Stories about: Sierra

Certainly no coincidence, Microsoft has decked out its much-anticipated OS upgrade with beautiful landscape wallpapers -- vistas, to be exact. But, as calming as these background images may be for end-users getting acquainted with Vista, for IT directors, the landscape approaching an enterprise rollout of any new Windows operating system has always been rocky. Convincing management with compelling ROI, quelling grumpy user rebellions, and making sure the whole thing doesn't blow up in your face are by now well-known impediments along any Windows migration path. It's enough to make IT departments considering the journey downright cautious.

Open-source database vendor Greenplum had cause for celebration Tuesday, announcing both US$15 million in venture capital financing and the appointment of a new CEO.

Game developer turned author Kathy Sierra is the brain behind best-sellers "Head First Java" and "Head First EJB". During her 17 years in the IT industry, Sierra has worked as a master trainer for Sun Microsystems, founded javaranch.com, and now specialises in metacognition, which is the science of thinking about thinking.

With less than a month before its kick-off, organisers of the world-renowned linux.conf.au will this week announce the final keynote speaker, who is also set to represent a shift in the traditional technical focus of the event.

Pity the poor, ambitious IT professional. With technology more important to the bottom line than ever, you'd think there'd be career opportunities up the wazoo. But the suits don't really understand what you do for a living. And they hold the keys to the executive washroom. So, while you're down in the server closet saving the company's bacon on a daily basis, these guys are upstairs in the corner offices with the nice view.

Mobile 3G wireless has had more ups and downs than a Six Flags thrill ride. First, it was built up as a fast-approaching broadband panacea that would keep us connected, outdoors and in, all the time. Then it plunged into ridicule and ultimately obscurity thanks to infrastructure delays, the economic downturn, and competition from coffee shop Wi-Fi.

Returning to work after a two-week vacation, I wasn't all that surprised to see acquisition news pop up from my inbox. After all, this is storage, where it's not unusual to see one vendor or the other on a buying spree.

Emulex said Tuesday it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Sierra Logic for US$180 million to expand its position in the embedded storage components market.

Europe's third largest chipmaker will sell its semiconductor unit to a group of private investment firms in a deal worth Euro 8.3 billion ($US10.6 billion), increasing the pace of consolidation in the industry.

Salesforce.com unveiled the 20th generation of its hosted CRM (customer relationship management) software Monday, as well as announcing a connector integrating its CRM software-as-a-service with SAP AG's R/3 ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications.

Several users interviewed this week said they are expecting benefits from the combination of Oracle and Siebel Systems, though it may take some time for those benefits to emerge.