accessible to all.

Let’s build a smarter planet. Join us and see what others are thinking at ibm.com/think.

Article is courtesy of www.ibm.com

We know that a lot of money has evaporated in the current financial crisis — but what exactly is it that has been lost?

At IBM, we mean that

intelligence is being infused

into the systems and processes

that make the world work—into

things no one would recognize

as computers: cars, appliances,

roadways, power grids, clothes,

even natural systems such as

agriculture and waterways.

Today, it’s not a question as to

whether the technology to build

a smarter planet is real. Now,

we need to know what to do next.

How do you infuse intelligence

into a system for which no

one enterprise or agency is

responsible? How do you bring

all the necessary constituents

together? How do you make the

case for budget? Where should

you start?

We’ve learned a lot over the past

year about what it takes to build a

smarter planet. Importantly, we’ve

learned that our companies, our

cities and our world are complex

systems—indeed, systems of

systems—that require new things

of us as leaders, as workers and

as citizens. A smarter planet

will require a profound shift in

management and governance

toward far more collaborative

approaches.

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN

TO BE SMARTER?

19The Leading Provider of IT Business Solutions in the GCC

Big enterprises have a hate-love relationship with social networking.

They don’t want business reputations conflated with people’s private lives. They don’t want business details leaking out in Twitter feeds. When Facebook asks: “What’s on your mind?” companies don’t want the employee replying: “Just lost the Wal-Mart contract. Forget my stock options.”

But they want to hire tech-savvy, gregarious Millennials who have spent their lives on social networks. They want their own workers to share expertise and ideas to build teams and boost creativity.

Internal Social Networks

Increasingly, enterprises are building internal social networks that are safely behind a firewall. There are internal networking analogs for Facebook, Delicious, Twitter, IM, YouTube, presence and wikis.

The hope is that the enterprise will be able to use those tools without taking too many risks. And enterprises want to make sure that employees don’t decide to create their own insecure, ad hoc networks using smart-phones because they seem much more efficient than corporate e-mail.

As an executive at one management consulting company told me: “Employees are asking why they can’t do at work what they do at home. If they give a presentation their instinct is to put it on Facebook.”

Risks to Enterprise Social Networks

The problem is that internal social networks that are completely isolated behind firewalls aren’t very useful. And opening up the firewalls to trusted outsiders such as customers, suppliers, third-party contractors, advertising firms and search firms runs many of the same risks that public networks have.

In fact, social networking behind a porous firewall may be even riskier than using public tools. Employees may get a false sense of being able to post frankly without being aware of who can see it.

“Plaintiffs’ attorneys in sex, age or race discrimination cases eagerly examine social networks. “

It’s vital for companies to train every employee about the benefits and perils of internal-social networks. IT departments can put in some safeguards, but they won’t be able to completely overcome the technological imperative to share useful stuff. As Stewart Brand memorably wrote, “Information wants to be free.”

One interpretation is that people who have it want to share it. Technology can prevent casual hackers from seeing corporate details, but it can’t prevent employees from unthinkingly revealing corporate secrets.

Cisco feature

Social networking has risks, even inside companies

Training and Policy Essential

Using your own name is a huge guarantor of corporate responsibility. Many companies have concluded that the first policy for social networks is that employees always use their true identity.

Even if a company is doing business using avatars in a Second Life community, they require employees to identify themselves by name and position. IT can help by authenticating every user who logs on to the corporate network.

Employees still need to be trained to be conscious of security risks. Sharing a list of tagged Web sites with a former colleague might seem harmless. But in aggregate, the listings might indicate a new marketing campaign or a potential takeover interest.

They also need to be conscious of the difference between making jocular comments on a social network and using informal comments on similar work sites.

Social Networking - Legal Concerns

Lawyers say plaintiff’s attorneys in sex, age or race discrimination cases eagerly examine social networks for signs that behavior at a company, especially by managers, may be viewed as hostile by certain groups. They worry about wikis where participants offer inappropriate suggestions for the office Christmas party that may be unearthed in some sexual harassment suit.

When outside contractors are allowed on project wikis, it’s especially important for employees to temper casual remarks. But remembering to never disparage competitors or clients can be difficult, especially when the medium is designed to encourage freewheeling discussion. The problem is that even offhand thoughts are saved once they’re written down.

Legal expert Steven C. Bennett, a lawyer with Jones, Day in New York, wrote in a January article on social-networking policies that it’s vital to “Remind employees that any electronic communications and social networking activities for work-related purposes must maintain and reflect the company’s standards for professionalism, including proper tone and subject matter.”

He adds: “profanity and vulgar or demeaning jokes are inappropriate. Employees should also avoid discussions of conduct that is prohibited by company policies, such as alcohol and drug use on the company’s premises.”

So employees on corporate networking sites should feel free to speak up and share as if they were at a company cocktail party -- where they’re drinking only club soda.

Article is courtesy of www.cisco.com

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20

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