Software

IT execs who have delayed virtualizing their x86-based servers for fear the technology is still unproven should put that project at the top of their to-do lists for 2006, as the market for virtualizing the low-volume systems heats up. Companies lacking a virtualization strategy for low-end systems will pay more in the long run, in hardware costs and management headaches, analysts say.

SAP AG made its long-awaited dive into the hosted, subscription CRM (customer relationship management) "on demand" market on Thursday, launching a new software service with a starting monthly price tag of US$75 per user. But SAP won't be going head-to-head with on-demand trailblazers like Salesforce.com Inc.: Its system carries a 100-user minimum, restricting its potential customers to the enterprise clients SAP traditionally targets.

Group policy can be every Windows administrator

Microsoft Corp. did some housekeeping by releasing two planned software updates, including a second release of the Windows Server 2003 OS. The company made Windows Server 2003 R2 available with enhancements for branch offices, as well as released the second service pack for Internet and Security Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004, the company's branch office firewall and VPN (virtual private network) product.

Five companies heavily involved in supply-chain automation technology teamed together at the recent National Retail Federation show in New York City to put on a series of live demonstrations showing EPC Gen2 standard RFID technology at work.

Oracle Corp. announced Tuesday that it has completed its acquisition of Siebel Systems Inc. after Siebel stockholders voted in favour of the acquisition at a meeting earlier in the day. The deal strengthens Oracle's position in the CRM (customer relationship applications) market as it battles its main business applications rival, Germany's SAP AG.

Salesforce.com Inc.'s hosted CRM (customer relationship management) service had a widespread outage on Monday, the second time in recent weeks the on-demand software provider has suffered a serious crash.

Dell Inc. Thursday announced the opening of a centre in Penang, Malaysia, that will provide support to enterprise computing and storage customers in South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.