Juniper Networks Earns Back-to-Back Win and Receives Top Honors from Solution Providers for Superior Products, Support and Channel Partnership

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 30, 2011 — Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) today proudly announced it has earned the 2011 CRN Annual Report Card (ARC) "Company of the Year," sweeping the entire Enterprise Networking Infrastructure category. The coveted award marks the second year in a row Juniper Networks has won the ARC in this highly competitive category.

"This back-to-back win and sweep of the entire enterprise networking category offers a great testimony to the disruptive leadership, technical innovation and channel partnership that differentiates Juniper Networks from our competitors and helps us drive even greater business value for our channel partners worldwide," says Juniper Networks' Senior Vice President of Worldwide Partners Emilio Umeoka.

Umeoka and Juniper Networks Americas Partner Chief Frank Vitagliano accepted the honor at the 2011 XChange Americas Conference earlier this month in Denver, CO.

"This is a great win and a significant endorsement of the value, trust and respect Juniper Networks has earned within the Americas channel partner base and worldwide," says Vitagliano. "From breaking into the switching market four years ago with the Juniper Networks® EX Series, to the recent announcement of our QFabric data center solution, Juniper Networks continues to deliver the disruptive innovation channel partners need to meet the dynamic business and technology demands of the enterprise. These are exciting and defining times in Juniper Networks' history and we want to thank our channel partners for their continued advocacy and adoption of the new network."

Recognized as one of the IT channel's top honors, the CRN ARC serves as a definitive benchmark of relationships between vendors and their channel partners. The 2011 Everything Channel ARC research team surveyed more than 3,600 solution providers across 21 categories to evaluate their satisfaction with vendors' products, support and channel programs. The results serve as an industry standard for measuring excellence within the channel community.

"When it comes to the strength of relationships, quality of products and return on partner programs, solution providers want to hear from their fellow VARs about the IT vendors that consistently exceed expectations," said Kelley Damore, vice president, editorial director, Everything Channel. "The ARC gives solution providers the opportunity to share feedback and recognize the vendors who truly demonstrate channel excellence. We congratulate Juniper Networks for being recognized as the best of the best in the category of Enterprise Networking Infrastructure."

To view a slideshow of all the organizations named to the 2011 ARC visit www.crn.com.

About Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks is in the business of network innovation. From devices to data centers, from consumers to cloud providers, Juniper Networks delivers the software, silicon and systems that transform the experience and economics of networking. Additional information can be found at Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net).

Juniper Networks and Junos are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The Juniper Networks and Junos logos are trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Need products from Juniper Networks?  Contact Matthew Frank at mfrank@macsourceinc.com or Elizabeth Rizzo at erizzo@macsourceinc.com

You can even check out MAC Source inc. at http://www.macsourceinc.com/

Why Spending Money On A New Communications System Can Save Your Company Money And Keep Your Customers Happy.

by Matthew Frank - Inside Sales Rep at MAC Source Communications

Old phone systems are the worst to deal with.  I call people all day to try and sell them new products such as next generation firewalls, video conferencing equipment, wireless routers or access points and even new phone systems.  When I call into a company and I hear a phone system that is more than 5 years old, it annoys, angers and frustrates me all at the same time.  This is because most companies don't think about this simple peice of communication that to be honest, can help you gain or lost customers in a blink of an eye.

If you have an older phone system for your business, think how it affects you and your customers.  A customer calls in, hears a recording, and is stuck in directory hell.  They have to go through 6 or 7 prompts before they can get to a secretary or somone who answers for them.  Its annoying, frustrating, and can cause the customer to hang up and not want to call back.  Now, your probably thinking "well my company has online support 24/7 and we have e-mail support as well, so its not a big deal."  Actually it is.  How many people actually use the online support or e-mail?  Honestly.  And Trust me, I have used live online support through multiple companies, and I find it to be less helpful at times.

Many people, such as my parents who are not particularly tech savvy (mom if you are reading this, its true, and dad, if you are reading this, when did you learn to use the computer?) are used to picking up the phone and calling into companies.  They don't want to e-mail or use live tech support.  They don't care about how many live support reps you have online or that you will get back to them in 24-48 hours.  The phone is instant, and they want to talk to someone live and hear a voice.  Being stuck in directory hell is not fun for them, and I've seen them and their friends more then once return a product and buy a competitors because it was easier to get through to that other company.

Basically, what I am saying is, if you have an older system, upgrade it.  It may seem like its a big expense, but in reality, its a one time thing every few years.  If you think about it, the cost to upgrade your system is a lot less then losing customers to another competitor because of a simple phone directory or older system where you can't get through to someone.

Let MAC Source Communications help you by attending our Avaya/Nortel seminar (and yes, you can attend even if you don't use Avaya or Nortel).  Click here to sign up.

You can reach me at 585-368-2101 for more information about our events and products we offer.

Identity Theft. The Ease of Becoming Someone Else

by Matthew Frank - Inside Sales rep at MAC Source Communications

I'm not actually telling you how to do the stuff in the title, it's more of a way to grab your attention. 

I called up my phone cable company a while back and figured out how easy it was to change the agreement we had in terms of service and channels.  I didn't have my account # so they asked me to verify my birthday and the last 4 digits of my social security #.  Not my whole social security # but the last 4 digits.  To me, this is not safe, let me tell you why.

First off, anyone can go on Facebook, Twitter, or even my Linkedin account and see when my birthday is.  In fact, I make it publicly broadcasted (I guess I like all the "HAPPY BIRTHDAYS" I get on that day).  Secondly, most places you go to, or things you sign that ask for your soocial security # only ask for the last 4.  It's really easy to get it.  All you would need to do is get my birthday, year I graduated from my college, and my mother's maiden name, and you could get my transcript for my college (which has my college ID on it and that allows me to reset your password to my college account).  Then you have all my personal information including either my full social security # or at least the last 4 digits.  It's that simple.

I have a friend who, in the past couple of years has been fighting identity theft.  Someone opened up a credit card in his name and ran the bill up, then left him to be stuck with it.  When he called to dispute it, the credit card companies told him it was his card.  They told him, he signed up for it, he ran the bill up, and they weren't going to help him.  He was stuck with a $6,000.00 bill he couldn't pay.  That destroyed his credit to the point where he needed a cosigner to sign for his apt when he was clearly making triple the income he needed to be making to sign it.

Identity theft is real.  The best way to stop them, is to think like them.

Join MAC Source Communications and Information Security Expert and Penetration Tester Steve Stasiukonis on September 13th from 11:00-11:45 am to learn how to "Rob A Bank With Facebook" and protect your business from people with malicious intent.

You can sign up by clicking here

LifeSize Takes on Cisco in Videoconferencing, Sees Sales Rise

LifeSize Communications Inc., a unit of computer-mouse maker Logitech International SA (LOGN), expects revenue to jump as it competes with rivals including Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) to add clients in the videoconference market, set to more than double in the next five years.


LifeSize’s sales are forecast to rise two to three times faster than the market, which is expected to grow 15 percent this year, Chief Executive Officer Craig Malloy said in a phone interview. Revenue at the Austin, Texas-based company rose 34 percent to $36.5 million in the fiscal first quarter, making LifeSize Logitech’s fastest-growing business.

“We’re seeing very, very rapid growth in videoconferencing,” the CEO said. “We’re going to piggyback on key trends and accelerate our growth.” LifeSize is targeting $1 billion in revenue in coming years, Malloy said, without giving a precise timeframe.

Technology companies are using mergers and acquisitions to grow in videoconferencing. Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland-based Logitech, the world’s biggest maker of mice, was among the first to make a deal in the industry when it bought LifeSize for $405 million in 2009. Cisco the same year announced it was buying Tandberg ASA, the world’s second-biggest maker of videoconferencing equipment, and Polycom Inc. (PLCM), the world’s largest standalone maker of videoconference gear, agreed to buy Hewlett-Packard Co.’s competing business in June.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), the world’s largest software maker, agreed this year to buy Skype Technologies SA, the world’s most popular Web-calling service, to strengthen its bid to convince corporate clients to replace traditional phone and videoconferencing systems with its software.

‘Beyond Consumer’

“Logitech wanted to diversify from PC peripherals,” Malloy said. “We’re a natural extension for them to go beyond consumer channels and into business ones.”

Global videoconferencing endpoint revenue, which includes equipment and doesn’t include services, will reach $4.15 billion in 2016 from $1.66 billion last year, according to research from Frost & Sullivan Inc.

“Companies are looking for ways to reduce costs due to the financial crisis,” Iwona Petruczynik, a Warsaw-based analyst at Frost & Sullivan, said in an interview. “People are moving away from in-person meetings to save money and time, and this is a great way to do it.”

LifeSize, the third-biggest videoconferencing provider with about 15,000 customers worldwide, offers high-definition video conferencing services, mainly targeting medium and large companies, the CEO said. LifeSize in July bought Mirial, a specialist in software for video-conferencing on tablets and mobile phones.

Android, Apple Devices

The Mirial deal allows LifeSize to “offer video communication to any Android or Apple-based device,” Malloy said, closing a gap in its product offering. “Mobility services are one of the key trends in the industry and they will help us gain market share.” He declined to say whether the company is looking at other acquisition targets and said LifeSize plans product innovations “the likes of which the video-communications industry has never seen.”

LifeSize is also adding cloud-based services such as virtual infrastructure for companies that don’t have in-house video expertise or information-technology resources, the CEO said.
 
For link to Original article click here
 
Contact Matthew Frank at 585-368-2101 or Elizabeth Rizzo at 518-694-3904 to see how MAC Source communications can help you with Video Conferencing.

Skype Acquires Start-Up Company GroupMe

One of the best things about the communications industry nowadays is the fact that you can see someone using nothing but your computer and the built in or external webcam.  8 years ago this was possible (when a company named Skype was founded), but was still in its infancy.  Web cams and video services were basic.  They didn't have the ability to process information, and speeds were so-so at best.  

Now, with companies like Skype, anyone can communicate with friends and family. Even multiple people at the same time.

In the era of mobility, companies struggle to compete.  So what do they do?  They buy each other out.  Skype, one of the more well known video messaging services, has agreed to buy GroupMe.  GroupMe is a service that lets users make conference calls and text a group of people.

The kicker to this?  Microsoft is still in the process of acquiring Skype, which means, that if the acquisition goes through (and most analysts say it will) that Microsoft will have a great use for the new service.  To a computing software company like Microsoft, the fact that they may have access to a mobile group messaging service like this is extremely important. With steep competition from Apple and Google in the mobile world, and with everything shifting from desktops and laptops to sablets and smartphones, this gives Microsoft a huge advantage.

Although Skype and GroupMe will operate independently right now, the CEO of Skype said that eventually they will merge their technologies.

The world is changing.  Consumers and businesses are going mobile.

To view the full article on the WSJ click the LINK

Video Conferencing: Saving Money While Saving Sales

In this day and age, with all the technology and communication channels out there, it is extremely rare to actually speak to someone face-to-face anymore.  Now most people are probably thinking "I always speak to my friends and family face-to-face."  "When I go out I see people."  That's all fine and dandy, but what about in a business setting?

Many businesses now use instant messaging, e-mail, and the old fashioned mode of contact, the telephone.  The problem with the first two is that it's extremely hard to get the right tone.  Unless you type in capital letters, use emoticons (smiley faces), or actually say the tone you meant, most people wouldn't understand, and could take offense.  The problem with telephones is that most of what people say and do is expressed by body movements and facial expressions.  The movie Hitch said it the best:

"60% of all human communication is nonverbal. Body language. 30% is your tone. So that means that 90% of what you're saying ain't coming out of your mouth."  

So, what does this mean for business?  A LOT!

Many businesses claim to be in the 21st century when they talk about the technology they adopted for their business and for communication purposes.  They talk about how they can have a live person 24/7 to talk to customers, or that they respond through e-mail.  That's great, but it's not enough.  The next step is Video Conferencing.

Video Conferencing is a great way to communicate with clients and customers. It's a great way to communicate with co-workers who are not in the same office or who work remotely.  In fact, businesses that use video conferencing have found they actually save more money.  Think about it.  No need to reimburse employees for gas or rent out a hotel or conference room for employees to go to.  Employees can log onto their computer and open a program, or go to the video conference room and just hit a button.  It's that simple nowadays.

Video Conferencing also comes in handy when you need to see the person you are talking too.  Many people can read body language, and in a sales or interview situation, this is imperative.  Imagine you are talking to a customer on the phone, and everything seems to be going well.  You think the sale is going to go through and you will hit your goal.  The next day, you find out, it isn't going to happen.  Why?  The tone of voice the person was giving out sounded fine, but what about the person's body language?  Wait, yor're on the phone, you can't tell.  Video conferencing allows you to see who you are talking to and essentially, read the person.  How are they sitting?  Are their arms crossed?  Are they leaning back or leaning forward?  What about their attention (are they on their phone or paying attention to you?  These are all things that need to be thought about, yet wiht most companies, it doesn't cross their mind.

In the end, Video conferencing may seem expensive up front, but could help when it comes to making the sale, or saving your business money.  It is one of the few technologies that will help businesses move into the 21st centurty.

To learn more go to http://www.macsourceinc.com/

Next Generation Firewalls

Many companies today don't realize how important security is for their company.  For instance, many companies think that if they don't do credit card transactions, don't allow guests on their network when people come to their company, and block sites like Facebook, that they are secure and nobody can get through their gate.  Unfortunately this is not true.

In today's connected digital world, many companies are allowing their employees to use mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets on their network.  With everything being connected, the merging of innovation and ideas come together.  This is great for companies that want to move forward and look towards the future (because everything is going mobile).  But what happens when these devices that are used outside of the business come into it?  It's ok, you have a firewall right?

Just because websites like Facebook are blocked internally and guests cannot access the web at a company, does not mean that company is safe.  Because employees use mobile devices and are using them other places besides work, they are still prone to malicious software.  They could easily go to a coffee shop and play Mafia Wars or Farmville on Facebook, and never know that someone had gotten into their laptop or embedded some malicious software or tracking software on their device through those apps.  Then, when that employee brings the laptop to work, it is on your network.  It found it's way around that great firewall that you have.

So what do you do about this situation?  Lock employee's hardware down so they can't do anything at all no matter where they go?  Wrong.  You get a Next Generation Firewall or NGFW.

A Next Generation Firewall or NGFW allows you to control applications, users, and content, not just ports.  This gives you significantly more protection for your network and allows you to identify threats that you never thought could get it.

Visit our website to learn more.