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Friday, January 15, 2010
Today's News Headlines
* Hybrid CRM solutions piquing interest of large enterprises - Oracle - Regional
* Software, IT services exports estimated to have increased 20% in 2009 - Uruguay
* Brasoftware posts revenues of US$122mn in 2009 - Brazil
* Roundup: D-Link, CorpFlex and Total Systems, Linux, HP - Regional
* Oberthur Technologies acquires Dyetron assets, sets sights on Latin America - Colombia, Regional
* IBM bags US$15mn, 5-year tech contract from LAN - Chile
* Win32/Conficker continues atop Latin America's IT threat list - Regional
* IN BRIEF Sonda gets Acti recognition for ICT development - Chile
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* Hybrid CRM solutions piquing interest of large enterprises - Oracle - Regional
Large enterprises in Latin America are showing interest in hybrid versions of Oracle's (Nasdaq: ORCL) on-demand CRM solution, the application sale representative for Chile, Darío Medrano, told BNamericas.
Solutions such as CRM offered through the software as a service (SaaS) model have traditionally appealed to smaller firms with less technological resources.
Still, Medrano said that trend is changing in Latin America, as larger companies are adopting hybrid CRM with on-demand solutions mixed with traditional licenses.
"For example, [companies] could adopt this [mix] for the sales team instead of adding more servers, more workers or more on-premise [traditional] software licenses," he said. "Companies are able to adopt this software as a service entirely or in just one area."
Companies are turning to CRM on demand to not only strengthen relations with clients, but also to centralize and organize customer information without investing in new hardware and software, the executive said.
Oracle's CRM on demand - on the Latin American market for just over one year - has been adopted by organizations such as the Brazilian division of US credit reference agency Equifax.
Medrano noted that the solution has versions tailored for the banking, insurance, high tech, automobile, life science and media markets, all of which are available in Latin America. He was unable to provide more details as to why Oracle has targeted those industries.
Globally, Oracle has more than 5mn CRM on demand clients.
Oracle saw global profits increase 12% to US$1.46bn during its fiscal second quarter, ended November 30, driven in part by advances in software license update sales. Quarterly revenues inched up 4% to US$5.86bn.
By Matthew Malinowski
Business News Americas
* Software, IT services exports estimated to have increased 20% in 2009 - Uruguay
Exports of software and IT services in Uruguay may have expanded 20% last year, compared to US$250mn in 2008, Uruguay's software and IT chamber Cuti president Alvaro Lamé told BNamericas.
Lamé said Cuti is in the process of determining the total value of the country's software and IT services for 2009, but "what we can say is that sector's exports have been growing at significant rates over the last six years."
The executive said one of the chamber's main objectives is to boost exports of software and IT-related services.
"Latin American markets continue to be the main destinations for our exports. Some of the main markets for Uruguay are Mexico, as well as the US. However, we're currently exporting to approximately 55 countries. We export to China and some European countries, but volumes are not high compared to other markets," Lamé added.
The executive said that Cuti is pushing trade missions as well as trying to form associations with small and medium-sized software companies in order to promote exports.
"Also, we're studying the possibility of opening offices to promote our exports abroad. However, we're still limited in terms of financing to achieve this," Lamé added.
The full interview with Alvaro Lamé will be published in this week's Information Technology Perspectives, for subscribers only.
By Juan Pedro Tomás
Business News Americas
* Brasoftware posts revenues of US$122mn in 2009 - Brazil
Brazilian software reseller Brasoftware generated revenues of 215mn reais (US$122mn) last year, an increase of 19% compared to 2008, the company's commercial director Eduardo Sukarie told BNamericas.
Revenues this year are set to grow 14% this year compared to 2009, Sukarie said, with sales to the government segment being an important contributor in terms of overall revenues this year. Also, "we expect this segment to continue expanding over the next years."
Brasoftware is also looking to grow its partners segment. The executive said that the company currently has 30 partners nationwide. "To support our partners, we have six executives in different regions across the country," he added. "We're not planning to increase our number of partners. Our goal is to expand operations with our existing partners. We'll provide increased support and training to them."
Among Brasoftware's main clients in the government segment are Petrobras, Eletrobrás, Companhia de Engenharia e Tráfego (CET) and Companhia de Desenvolvimento Habitacional e Urbano (CDHU), among others.
The executive said Brasoftware's sales in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo account for approximately 90% of total sales.
The company has approximately 300 clients in the corporate segment. This client base grew some 8% last year compared to 2008, and that number is expected to expand another 11% this year, the executive added.
Founded in 1987, Brasoftware distributes solutions from software companies including Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), Symantec (NYSE: SYMC), McAfee (NYSE: MFE), Adobe Systems (Nasdaq: ADBE) and CA (NYSE: CA). The company has seen annual revenue growth of at least 20% during the last five years.
By Juan Pedro Tomás
Business News Americas
* Roundup: D-Link, CorpFlex and Total Systems, Linux, HP - Regional
The Mexican unit of Taiwanese network solutions provider D-Link has tapped Jesús Ochoa as commercial director for business solutions, online news source InfoChannel reported.
Ochoa will work on increasing D-Link Mexico's penetration in large and medium-sized businesses, focusing on product lines such as infrastructure, wireless and security.
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Brazilian IT infrastructure supplier CorpFlex has formed an alliance with local IT firm Total Systems, online news source Baguete reported.
Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will offer infrastructure as a service (IaaS) solutions.
The offering includes a range of technologies such as SOA, CRM and BI, as well as technical support, data center solutions, communications, service desk and security.
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Roughly 80% of Cuba's networks and 20% of computer terminals currently use Linux software, online news source Europapress reported.
Cuban companies have also started to adopt the open-source computer system Nova.
The remaining computers use pirated copies of Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows operating system, the report said, noting that original copies cannot be obtained due to the US-imposed trade embargo.
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Salvador Cors has disclosed plans to step down as HP (NYSE: HPQ) Mexico's vice president for imaging and printing, online news source InfoChannel reported.
The announcement will be effective on February 1.
Cors' position will be filled by Rodolfo Pilipiak until a permanent replacement is found.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* Oberthur Technologies acquires Dyetron assets, sets sights on Latin America - Colombia, Regional
French secure technologies provider Oberthur Technologies has purchased Colombian smart card-based technology solution provider Dyetron's payment card personalization assets, the former said in a statement.
The acquisition will allow Oberthur to expand its presence in Latin America. Dyetron targets the transportation, communications, government and financial sectors.
Oberthur's card systems division manager for the Americas, Martin Ferenczi, said the company is eyeing business opportunities in the adoption of the EMV credit and debit payment card standards, particularly in Colombia.
EMV reduces fraud that can occur on standard magnetic stripe debit cards, according to Oberthur.
"By leveraging our expertise in providing over 200 EMV migrations worldwide, we see this acquisition as a focused solution to meet the needs of our banking customers in Latin America," he said.
The value of the deal was not reported.
Oberthur recorded sales of 882mn euros (US$1.28bn) in 2008. The company specializes in card systems, identity, secure printing and cash protection services.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* IBM bags US$15mn, 5-year tech contract from LAN - Chile
Chile's LAN Airlines has contracted the local unit of IBM to administer its technological platform for the next five years, IBM announced in a release.
Under the contract, which carries a US$15mn pricetag, IBM will provide the administration, operation and control of LAN's central technological platform, including security and the implementation of an innovation center. The idea is to generate new ideas and be in line with the latest advances in technology and aeronautics, maintaining a direct contact with IBM's development centers throughout the world for the aeronautics industry.
"All of our know how and best practices created on a worldwide level will be applied to the service that we'll provide to LAN," said Rafael Guzmán, IBM Chile's global technology services manager.
In 2009, IBM implemented a new solution for the management of airplane maintenance, redesigning administrative processes for more efficient management.
Last year, both IBM and LAN celebrated their 80th anniversary in Chile.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* Win32/Conficker continues atop Latin America's IT threat list - Regional
Win32/Conficker continued to represent the top IT security threat found in Latin America in December, according to a study published by the Latin American division of Czech antivirus and security software developer Eset.
Eset discovered Win32/Conficker on nearly 9.85% of all virus detections in the region, followed by INF/Autorun with 7.58%, Win32/PSW.OnlineGames with 7.16%, Win32/Agent with 2.55% and INF/Conficker with 2.18%.
The study found hackers using the holidays as means to dupe internet users, with Eset discovering cases of false online greeting cards leading recipients into downloading malware.
"What was noteworthy about this case was the fact that the links that direct the user to download the malware lead to a domain that is specifically created for that purpose and directly references the holidays," said Eset Latin America's technical and education manager, Cristián Borghello. "This type of attack is used to gain the confidence of the victim and to make him think that the site he is visiting is safe."
Eset also recorded increasing incidents of BlackHat SEO attacks, whereby users seeking online videos are duped into downloading malicious software.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
* IN BRIEF Sonda gets Acti recognition for ICT development - Chile
Chilean IT industry association Acti has recognized local systems integrator Sonda for its outstanding track record in ICT, according to a release from Acti.
Sonda president Andrés Navarro "has had a wide vision in the technology business, which has pushed Sonda to develop outside of Chile," said Acti president Miguel Pérez. "This has been the precursor to exports that our country is experiencing today, and which currently has 60% of Sonda's income coming from offices abroad." The Acti executive also highlighted Sonda's contribution to the development of the ICT industry in Chile.
According to past press reports, Sonda expects to invest US$500mn between 2010-12, to increase its presence in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. Half of the investments will go towards inorganic growth, with the company considering five to six companies for potential acquisitions.
By Business News Americas staff reporters
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In-deph interview
* The year of Linux
Carlos Muñoz
General manager
Linux Latin America
Regional
http://www.bnamericas.com/interviews/technology/Carlos_Munoz_,Linux_Latin_America,/170072890
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Main companies covered in today's news
* Microsoft Corporation
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Microsoft_Corporation-Microsoft/170072890
* Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras S.A.
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Centrais_Eletricas_Brasileiras_S,A,-Eletrobras/170072890
* McAfee, Inc.
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/McAfee,_Inc,-McAfee/170072890
* Hewlett-Packard Company
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/Hewlett-Packard_Company-HP/170072890
* IBM de Chile S.A.
http://www.bnamericas.com/company-profile/en/IBM_de_Chile_S,A,-IBM_de_Chile/170072890
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