ICTSI, TDG Anti-Virus/ Spam SolutionsThe
experience of International Container Terminal Services, Incorporated (ICTSI)
and Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) in enterprise-wide anti-virus and anti-spam
protection have been cited by a world-leading computer security specialist Sophos
(www.sophos.com) during the recent Philippine launch of Sophos Enterprise Solutions,
multi-tier protection for organizations.
Based on client case study materials
distributed during a press briefing, the experiences of both ICTSI and TDG demonstrated
unique approaches to address increasingly complex security threats such as spyware,
phishing, viruses and spam that continue to plague companies globally.
In 2004, ICTSI's email inboxes were being flooded by a large number of emails,
the overwhelming majority of which were spam. The company was already protected
from spyware and virus infected mails by Sophos anti-virus, but the sheer volume
of spam messages caused disruption to many corporate users. The company's over
400 electronic mail inboxes received over 18,000 email messages daily and between
80% and 90% were spam.
In looking for the appropriate solution, ICTSI
MIS Department drew up a list of requirements that the new proposed solution must
provide.
Among the most important was effective spam-filtering which
would remove unsolicited emails while allowing valid emails into a user's inbox.
It was also important that corporate users be given the ability to allow
or block emails according to their own criteria thereby allowing them to do so
based on the sender's email address, IP address, and server or domain address.
The company also wanted users to be able to identify emails based on content,
allowing the blocking of spam by different categories. It was also equally important
for ICTSI to have a "quarantine area" - a place where all blocked mail
messages are stored - giving users the opportunity to retrieve any email that
might have been inadvertently blocked.
Evaluation of potential software
solutions resulted in the selection of Sophos PureMessage for Unix which was initially
installed and implemented within trial period of four months. The reported results
were outstanding - PureMessage successfully detected and blocked more than 80%
of spam on the first day of installation. With adjustments, the software was able
to block up to 98% of spam within three weeks.
According to Sophos, ICTSI
cites the best features of PureMessage as: ease of use (thanks to user friendly
web-based access and administration), the best balance of features vis-a-vis price,
and the combination of protection from spam and viruses at the SMTP gateway.
On the other hand, the experience of TDG involves the utilization of an anti-virus
solution with proactive defense mechanism to address serious damage done to corporate
data by the Nimda worm in three (3) of its member companies.
The main
difficulty then encountered by TDG IT administrators was that they had to simultaneously
contain the virus infection and prevent it from spreading to other companies within
the business conglomerate. Unfortunately, it took IT administrators such a long
time to disseminate patches to update the anti-virus software in each corporate
PC such that affected business users experienced a drop in office productivity
and efficiency.
The solution selected by TDG is a three-year Sophos Corporate
Connect Plus license which incorporates Sophos Anti-Virus, Enterprise Manager
and MailMonitor.
MailMonitor enables TDG to check all email traffic passing
through its Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange email servers, while Enterprise
Manager provides automated downloads of program updates and virus identity files
through the Internet. After checking the origin and integrity of the downloaded
files, the software automatically deploys them across the company's corporate
network.
This solution is now reportedly protecting over 1,300 desktop
PCs and laptops deployed throughout 70 office sites groupwide.
Sophos
currently has numerous corporate clients in the Philippines, including government
agencies and private corporations.
When asked whether Sophos has any
specific marketing strategy to align and integrate its software solutions within
the context of increasing corporate security consciousness within the ports, transport
and logistics industries, Sophos Pte Ltd Managing Director Charles Cousins said
there is none.
However, he added that indeed their existing and potential
clients within these industry sectors here and abroad are demonstrating this high
level of security consciousness in terms of corporate computer security.
The software launch event held last week at Dusit Hotel in Makati announced the
availability of the latest edition of Sophos enterprise solutions offering gateway,
server and endpoint protection.
Among those introduced is Genotype detection
technology which uses forensic analysis to identify suspicious patterns and characteristics
that are unique to either a virus family or a spam campaign. Back
to top A Focus on Filipino-Developed Software
IN today's column I will feature examples of Filipino-developed software that
belong to two different levels. The first case is a warehouse management system
being marketed by a well-known IT company that has long focused in serving the
needs of the cargo transport industry. The second example
is a fleet management software developed by a newly-formed group of Filipino software
developers which expressed the intent to introduce its solution to transport companies.
Both technology solutions should be able to stand on their own respective merits
and I am writing about them today to demonstrate the availability of these type
of software for interested clients. Warehouse Precision Plus WP+ is being marketed
as a state-of-the-art warehouse management system that provides full functionality
from product receipt through shipment (including order management, inventory management,
receiving, putaway, picking, packing and shipping) with pre-defined strategies
for ease of use like FIFO, FEFO, etc. The key system features
are industry-standard process flow strategies, capability to interface with financial
and production systems, user friendly front-end, security access capability, barcode
printing, reconciliation if physical inventory & warehouse system, anf scalability
to support future enhancements. It is designed to manage
the day-to-day warehouse activities: Inbound, Inventory Management, Outbound,
and Inter-warehouse transfers. The different software modules consist of the following:
a) Third-party billing - this is an activity-based billing
such as transactions for inbound and outbound, CBM, fixed rate, pallet rental,
rack rental, etc.
b) Cross dock - this is configurable cross-dock functions
in the warehouse
c) Master Bill of Lading - provides information of shipments
per outbound vehicles
d) Web Order - provides warehouse information thru portal
and capacity to do transactions
e) Data Exchange - this module serves as a
connector to any applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning and Point-of-sale
(POS) systems
f) Radio Frequency and Batch Scanning capability
g) Transportation
Management: Load Planning Truck Management
h) Work Order - handles heavy kitting
requirements
i) Report Manager - views, schedule and email reports easily
The targeted clientele of WP are small and
medium business (SMB) firms which want to achieve efficiency in their warehouse
operation at a lower cost of investment in technology. ABM Computech Enterprises
is offering the locally-developed WP+ software in direct response to prevailing
business needs of SMBs for an effective warehouse management system but very much
affordable for local manufacturers, retailers, distributors and 3rd party logistics
providers. ABM's expertise in the retail/distribution, manufacturing, construction,
pharmaceutical, realty, food, telecom, financial and public sectors is evident
in our more than 400 client installations nationwide. Its
clients include companies within the small and medium-size firms up to large organizations
belonging to the Philippine's top 1,000 corporations. Fleet Tracker TM Software
This software is designed by its developers for the management and maintenance
of vehicle and truck fleet transactions. It has a scheduling feature to remind
the fleet owner of the registration and renewal of licenses and monitors vehicles
due for preventive maintenance. An inventory module allows
the software to monitor inventory status of stocks parts and the availability
of replacement parts from a designated warehouse. It is even said to have a mini-accounting
module specifically designed to manage and monitor finances related to vehicle
operations. The Fleet Tracker TM Software also features a routing module called
"Trips Log" to be able to track and assign specific course or destinations
per vehicle. Corresponding information such as driver, conductor, and mechanic
assigned for a specific vehicle is available as a cross reference. The
list of other software features are as follows: Recording
of Registration and Insurance of Vehicle for tracking and updates.
Visual
representation of actual vehicle in four different views.
History tracking
of repairs, replacement and maintenance of parts.
Incident Monitoring for
daily operations.
Personnel Management for Payroll and Commission.
Inventory
Management for proper handling of spare and purchased parts.
Mini-Accounting
module to handle billings, purchase, expenses and payroll computation.
Trucking,
Routing, Trips and Transport operation for booking, monitoring and logging.
Cash Management for monitoring cash flow.
This
software is developed and marketed by a group of Filipino developers calling themselves
Gen-X Alternative Business Solutions, Incorporated. When
I met them about two weeks ago, I asked if they have made an assessment of similar
solutions available in the industry for this type of software. They responded
that they made their own research and are confident their solution will eventually
find acceptance among local transport operators. Trivia:
A personality well known to the ports and shipping sector was recently in town
for a business trip and is expected to again visit Manila in two weeks' time.
I am referring to Paul Finley who used to be Senior Vice President for Operations
of Asian Terminals, Incorporated during the 1990s.
Paul is currenly holding a very important
position in Navis LLC with direct responsibility over
its Asia-Pacific operations. I will soon write an article
about Paul and Navis to be featured in a future column.
Back
to top
SMART Link Mobile
Satellite Technology
THE 3rd Philippine Ports & Shipping Conference held
on 28-29 April at the Manila Peninsula included an exhibit
of tech-nology products and offerings in the field of
cargo handling equipment and port-related services.
The leading port operators in the Port of Manila (ICTSI,
ATI, Harbour Centre) had their display exhibits and
it was refreshing to see information booths of Phividec
Industrial Authority and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority
but otherwise the selection of technology products on
display was limited.
However, I did find an interesting
product on which I am writing about in today's column
- SMART Link Satellite Services, which is offered by
Smart Telecommunications.
Based on product brochures made available
during the exhibit, SMART Link is marketed as a satellite-based,
prepaid telecommunication service that provides incoming
and outgoing telephone service to both residential subscribers
and businesses using the ACeS Satellite Network. It
is intended to serve the needs of people living in remote
and isolated areas that are not served by landline facilities
or do not have cellular coverage.
SMART Link uses the ACeS Satellite
Technology. This means that SMART Link gets its signal
not from cellsites but from the ACeS Satellite orbiting
over the Southeast Asian Region. Hence, SMART Link can
provide service even in areas where there are no cellsites
or cellular coverage.
Let us try to understand the components
of this entire system and what are its benefits for
business and personal users.
What Is The ACeS System?
The ACeS system claims to use the most
recent technological breakthrough to maximize its communications
capability. The whole network comprises five major parts:
a geosynchronous satellite, a Satellite Control Facility
(SCF), a Network Control Center (NCC), gateways that
interconnect with terrestrial telecommunications networks
worldwide, and the ACeS subscriber's handset and terminals.
The ACeS satellite (also known as Garuda
1) is considered one of the most powerful satellite
systems ever built for commercial use. Constructed by
Lockheed Martin of the US, it features two 12-meter
antennas, on board digital processing and up to 140
spot beams covering the whole of Asia. It is also capable
of supporting 11,000 simultaneous telephone channels
and up to two million subscribers. The satellite reaches
the stretch of Papua New Guinea to Pakistan, around
Japan and China, down to Indonesia.
The Satellite Control Facility monitors
and controls the satellite while the Network Control
Center consists of the hardware, software and facilities
required in the management and control of the ACeS telecommunication
system resources. The SCF and NCC, located at the ACeS
facility in Batam Island, Indonesia, share a 15-meter
parabolic antenna.
The ACeS gateways provide the primary
interface between the ACeS system and other terrestrial
communication networks. The ACeS system will initiate
commercial service with three national gateways - in
Indonesia, in the Philippines, and in Thailand - and
contract additional gateways for Taiwan and India.
ACeS Philippine Cellular Satellite Corp. (ACeSPhil)
manages the ACeS gateway located in Subic Bay.
How Does One Use SMART Link?
The versatile, dual-mode ACeS handset
unit constitutes the subscriber's link to the ACeS satellite
technology. It allows phone users to easily and seamlessly
switch from GSM networks when available, or to directly
link up to the satellite when outside cellular coverage.
The commercially available handsets
and terminals right now are the ACeS R190 mobile satellite
handphone, ACeS FR-190G fixed land-user terminal, and
SMART Link satellite payphone.
ACeS R190 is considered the world's
smallest mobile satellite phone. It weighs less than
200 grams, measures similar to contemporary GSM phones
and is a dual mode phone: ACeS Satellite and GSM 900.
On the other hand, the FR-190G terminal is equipped
with a data port thereby enabling the subscriber to
transfer data or send fax in addition to making a regular
voice call.
The specific offering designed for
shipping lines is the SMART Link satellite payphone.
It somehow looks like the public payphone found in malls
and many public areas throughout Metro Manila. But instead
of coins, it is activated through the use of a SMART
Link SIM card. In order to make a call, the user will
insert the SIM card, wait until the phone display lights
up and shows the ACeS logo, lift handset and listen
to a dial tone, and dial the desired number.
Among the benefits shipowners will
gain when installing these units onboard international
vessels is that the payphone can serve as back-up communication
facility. The unit can also be installed in areas accessible
to both officers and crew, thus promoting crew well-being
and productivity onboard by providing everyone with
a facility to stay connected with their families back
here in the Philippines.
Since SMART Link is available only through Smart Telecommuni-cations,
those interested in knowing more about its features
and other uses may contact the nearest Smart business
centers.
It will be interesting to find out
to what extent has this technology product gained acceptance
in the Philippine maritime sector.
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