Industry Briefs

  • 08/21/06

:: NEWS

SUPPORTING OPEN SOURCE. IBM has donated eLearning software code and expertise to the Sakai Project. Developed exclusively for Sakai, the donated code enables the tracking of learning content and help support universities that adopt IBM’s collaboration and learning environment. IBM has also teamed up with Kuali Financial System founding partner rSmart to support Kuali as a commercial affiliate, providing development and customer support for Kuali software.

TEST ZONE. Digital media software provider Sonic Solutions has launched Roxio Labs, a site where consumers can try a variety of software, including early public betas of new Roxio applications, utilities, product components previously available only as part of a suite, and a mix of third-party applications. Based on consumer feedback, Roxio Labs will further develop the products for broad distribution.

POCKET PC PILOT. Cingular Wireless has been selected as the exclusive wireless WAN provider for Wake Forest University’s (NC) mobile computing wireless technology initiative. The school is deploying up to 500 Cingular 8125 Pocket PCs to students, faculty, and staff in the pilot program. Students will be able to download their class schedules from the campus portal into the device’s calendar; an application then ensures that the device’s phone d'esn’t ring during class.

:: M&A, ETC.

IMPROVED HR TOOLS. Enterprise vendor Datatel and Novusolutions, a provider of internet-based ERP tools, have announced a partnership to offer university HR departments an online product to recruit and track job applicants. Novusolutions’ NovusHR online application-tracking-and-acceptance tool will combine with Datatel’s Colleague ERP solution to reduce processing time for applicants and improve information flow for hiring managers and search committees.

WLAN TEAM-UP. ERP infrastructure provider Aruba Networks and network management software company AirWave Wireless are partnering to migrate legacy access points to next-generation centralized WLANs. The integration will allow enterprises that have a distributed WLAN architecture an easy migration path to Aruba’s Mobile Edge, a centralized WLAN architecture that enables enterprise mobility across the LAN, WAN, and internet.

UNITED FOR COMMUNICATIONS. Nortel and Microsoft have announced a strategic alliance based on a shared vision for unified communications. The goal: a people-centric solution of rich, intuitive, and seamless communications across e-mail, IM, voice, data, video, and conferencing.

:: PEOPLE

Theresa Regli

TO CMS WATCH: Regli takes helm at analyst firm.

REGLI JOINS CMS WATCH. CMS Watch, an analyst firm that provides vendor-neutral evaluations of content management, records management, enterprise portals, and enterprise search technologies, has appointed Theresa Regli as principal. Previously, Regli was director of content management with the technology consulting firm Molecular.

IN MEMORIAM. The education technology community was saddened to hear that H. Russell Griffith, chairman of the board, president, and CEO of Datatel, passed away August 7. Vernon Hollidge, the company’s senior VP of finance and administration, has been named interim CEO. “We have lost a dynamic leader and an amazing human being,” says Hollidge. “Russ was my friend for nearly 50 years, my mentor, and the most ethical businessperson I have known. All in the Datatel community will greatly miss him.”

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