Microsoft Completes Acquisition of UMT and Outlines New Innovations in Enterprise Project Management

REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 19, 2006 — More than 1,500 business managers, technology professionals and developers gathered in Seattle this week for the sold out Microsoft^® Office Project and Visio^® conferences, where Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer detailed advances in the upcoming releases of Microsoft Office Project and Microsoft Office Visio. In addition, Ballmer announced the completion of the acquisition of software and intellectual property assets from UMT, a leading project and portfolio management and consulting firm. The acquisition will provide Microsoft with new technology and talent that will complement and expand upon the existing Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution.

“We’re excited because acquiring UMT will help us meet customers’ needs for deep portfolio management capabilities,” said Ballmer. “By combining our software and expertise, we’ll also create a new range of solution development opportunities for customers and partners.”

Portfolio management software helps organizations strategically create, manage and optimize project, application, product and process portfolios. Although traditionally used in the information technology (IT) industry, portfolio management capabilities are broadly applicable and growing in importance to any company for which work takes the form of individual projects, complex programs or enterprise portfolios. The UMT acquisition will help Microsoft address these scenarios through an end-to-end, integrated project and portfolio management solution that helps enable both excellence in project execution and better decision-making in prioritizing and funding those projects.

“We are very excited to join forces with Microsoft, and to work together toward a shared vision that combines project and portfolio management capabilities,” said Gil Makleff, CEO North America at UMT. “Customers will reap the benefits of being able to put tighter reins on their spending, make smarter and more consistent investments, and accurately and efficiently track how projects and initiatives are performing.”

Key members of the UMT executive team and a number of UMT product development employees will join the Microsoft Office Project team. The consulting arm of UMT will become the UMT Consulting Group to help provide successful implementations of the Microsoft portfolio management software platform.

Microsoft Office Project “12”

The next release of Microsoft’s Enterprise Project Management Solution, code-named Microsoft Office Project “12,” has been designed as a critical business application to help companies and business users deliver business results more quickly with an end-to-end, integrated enterprise project and portfolio management solution.

Project “12” also delivers new innovations and greater benefits in the areas of visibility and insight, organizational adoption, enterprise readiness and extensibility. Examples of these new advances include these:

•	Better visibility and insight. Server-side capabilities in Project “12” will draw on the newly acquired UMT technologies to enable organizations to gain greater business visibility and insight into all their work, helping them make key decisions about which projects and initiatives to fund. One example of this is UMT’s ability to federate data across the enterprise to get a holistic, top-down view of work in an organization.
•	Easy adoption. Project “12” will help make it even easier for business users to manage projects using Microsoft Project. With Project “12,” project managers will be able to easily track project changes by having them visually displayed as projects are updated. In addition, the Project Server-based Web application, Project Web Access (PWA), will provide all Project team participants with a simple Web interface to perform critical business tasks such as project proposals, top-down budgeting, resource management, time-tracking and task status updating.
•	Enterprise readiness. Project “12” will deliver significant advancements in performance and scalability. Project “12” benefits from an improved architecture. Many new features will improve performance, such as local cache tools, which enable users to work offline and then resyncs automatically when they’re back online. Project “12” will also incorporate new features such as those for deliverables, which makes it easier for managers to handle the complexity of master projects and dependencies across multiple projects.
•	Extensibility. Project Web Access “12” has been built completely on Microsoft Windows® SharePoint® Services 3.0, and many functions will use the .NET Platform 2.0. This platform helps enable companies to take advantage of their existing Microsoft investments. The new API facilitates integration with line-of-business applications and development of custom applications. Furthermore, business users can easily build in business process workflows using Project’s new Event Services with the Windows Workflow Foundation.

Microsoft Office Visio “12”

Office Visio “12,” the code name for the next generation of the Microsoft Office Visio business and technical diagramming program, will help organizations make more effective business decisions by enabling people to capture, visualize, analyze and communicate complex information, processes and systems. Complementary to Project “12” advancements, Visio “12” will help organizations take more effective action and make decisions more effectively by enabling people to capture and understand complex data.

In Visio “12,” new features and enhancements will make Visio diagrams even easier and faster to create, as well as more professional-looking:

•	Design diagrams and graphics. Visio “12” delivers new diagramming and graphics capabilities that make it easier to document, design and redesign processes and systems. Using the new Themes feature, customers can choose a color or effect theme for a diagram with a single click. People can also apply conditional formatting to data using the new Data Graphics Gallery task pane. This type of visual representation allows organizations to quickly weed through complex information to identify key trends, exceptions and insights.
•	Connect to data sources. With the new Data Selector wizard, it is simple to connect Visio diagrams to one or more data sources such as Microsoft Office Excel®, Microsoft Office Access, Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server or Microsoft SQL Server™. In addition, customers can associate shapes in a diagram with data using the new Automatic Link wizard.
•	Track trends and flag exceptions. The new PivotDiagram template in Visio “12” helps people visualize business data in a hierarchical form that shows data groups and totals, trends, issues, and exceptions. PivotDiagrams can also be inserted into any Visio diagram to provide metrics and reports that help track the ongoing progress of a process or system.

Project “12” and Visio “12” are expected to be available as part of the product releases for Microsoft Office “12,” the code name for the next version of Office, in the second half of 2006.

About the Microsoft Office System

The Microsoft Office system is an easy way to help more people use information to positively impact their business. Through a system of familiar and easy-to-use programs, servers, services and solutions, users can connect people and organizations to information, business processes and each other — helping ensure that they derive the most value out of information. The Microsoft Office system consists of the 2003 editions of Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003, Microsoft Office Project and Project Server 2003, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2003, Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2005, Microsoft Office Communicator 2005, Microsoft Office FrontPage^® 2003 Web site creation and management tool, Microsoft Office InfoPath^® 2003 information-gathering system, Microsoft Office OneNote^® 2003 note-taking program, Microsoft Office Publisher 2003, Microsoft Office Visio 2003 and Microsoft Office Business Scorecard Manager 2005. Enabling technologies, such as Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003, enhance the features and functionality of products in the Microsoft Office system.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Microsoft, Visio, Windows, SharePoint, Excel, FrontPage, InfoPath, OneNote and Windows Server are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

AFFIN ISLAMIC supports growth of UMP Holdings Sdn Bhd (UMPH) with term financing facility

KUALA LUMPUR, Monday (March 1, 2010): Affin Islamic Bank Berhad (AFFIN ISLAMIC) and UMP Holdings Sdn Bhd (UMPH) today announced that both parties have entered into a term financing arrangement to purchase property to support the growth of the campus.

UMPH presently rents various commercial properties for use as campus, administration and related facilities and amenities. In the medium term, UMPH believes that ownership of these assets rather than renting, would provide greater flexibility for expansion and development. UMPH secured three term financing from AFFIN ISLAMIC with a value of RM137.7 million to fund this acquisition.

AFFINBANK Managing Director/ CEO Dato' Zulkiflee Abbas Abdul Hamid says, "We are pleased to notch another milestone in the growth of our Islamic banking business through our subsidiary, Affin Islamic Bank. Islamic banking has a strong growth potential and securing this term financing arrangement reflect well on AFFIN ISLAMIC in the market, even though it is less than four years old. We take pride in our approaches by developing Islamic financial instruments that are syariah-compliant yet commercially strong. We believe such approaches will further strengthen our capabilities for clients who seek financing through halal means."

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) Vice Chancellor, YBhg. Prof. Dato' Dr. Daing Nasir Ibrahim says, "This is our first banking relationship with AFFIN ISLAMIC. We are pleased to receive the strong support from the Bank in developing this financing arrangement. The combination of parties’ resources, capabilities and market experience will bring tremendous synergistic benefits. This banking relationship will benefit both parties in future."

This is AFFIN ISLAMIC's second innovative financing structure to date. Earlier in 2008, AFFIN ISLAMIC also collaborated with another property developer for the first hybrid musharakah agreement.

Together, these initiatives have strengthened the Bank's visibility in the market and  created opportunities for clients to seek Islamic financing facilities as alternatives to conventional financing packages. Furthermore, these innovative products also helped to fulfil the government's aspiration to meet the increasingly diversified and sophisticated market demand and transform the country into an international hub for Islamic finance.

UMPH, a wholly owned subsidiary of UMP, was incorporated to operate UMP's business in information technology, business solutions and manages the University's trust fund. UMPH, formerly known as KUKTEM Holdings Sdn. Bhd., was incorporated on March 8, 2004.

Sistem Rangkaian Komputer UTM Kembali Pulih Selepas diceroboh

Sistem rangkaian komputer Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) kembali berfungsi seperti biasa selepas diserang penafian khidmat teragih (Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS)) pada 15 Januari lalu.

Pengarah Pusat Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi (CICT) Profesor Dr Safaai Deris berkata, serangan itu telah melumpuhkan rangkaian komputer di seluruh kampus UTM di Johor Bahru.

Menurutnya, pengkodam telah berjaya menceroboh masuk dan menggodam salah satu server di Pusat Data di CICT pada 14 Januari lalu dengan menggunakan alamat protokol internet (IP) yang didaftarkan kepada sebuah organisasi di Amerika Syarikat.

Analisis terhadap log server menunjukkan penggodam telah berjaya memuatnaik beberapa kod hasad ke dalam satu sampul tersembunyi sebaik berjaya menceroboh masuk ke server berkenaan.

Serangan DDoS diaktifkan dari server berkenaan pada keesokkan harinya, iaitu 15 Januari 2012 yang telah melumpuhkan semua suis utama di rangkaian komputer UTM.

Server berkenaan telah menghantar secara berterusan paket  protocol kawalan transmisi (TCP) palsu yang menyebabkan susi-suis lumpuh  kerana memproses  terlalu banyak paket palsu yang mengakibatkan ganguan terhadap keseluruhan rangkaian di UTM.

 

Bagi memulihkan sistem rangkaian komputer, UTM terpaksa membangun semula tetapan pada suis-suis utama rangkaian yang mengambil masa selama tujuh jam.

Sebagai langkah pencegahan, UTM telah mengambil beberapa tindakan susulan untuk memastikan kejadian tidak berulang pada masa hadapan.

Antaranya ialah melakukan proses audit keselamatan dengan lebih menyeluruh, mengasingkan beberapa server yang lemah tahap keselamatannya dan menggunakan aplikasi pemantauan cerobohan dengan lebih efektif.

Selain itu, log pemantauan dari aplikasi ini akan dianalisis dengan lebih kerap bagi memastikan pencerobohan akan segera dikawal.

Laporan polis juga telah dibuat bagi membolehkan pihak berkuasa menjalankan siasatan dan seterusnya mendakwa pihak yang bertanggung jawab menyebabkan gangguan terhadap rangkaian UTM.

Bagi langkah jangka panjang, UTM akan mendapatkan pengiktirafan ISO 27001 dari SIRIM yang akan dapat meningkatkan tahap keselamatan Pusat Data dan rangkaian komputer secara lebih menyeluruh selain dapat menghindari serangan siber dengan lebih bersepadu.

ISO27001 ialah piawai keperluan keselamatan teknologi maklumat (Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management systems – Requirements) .


Sumber :news at utm

Malaysia Airlines Uses iPad as a Ticket Agent

If you’re a frequent flier of Malaysia Airlines, you’ll get a chance to use the iPad in an entirely new way.  SITA, an aviation IT company,  worked with Malaysia Airlines to turn the iPad into an interactive airline ticket agent and information kiosk.  The custom developed application allows customers to select their itinerary, pay with a credit card, and receive confirmation via SMS or email. The ticketing process is all electronic and no paper ticket or receipt is ever printed.

Several airlines have started to embrace the iPad to deliver new services to their customers.  Earlier this month, Australian airline JetStar announced they would offer in-flight entertainment to customers using the iPad.

 ~click the link below. =)

iPad MHKiosk, world's first kiosk to sell airline tickets using the Apple iPad  

Malaysia Airlines offers WORLD'S FIRST with ipad MHkiosk at KL Sentral  

AirAsia reaps global award for excellence in technology

  AirAsia, the world’s best low cost airline, reaped a prestigious global award for its outstanding use of information and communication technology (ICT) to advance business.
AirAsia received the Global ICT Excellence Award in the private sector category from the World Information Technology and Service Alliance (WITSA) in an awarding ceremony on Wednesday in Amsterdam.  The ceremony was held during WITSA’s 17th World Congress in Information Technology, which attracted some 2,000 delegates from 80 countries.
Of the seven winners, AirAsia is the only one from the ASEAN region.
WITSA, whose members make up over 90 percent of the global ICT market and are from 74 countries, gives the Global ICT Excellence Awards every two years.
“The success of AirAsia as the region’s leading budget airline is reflected not only in its fast growing passenger volume but also from the ICT perspective,” WITSA said.
“A very high majority of AirAsia’s passengers book online, partly because of AirAsia’s ICT-based business model, and partly because of the motivation of the population to secure free or very cheap seats through online booking. In this sense, AirAsia succeeded in creating a compelling reason to use e-commerce through this ICT business model,” WITSA added.

AirAsia, represented by AirAsia X Operations Manager for the UK Jinda Bisran (left), receives the Global ICT Excellence Award in the private sector category from the World Information Technology and Service Alliance (WITSA) in an awarding ceremony on Wednesday in Amsterdam.   Also in the photo is Looi Kien Leong, WITSA Board Member and PIKOM's Chairman for International Affairs .  AirAsia received the award for its outstanding use of information and communication technology to advance business.  sources ~ airasia

Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO, said, “AirAsia has always believed in the power of technology and communication to drive business.  Our services are technology-backed – from booking and payment to check in.  This year, we’ll get even more aggressive in our use of technology to improve our guests’ experience with AirAsia.”

Tony also thanked Malaysia-based PIKOM for nominating AirAsia for the award.  PIKOM, or the Association of the Computers and Multimedia Industry in Malaysia, counts among its members over 1,000 companies engaged in the whole range of ICT products and services. PIKOM’s member companies account for 80% of Malaysia’s ICT trade.

AirAsia has invested heavily in technology to grow the business across all fronts.  ICT has allowed AirAsia to offer cutting edge products and to continuously offer quality service to its rapidly expanding passenger base.  All areas of AirAsia’s operations are supported by ICT.