Showing posts with label General. Show all posts
Showing posts with label General. Show all posts
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
TIBCO Origins and IT Services
Origins
TIBCO is an indirect successor to Teknekron Software Systems, Inc. Teknekron was formed in 1983,[3] and produced a software product it called The Information Bus (TIB),[4] which included as a substantial application the processing of stock quotes. In 1994, Teknekron was acquired by Reuters,[5][6] but was spun out as a separate company in 1994, named Tibco, after the TIB product.[7] In January 1997 Tibco Software Inc. was established as a separate entity to create and market software for integration of business applications outside the financial services sector. Reuters retained Tibco Finance to create and market software solutions for the financial services sector. In July 1999, Tibco went public on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol TIBX.
[edit] Greg the Architect
Greg Opening Sequence
Starting in 2007, Tibco promoted video and print ads starring an action figure called "Greg the Architect."[8] Since launching, the videos have been mentioned in numerous industry blogs, including the Wall Street Journal[9][10].
The campaign won an IAC Award (Internet Advertising Competition) in March 2007[11]. They were then honored with the BtoB Best Award for Best Online Campaign from BtoB Magazine[12]. "Greg" also won a Stevie Award for Best Corporate Film or Video in the Public Relations category at the 2007 American Business Awards[13].
Greg the Architect has been used in print as a comic strip in many industry magazines covering SOA and BPM. The campaign was also written about in a book from Harvard Business Press entitled Groundswell[14] concerning marketing using social technology. In a blog written by the authors of Groundswell, Greg parodies himself[15].
[edit] IT Services
IT Services companies who use Tibco to develop solutions
* CIBER
* Cognizant Technology Solutions
* EDS
* Capgemini
* Neoris
* TCS
* INFOSYS
* Accenture
* IBM
* Satyam
* MphasiS
* UST Global Inc
* HCL
* Wipro
* Patni Computer Systems
* Sierra Atlantic
* Larsen and Toubro
* Reliance Communications
* Tech Mahindra
* Logica
* MindTree
* CSC
TIBCO is an indirect successor to Teknekron Software Systems, Inc. Teknekron was formed in 1983,[3] and produced a software product it called The Information Bus (TIB),[4] which included as a substantial application the processing of stock quotes. In 1994, Teknekron was acquired by Reuters,[5][6] but was spun out as a separate company in 1994, named Tibco, after the TIB product.[7] In January 1997 Tibco Software Inc. was established as a separate entity to create and market software for integration of business applications outside the financial services sector. Reuters retained Tibco Finance to create and market software solutions for the financial services sector. In July 1999, Tibco went public on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol TIBX.
[edit] Greg the Architect
Greg Opening Sequence
Starting in 2007, Tibco promoted video and print ads starring an action figure called "Greg the Architect."[8] Since launching, the videos have been mentioned in numerous industry blogs, including the Wall Street Journal[9][10].
The campaign won an IAC Award (Internet Advertising Competition) in March 2007[11]. They were then honored with the BtoB Best Award for Best Online Campaign from BtoB Magazine[12]. "Greg" also won a Stevie Award for Best Corporate Film or Video in the Public Relations category at the 2007 American Business Awards[13].
Greg the Architect has been used in print as a comic strip in many industry magazines covering SOA and BPM. The campaign was also written about in a book from Harvard Business Press entitled Groundswell[14] concerning marketing using social technology. In a blog written by the authors of Groundswell, Greg parodies himself[15].
[edit] IT Services
IT Services companies who use Tibco to develop solutions
* CIBER
* Cognizant Technology Solutions
* EDS
* Capgemini
* Neoris
* TCS
* INFOSYS
* Accenture
* IBM
* Satyam
* MphasiS
* UST Global Inc
* HCL
* Wipro
* Patni Computer Systems
* Sierra Atlantic
* Larsen and Toubro
* Reliance Communications
* Tech Mahindra
* Logica
* MindTree
* CSC
TIBCO Software
TIBCO Software Inc. is a global company that develops integration software for companies including those in the energy, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and financial services industries. Its headquarters is in Palo Alto, California, with offices in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. [1] The company's major commercial competitors are IBM[2], Oracle Corporation, and SAP AG.
In addition, TIBCO offers the message-oriented middleware products Rendezvous and SmartSockets (from Talarian acquisition).
In addition, TIBCO offers the message-oriented middleware products Rendezvous and SmartSockets (from Talarian acquisition).
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Features new to Windows 7
New and changed features
Features new to Windows 7
The new Action Center which replaces Windows Security Center
Windows 7 includes a number of new features, such as advances in touch and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors,[32][33][34][35] improved boot performance, DirectAccess, and kernel improvements. Windows 7 adds support for systems using multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors (Heterogeneous Multi-adapter), a new version of Windows Media Center,[36] a Gadget for Windows Media Center, improved media features, the XPS Essentials Pack and Windows PowerShell being included, and a redesigned Calculator with multiline capabilities including Programmer and Statistics modes along with unit conversion. Many new items have been added to the Control Panel, including ClearType Text Tuner, Display Color Calibration Wizard, Gadgets, Recovery, Troubleshooting, Workspaces Center, Location and Other Sensors, Credential Manager, Biometric Devices, System Icons, and Display.[37] Windows Security Center has been renamed to Windows Action Center (Windows Health Center and Windows Solution Center in earlier builds) which encompasses both security and maintenance of the computer. The default setting for User Account Control in Windows 7 has been criticized for allowing untrusted software to be launched with elevated privileges by exploiting a trusted application.[38] Microsoft's Windows kernel engineer Mark Russinovich acknowledged the problem, but noted that there are other vulnerabilities that do not rely on the new setting.[39]
The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch toolbar has been replaced with pinning applications to the taskbar. Buttons for pinned applications are integrated with the task buttons. These buttons also enable the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks.[40] The revamped taskbar also allows the reordering of taskbar buttons. To the far right of the system clock is a small rectangular button that serves as the Show desktop icon. This button is part of the new feature in Windows 7 called Aero Peek. Hovering over this button makes all visible windows transparent for a quick look at the desktop.[41] In touch-enabled displays such as touch screens, tablet PCs, etc., this button is slightly wider to accommodate being pressed with a finger.[42] Clicking this button minimizes all windows, and clicking it a second time restores them. Additionally, there is a feature named Aero Snap, that automatically maximizes a window when it is dragged to either the top or left/right edges of the screen.[43] This also allows users to snap documents or files on either side of the screen to compare them. When a user moves windows that are maximized, the system restores their previous state automatically. This functionality is also accomplished with keyboard shortcuts. Unlike in Windows Vista, window borders and the taskbar do not turn opaque when a window is maximized with Windows Aero applied. Instead, they remain transparent.
The Windows 7 taskbar, with the Desktop Window Manager disabled.
For developers, Windows 7 includes a new networking API with support for building SOAP-based web services in native code (as opposed to .NET based WCF web services),[44] new features to shorten application install times, reduced UAC prompts, simplified development of installation packages,[45] and improved globalization support through a new Extended Linguistic Services API.[46] At WinHEC 2008 Microsoft announced that color depths of 30-bit and 48-bit would be supported in Windows 7 along with the wide color gamut scRGB (which for HDMI 1.3 can be converted and output as xvYCC). The video modes supported in Windows 7 are 16-bit sRGB, 24-bit sRGB, 30-bit sRGB, 30-bit with extended color gamut sRGB, and 48-bit scRGB.[47][48] Microsoft is also implementing better support for Solid State Drives[49], including the new TRIM command, and Windows 7 will be able to identify a Solid State Drive uniquely.
Internet Spades, Internet Backgammon and Internet Checkers, which were removed from Windows Vista, were restored in Windows 7. Windows 7 will include Internet Explorer 8 and Windows Media Player 12.
Search Wikinews Wikinews has related news: Windows 7 will allow users to disable Internet Explorer
Users will also be able to disable many more Windows components than was possible in Windows Vista. New additions to this list of components include Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, Windows Search, and the Windows Gadget Platform.[50] Windows 7 includes 13 additional sound schemes, entitled Afternoon, Calligraphy, Characters, Cityscape, Delta, Festival, Garden, Heritage, Landscape, Quirky, Raga, Savanna, and Sonata.[51] A new version of Virtual PC, Windows Virtual PC Beta is available for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions.[52] It allows multiple Windows environments, including Windows XP Mode, to run on the same machine, requiring the use of Intel VT-x or AMD-V. Windows XP Mode runs Windows XP in a virtual machine and redirects displayed applications running in Windows XP to the Windows 7 desktop.[53] Furthermore Windows 7 supports the mounting of a virtual hard disk (VHD) as a normal data storage, and the bootloader delivered with Windows 7 can boot the Windows system from a VHD.[54] The Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) of Windows 7 is also enhanced to support real-time multimedia application including video playback and 3D games. That means that Direct X 10 can be used in a remote desktop environment.[55] The three application limit will be removed from Windows 7 Starter.[56]
Features new to Windows 7
The new Action Center which replaces Windows Security Center
Windows 7 includes a number of new features, such as advances in touch and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors,[32][33][34][35] improved boot performance, DirectAccess, and kernel improvements. Windows 7 adds support for systems using multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors (Heterogeneous Multi-adapter), a new version of Windows Media Center,[36] a Gadget for Windows Media Center, improved media features, the XPS Essentials Pack and Windows PowerShell being included, and a redesigned Calculator with multiline capabilities including Programmer and Statistics modes along with unit conversion. Many new items have been added to the Control Panel, including ClearType Text Tuner, Display Color Calibration Wizard, Gadgets, Recovery, Troubleshooting, Workspaces Center, Location and Other Sensors, Credential Manager, Biometric Devices, System Icons, and Display.[37] Windows Security Center has been renamed to Windows Action Center (Windows Health Center and Windows Solution Center in earlier builds) which encompasses both security and maintenance of the computer. The default setting for User Account Control in Windows 7 has been criticized for allowing untrusted software to be launched with elevated privileges by exploiting a trusted application.[38] Microsoft's Windows kernel engineer Mark Russinovich acknowledged the problem, but noted that there are other vulnerabilities that do not rely on the new setting.[39]
The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch toolbar has been replaced with pinning applications to the taskbar. Buttons for pinned applications are integrated with the task buttons. These buttons also enable the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks.[40] The revamped taskbar also allows the reordering of taskbar buttons. To the far right of the system clock is a small rectangular button that serves as the Show desktop icon. This button is part of the new feature in Windows 7 called Aero Peek. Hovering over this button makes all visible windows transparent for a quick look at the desktop.[41] In touch-enabled displays such as touch screens, tablet PCs, etc., this button is slightly wider to accommodate being pressed with a finger.[42] Clicking this button minimizes all windows, and clicking it a second time restores them. Additionally, there is a feature named Aero Snap, that automatically maximizes a window when it is dragged to either the top or left/right edges of the screen.[43] This also allows users to snap documents or files on either side of the screen to compare them. When a user moves windows that are maximized, the system restores their previous state automatically. This functionality is also accomplished with keyboard shortcuts. Unlike in Windows Vista, window borders and the taskbar do not turn opaque when a window is maximized with Windows Aero applied. Instead, they remain transparent.
The Windows 7 taskbar, with the Desktop Window Manager disabled.
For developers, Windows 7 includes a new networking API with support for building SOAP-based web services in native code (as opposed to .NET based WCF web services),[44] new features to shorten application install times, reduced UAC prompts, simplified development of installation packages,[45] and improved globalization support through a new Extended Linguistic Services API.[46] At WinHEC 2008 Microsoft announced that color depths of 30-bit and 48-bit would be supported in Windows 7 along with the wide color gamut scRGB (which for HDMI 1.3 can be converted and output as xvYCC). The video modes supported in Windows 7 are 16-bit sRGB, 24-bit sRGB, 30-bit sRGB, 30-bit with extended color gamut sRGB, and 48-bit scRGB.[47][48] Microsoft is also implementing better support for Solid State Drives[49], including the new TRIM command, and Windows 7 will be able to identify a Solid State Drive uniquely.
Internet Spades, Internet Backgammon and Internet Checkers, which were removed from Windows Vista, were restored in Windows 7. Windows 7 will include Internet Explorer 8 and Windows Media Player 12.
Search Wikinews Wikinews has related news: Windows 7 will allow users to disable Internet Explorer
Users will also be able to disable many more Windows components than was possible in Windows Vista. New additions to this list of components include Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, Windows Search, and the Windows Gadget Platform.[50] Windows 7 includes 13 additional sound schemes, entitled Afternoon, Calligraphy, Characters, Cityscape, Delta, Festival, Garden, Heritage, Landscape, Quirky, Raga, Savanna, and Sonata.[51] A new version of Virtual PC, Windows Virtual PC Beta is available for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions.[52] It allows multiple Windows environments, including Windows XP Mode, to run on the same machine, requiring the use of Intel VT-x or AMD-V. Windows XP Mode runs Windows XP in a virtual machine and redirects displayed applications running in Windows XP to the Windows 7 desktop.[53] Furthermore Windows 7 supports the mounting of a virtual hard disk (VHD) as a normal data storage, and the bootloader delivered with Windows 7 can boot the Windows system from a VHD.[54] The Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) of Windows 7 is also enhanced to support real-time multimedia application including video playback and 3D games. That means that Direct X 10 can be used in a remote desktop environment.[55] The three application limit will be removed from Windows 7 Starter.[56]
Development of Windows 7
Development
Development of Windows 7
Originally, a version of Windows codenamed Blackcomb was planned as the successor to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Major features were planned for Blackcomb, including an emphasis on searching and querying data and an advanced storage system named WinFS to enable such scenarios. However, an interim, minor release, codenamed "Longhorn" was announced for 2003, delaying the development of Blackcomb.[10] By the middle of 2003, however, Longhorn had acquired some of the features originally intended for Blackcomb. After three major viruses exploited flaws in Windows operating systems within a short time period in 2003, Microsoft changed its development priorities, putting some of Longhorn's major development work on hold while developing new service packs for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Development of Longhorn (Windows Vista) was also "reset," or delayed, in August 2004. A number of features were cut from Longhorn.[11]
Blackcomb was renamed Vienna in early 2006,[12] and again to Windows 7 in 2007.[13] In 2008, it was announced that Windows 7 would also be the official name of the operating system.[14][15]
The first external release to select Microsoft partners came in January 2008 with Milestone 1, build 6519.[16] At PDC 2008, Microsoft demonstrated Windows 7 with its reworked taskbar. Copies of Windows 7 build 6801 were distributed out at the end of the conference, but the demonstrated taskbar was disabled in this build.
On December 27, 2008, Windows 7 Beta was leaked onto the Internet via BitTorrent.[17] According to a performance test by ZDNet,[18] Windows 7 Beta beat both Windows XP and Vista in several key areas, including boot and shut down time, working with files such as loading documents; other areas did not beat XP, including PC Pro benchmarks for typical office activities and video-editing, remain identical to Vista and slower than XP.[19] On January 7, 2009, the 64-bit version of the Windows 7 Beta (build 7000) was leaked onto the web, with some torrents being infected with a trojan.[20][21] At CES 2009, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the Windows 7 Beta, build 7000, had been made available for download to MSDN and TechNet subscribers in the format of an ISO image.[22] The Beta was to be publicly released January 9, 2009. Initially, Microsoft planned for the download to be made available to 2.5 million people on January 9. However, access to the downloads was delayed due to high traffic.[23] The download limit was also extended, initially until January 24, then again to February 10. People who did not complete downloading the beta had two extra days to complete the download. After February 12, unfinished downloads became unable to complete. Users can still obtain product keys from Microsoft to activate their copy of Windows 7 Beta. Users can still download Windows 7 via the Microsoft Connect program. The beta will expire on August 1, 2009, with shutdowns every two hours starting July 1, 2009. The release candidate, build 7100, has been available for MSDN and TechNet subscribers and Connect Program participants since April 30 and became available to the general public on May 5, 2009. It has also been leaked onto the Internet via BitTorrent.[24] The release candidate is available in five languages and will expire on June 1, 2010, with shutdowns every two hours starting March 1, 2010.[25] Microsoft has stated that Windows 7 will be released to the general public on October 22, 2009 and to Technet subscribers on August 6, 2009.[26] Microsoft announced that Windows 7, along with Windows Server 2008 R2 were released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009. Windows 7 RTM is build 7600.16385 which was compiled on July 13, 2009, and was declared the final RTM build after passing all Microsoft's tests internally.[3]
Goals
Bill Gates, in an interview with Newsweek, suggested that the next version of Windows would "be more user-centric".[27] Gates later said that Windows 7 will also focus on performance improvements.[28] Steven Sinofsky later expanded on this point, explaining in the Engineering Windows 7 blog that the company was using a variety of new tracing tools to measure the performance of many areas of the operating system on an ongoing basis, to help locate inefficient code paths and to help prevent performance regressions.[29]
Senior Vice President Bill Veghte stated that Windows Vista users migrating to Windows 7 would not find the kind of device compatibility issues they encountered migrating from Windows XP.[30] Speaking about Windows 7 on October 16, 2008, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed compatibility between Vista and Windows 7,[31] indicating that Windows 7 will be a refined version of Windows Vista.[31]
Development of Windows 7
Originally, a version of Windows codenamed Blackcomb was planned as the successor to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Major features were planned for Blackcomb, including an emphasis on searching and querying data and an advanced storage system named WinFS to enable such scenarios. However, an interim, minor release, codenamed "Longhorn" was announced for 2003, delaying the development of Blackcomb.[10] By the middle of 2003, however, Longhorn had acquired some of the features originally intended for Blackcomb. After three major viruses exploited flaws in Windows operating systems within a short time period in 2003, Microsoft changed its development priorities, putting some of Longhorn's major development work on hold while developing new service packs for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Development of Longhorn (Windows Vista) was also "reset," or delayed, in August 2004. A number of features were cut from Longhorn.[11]
Blackcomb was renamed Vienna in early 2006,[12] and again to Windows 7 in 2007.[13] In 2008, it was announced that Windows 7 would also be the official name of the operating system.[14][15]
The first external release to select Microsoft partners came in January 2008 with Milestone 1, build 6519.[16] At PDC 2008, Microsoft demonstrated Windows 7 with its reworked taskbar. Copies of Windows 7 build 6801 were distributed out at the end of the conference, but the demonstrated taskbar was disabled in this build.
On December 27, 2008, Windows 7 Beta was leaked onto the Internet via BitTorrent.[17] According to a performance test by ZDNet,[18] Windows 7 Beta beat both Windows XP and Vista in several key areas, including boot and shut down time, working with files such as loading documents; other areas did not beat XP, including PC Pro benchmarks for typical office activities and video-editing, remain identical to Vista and slower than XP.[19] On January 7, 2009, the 64-bit version of the Windows 7 Beta (build 7000) was leaked onto the web, with some torrents being infected with a trojan.[20][21] At CES 2009, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced the Windows 7 Beta, build 7000, had been made available for download to MSDN and TechNet subscribers in the format of an ISO image.[22] The Beta was to be publicly released January 9, 2009. Initially, Microsoft planned for the download to be made available to 2.5 million people on January 9. However, access to the downloads was delayed due to high traffic.[23] The download limit was also extended, initially until January 24, then again to February 10. People who did not complete downloading the beta had two extra days to complete the download. After February 12, unfinished downloads became unable to complete. Users can still obtain product keys from Microsoft to activate their copy of Windows 7 Beta. Users can still download Windows 7 via the Microsoft Connect program. The beta will expire on August 1, 2009, with shutdowns every two hours starting July 1, 2009. The release candidate, build 7100, has been available for MSDN and TechNet subscribers and Connect Program participants since April 30 and became available to the general public on May 5, 2009. It has also been leaked onto the Internet via BitTorrent.[24] The release candidate is available in five languages and will expire on June 1, 2010, with shutdowns every two hours starting March 1, 2010.[25] Microsoft has stated that Windows 7 will be released to the general public on October 22, 2009 and to Technet subscribers on August 6, 2009.[26] Microsoft announced that Windows 7, along with Windows Server 2008 R2 were released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009. Windows 7 RTM is build 7600.16385 which was compiled on July 13, 2009, and was declared the final RTM build after passing all Microsoft's tests internally.[3]
Goals
Bill Gates, in an interview with Newsweek, suggested that the next version of Windows would "be more user-centric".[27] Gates later said that Windows 7 will also focus on performance improvements.[28] Steven Sinofsky later expanded on this point, explaining in the Engineering Windows 7 blog that the company was using a variety of new tracing tools to measure the performance of many areas of the operating system on an ongoing basis, to help locate inefficient code paths and to help prevent performance regressions.[29]
Senior Vice President Bill Veghte stated that Windows Vista users migrating to Windows 7 would not find the kind of device compatibility issues they encountered migrating from Windows XP.[30] Speaking about Windows 7 on October 16, 2008, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed compatibility between Vista and Windows 7,[31] indicating that Windows 7 will be a refined version of Windows Vista.[31]
Windows 7
Windows 7 (formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienna) is an upcoming version of Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs and media center PCs.[2] Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009,[3] with general retail availability set for October 22, 2009,[4] less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2, is slated for release at the same time.
Unlike its predecessor, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 is intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible.[5] Presentations given by the company in 2008 focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup,[6] and performance improvements. Some applications that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, including Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, will not be included in Windows 7;[7][8] some will instead be offered separately as part of the free Windows Live Essentials suite.[9]
Unlike its predecessor, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 is intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible.[5] Presentations given by the company in 2008 focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup,[6] and performance improvements. Some applications that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, including Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, will not be included in Windows 7;[7][8] some will instead be offered separately as part of the free Windows Live Essentials suite.[9]
Monday, July 20, 2009
SAP Products
SAP's products focus on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The company's main product is SAP ERP. The current version is SAP ERP 6.0 and is part of the SAP Business Suite. Its previous name was called R/3. The "R" of SAP R/3 stood for realtime - even though it is not a realtime solution. The number 3 related to the 3-tier architecture: database, application server and client (SAPgui). R/2, which ran on a Mainframe architecture, was the predecessor of R/3. Before R/2 came System RF, later dubbed R/1.
SAP ERP is one of five enterprise applications in SAP's Business Suite. The other four applications are:
* customer relationship management (CRM) - helps companies acquire and retain customers, gain marketing and customer insight
* product lifecycle management (PLM) - helps manufacturers with product-related information
* supply chain management (SCM) - helps companies with the process of resourcing its manufacturing and service processes
* supplier relationship management (SRM) - enables companies to procure from suppliers
Other major product offerings include: the NetWeaver platform, Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) solutions, Duet (joint offering with Microsoft), Performance Management solutions and RFID. SAP offers SOA capabilities (calling it Enterprise SOA) in the form of web services that are wrapped around its applications.
While its original products were typically used by Fortune 500 companies[citation needed], SAP is now also actively targeting small and medium sized enterprises (SME) with its SAP Business One and SAP Business All-in-One.
On 19 September 2007 SAP announced a new product named SAP Business ByDesign. SAP Business ByDesign is a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering, and provides a fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution, On Demand. SAP Business ByDesign was previously known under the code name "A1S".[22]
SAP officials say there are over 100,600 SAP installations serving more than 41,200 companies in more than 25 industries in more than 120 countries.[23]
But SAP has also in general been criticized for their One-size-fits-all product strategies implying that it now covers such a large scope that it has become a hindrance for company mergers and acquisitions.[citation needed]
SAP ERP is one of five enterprise applications in SAP's Business Suite. The other four applications are:
* customer relationship management (CRM) - helps companies acquire and retain customers, gain marketing and customer insight
* product lifecycle management (PLM) - helps manufacturers with product-related information
* supply chain management (SCM) - helps companies with the process of resourcing its manufacturing and service processes
* supplier relationship management (SRM) - enables companies to procure from suppliers
Other major product offerings include: the NetWeaver platform, Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) solutions, Duet (joint offering with Microsoft), Performance Management solutions and RFID. SAP offers SOA capabilities (calling it Enterprise SOA) in the form of web services that are wrapped around its applications.
While its original products were typically used by Fortune 500 companies[citation needed], SAP is now also actively targeting small and medium sized enterprises (SME) with its SAP Business One and SAP Business All-in-One.
On 19 September 2007 SAP announced a new product named SAP Business ByDesign. SAP Business ByDesign is a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering, and provides a fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution, On Demand. SAP Business ByDesign was previously known under the code name "A1S".[22]
SAP officials say there are over 100,600 SAP installations serving more than 41,200 companies in more than 25 industries in more than 120 countries.[23]
But SAP has also in general been criticized for their One-size-fits-all product strategies implying that it now covers such a large scope that it has become a hindrance for company mergers and acquisitions.[citation needed]
SAP History
SAP was founded in 1972 as Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung ("System Analysis and Program Development")[2] by five former IBM engineers in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg (Dietmar Hopp, Hans-Werner Hector, Hasso Plattner, Klaus E. Tschira, and Claus Wellenreuther).[3]
As part of the Xerox exit strategy from the computer industry, Xerox retained IBM to migrate their business systems to IBM technology. As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM acquired the SDS/SAPE software, reportedly for a contract credit of $80,000. The SAPE software was given by IBM to the founding ex-IBM employees in exchange for founding stock provided to IBM, reportedly 8%. Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was SAP's first ever customer in 1972.[4]
The acronym was later changed to stand for Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung ("Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing").
In 1976, "SAP GmbH" was founded and the following year, it moved its headquarters to Walldorf. SAP AG became the company's official name after the 2005 annual general meeting (AG is short for Aktiengesellschaft).
In August 1988, SAP GmbH transferred into SAP AG (a corporation by German law), and public trading started November 4. Shares are listed on the Frankfurt and Stuttgart stock exchanges.[3]
Four of the founding members -- Hopp, Plattner, Tschira and Hector -- form the executive board. In 1995, SAP was included in the German stock index DAX. On 22 September 2003, SAP was included in the Dow Jones STOXX 50.[5] In 1991, Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann joined the board; Dr. Peter Zencke became a board member in 1993.[6] Claus Heinrich,[7] and Gerhard Oswald [8] have been members of the SAP Executive Board since 1996. Two years later, in 1998, the first change at the helm took place. Dietmar Hopp and Klaus Tschira moved to the supervisory board and Dietmar Hopp was appointed Chairman of the supervisory board. Henning Kagermann was appointed as Co-Chairman and CEO of SAP next to Hasso Plattner. Werner Brandt joined SAP in 2001 as a member of the SAP Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer.[9] Léo Apotheker has been a member of the SAP Executive Board and president of Global Customer Solutions & Operations since 2002, was appointed Deputy CEO in 2007, and then became co-CEO alongside Kagermann in 2008.
Henning Kagermann became the sole CEO of SAP in 2003.[10] In February 2007, his contract was extended until 2009. After continuous disputes over the responsibility of the development organization, Shai Agassi, a member of the executive board who had been named as a potential successor to Kagermann, left the organization.[11] In April 2008, along with the announcement of Leo Apotheker as co-CEO, the SAP supervisory board also appointed to the SAP Executive Board, three new members, effective 1 July 2008: Corporate Officers Erwin Gunst, Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe.[12]. With the retirement of Henning in May 2009, Leo has taken over as the sole CEO.
As part of the Xerox exit strategy from the computer industry, Xerox retained IBM to migrate their business systems to IBM technology. As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM acquired the SDS/SAPE software, reportedly for a contract credit of $80,000. The SAPE software was given by IBM to the founding ex-IBM employees in exchange for founding stock provided to IBM, reportedly 8%. Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was SAP's first ever customer in 1972.[4]
The acronym was later changed to stand for Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung ("Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing").
In 1976, "SAP GmbH" was founded and the following year, it moved its headquarters to Walldorf. SAP AG became the company's official name after the 2005 annual general meeting (AG is short for Aktiengesellschaft).
In August 1988, SAP GmbH transferred into SAP AG (a corporation by German law), and public trading started November 4. Shares are listed on the Frankfurt and Stuttgart stock exchanges.[3]
Four of the founding members -- Hopp, Plattner, Tschira and Hector -- form the executive board. In 1995, SAP was included in the German stock index DAX. On 22 September 2003, SAP was included in the Dow Jones STOXX 50.[5] In 1991, Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann joined the board; Dr. Peter Zencke became a board member in 1993.[6] Claus Heinrich,[7] and Gerhard Oswald [8] have been members of the SAP Executive Board since 1996. Two years later, in 1998, the first change at the helm took place. Dietmar Hopp and Klaus Tschira moved to the supervisory board and Dietmar Hopp was appointed Chairman of the supervisory board. Henning Kagermann was appointed as Co-Chairman and CEO of SAP next to Hasso Plattner. Werner Brandt joined SAP in 2001 as a member of the SAP Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer.[9] Léo Apotheker has been a member of the SAP Executive Board and president of Global Customer Solutions & Operations since 2002, was appointed Deputy CEO in 2007, and then became co-CEO alongside Kagermann in 2008.
Henning Kagermann became the sole CEO of SAP in 2003.[10] In February 2007, his contract was extended until 2009. After continuous disputes over the responsibility of the development organization, Shai Agassi, a member of the executive board who had been named as a potential successor to Kagermann, left the organization.[11] In April 2008, along with the announcement of Leo Apotheker as co-CEO, the SAP supervisory board also appointed to the SAP Executive Board, three new members, effective 1 July 2008: Corporate Officers Erwin Gunst, Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe.[12]. With the retirement of Henning in May 2009, Leo has taken over as the sole CEO.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Storage sharing
Storage sharing
Historically, data centers first created "islands" of SCSI disk arrays. Each island was dedicated to an application, and visible as a number of "virtual hard drives" (i.e. LUNs). Essentially, a SAN connects storage islands together using a high-speed network, thus allowing all applications to access all disks.
Operating systems still view a SAN as a collection of LUNs, and usually maintain their own file systems on them. These local file systems, which cannot be shared among multiple operating systems/hosts, are the most reliable and most widely used. If two independent local file systems resided on a shared LUN, they would be unaware of this fact, would have no means of cache synchronization and eventually would corrupt each other. Thus, sharing data between computers through a SAN requires advanced solutions, such as SAN file systems or clustered computing. Despite such issues, SANs help to increase storage capacity utilization, since multiple servers share the storage space on the disk arrays. The common application of a SAN is for the use of transactionally accessed data that require high-speed block-level access to the hard drives such as email servers, databases, and high usage file servers.
In contrast, NAS allows many computers to access the same file system over the network and synchronizes their accesses. Lately, the introduction of NAS heads allowed easy conversion of SAN storage to NAS.
DAS vs NAS vs SAN
Organization
[edit] SAN-NAS hybrid
Despite the differences between NAS and SAN, it is possible to create solutions that include both technologies, as shown in the diagram.
Hybrid using DAS, NAS and SAN technologies.
Historically, data centers first created "islands" of SCSI disk arrays. Each island was dedicated to an application, and visible as a number of "virtual hard drives" (i.e. LUNs). Essentially, a SAN connects storage islands together using a high-speed network, thus allowing all applications to access all disks.
Operating systems still view a SAN as a collection of LUNs, and usually maintain their own file systems on them. These local file systems, which cannot be shared among multiple operating systems/hosts, are the most reliable and most widely used. If two independent local file systems resided on a shared LUN, they would be unaware of this fact, would have no means of cache synchronization and eventually would corrupt each other. Thus, sharing data between computers through a SAN requires advanced solutions, such as SAN file systems or clustered computing. Despite such issues, SANs help to increase storage capacity utilization, since multiple servers share the storage space on the disk arrays. The common application of a SAN is for the use of transactionally accessed data that require high-speed block-level access to the hard drives such as email servers, databases, and high usage file servers.
In contrast, NAS allows many computers to access the same file system over the network and synchronizes their accesses. Lately, the introduction of NAS heads allowed easy conversion of SAN storage to NAS.
DAS vs NAS vs SAN
Organization
[edit] SAN-NAS hybrid
Despite the differences between NAS and SAN, it is possible to create solutions that include both technologies, as shown in the diagram.
Hybrid using DAS, NAS and SAN technologies.
Network types
Network types
Most storage networks use the SCSI protocol for communication between servers and disk drive devices. They do not use SCSI low-level physical interface (e.g. cables), however, as its bus topology is unsuitable for networking. A mapping layer to other low-level protocols is used to form a network:
* ATA over Ethernet (AoE), mapping of ATA over Ethernet,
* Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP), the most prominent one, is mapping of SCSI over Fibre Channel (FC),
* Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE),
* mapping of FICON over FC, used by mainframe computers,
* HyperSCSI, mapping of SCSI over Ethernet,
* iFCP[1] or SANoIP[2] mapping of FCP over IP.
* iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER), mapping of iSCSI over InfiniBand (IB),
* iSCSI, mapping of SCSI over TCP/IP
Most storage networks use the SCSI protocol for communication between servers and disk drive devices. They do not use SCSI low-level physical interface (e.g. cables), however, as its bus topology is unsuitable for networking. A mapping layer to other low-level protocols is used to form a network:
* ATA over Ethernet (AoE), mapping of ATA over Ethernet,
* Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP), the most prominent one, is mapping of SCSI over Fibre Channel (FC),
* Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE),
* mapping of FICON over FC, used by mainframe computers,
* HyperSCSI, mapping of SCSI over Ethernet,
* iFCP[1] or SANoIP[2] mapping of FCP over IP.
* iSCSI Extensions for RDMA (iSER), mapping of iSCSI over InfiniBand (IB),
* iSCSI, mapping of SCSI over TCP/IP
What is SAN?
storage area network (SAN) is an architecture to attach remote computer storage devices (such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes) to servers in such a way that the devices appear as locally attached to the operating system. Although the cost and complexity of SANs are dropping, they are still uncommon outside larger enterprises.
Network attached storage (NAS), in contrast to SAN, uses file-based protocols such as NFS or SMB/CIFS where it is clear that the storage is remote, and computers request a portion of an abstract file rather than a disk block.
Network attached storage (NAS), in contrast to SAN, uses file-based protocols such as NFS or SMB/CIFS where it is clear that the storage is remote, and computers request a portion of an abstract file rather than a disk block.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
IELTS Band Scale
Band Scale
IELTS is scored on a nine band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English.Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest whole or half band.
For the avoidance of doubt, the following rounding convention applies; if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.
The nine bands are described as follows:
[edit] 9 Expert User
Has full command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. It is very hard to attain this score.
[edit] 8 Very Good User
Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Handles complex detailed argumentation well.
[edit] 7 Good User
Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.
[edit] 6 Competent User
Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.
[edit] 5 Modest User
Has a partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. The candidate should be able to handle communication in his or her own field.
[edit] 4 Limited User
Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in using complex language.
[edit] 3 Extremely Limited User
Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
[edit] 2 Intermittent User
No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.
[edit] 1 Non User
Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.
[edit] 0 Did not attempt the test
No assessable information provided.
IELTS is scored on a nine band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English.Overall Band Scores are reported to the nearest whole or half band.
For the avoidance of doubt, the following rounding convention applies; if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75, it is rounded up to the next whole band.
The nine bands are described as follows:
[edit] 9 Expert User
Has full command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. It is very hard to attain this score.
[edit] 8 Very Good User
Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Handles complex detailed argumentation well.
[edit] 7 Good User
Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.
[edit] 6 Competent User
Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.
[edit] 5 Modest User
Has a partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. The candidate should be able to handle communication in his or her own field.
[edit] 4 Limited User
Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in using complex language.
[edit] 3 Extremely Limited User
Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
[edit] 2 Intermittent User
No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.
[edit] 1 Non User
Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.
[edit] 0 Did not attempt the test
No assessable information provided.
IELTS Test Structure
IELTS Test Structure
All candidates must complete four Modules - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking - to obtain a Band, which is shown on an IELTS Test Report Form (TRF). All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules, while the Reading and Writing Modules differ depending on whether the candidate is taking the Academic or General Training Versions of the Test.
The total test duration is around 2 hours and 45 minutes for Listening, Reading and Writing modules.
Listening: 40 minutes, 30 minutes for which a recording is played centrally and additional 10 minutes for transferring answers onto the OMR answer sheet.
Reading: 60 minutes.
Writing: 60 minutes.
(n.b. No additional time is given for transfer of answers in Reading and Writing modules)
The first three modules - Listening, Reading and Writing (always in that order) - are completed in one day, and in fact are taken with no break in between. The Speaking Module may be taken, at the discretion of the test centre, in the period seven days before or after the other Modules.
The tests are designed to cover the full range of ability from non-user to expert user.
All candidates must complete four Modules - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking - to obtain a Band, which is shown on an IELTS Test Report Form (TRF). All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking Modules, while the Reading and Writing Modules differ depending on whether the candidate is taking the Academic or General Training Versions of the Test.
The total test duration is around 2 hours and 45 minutes for Listening, Reading and Writing modules.
Listening: 40 minutes, 30 minutes for which a recording is played centrally and additional 10 minutes for transferring answers onto the OMR answer sheet.
Reading: 60 minutes.
Writing: 60 minutes.
(n.b. No additional time is given for transfer of answers in Reading and Writing modules)
The first three modules - Listening, Reading and Writing (always in that order) - are completed in one day, and in fact are taken with no break in between. The Speaking Module may be taken, at the discretion of the test centre, in the period seven days before or after the other Modules.
The tests are designed to cover the full range of ability from non-user to expert user.
What is IELTS?
IELTS (pronounced /ˈaı.ɛlts/), or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia, and was established in 1989.
There are two versions of the IELTS: the Academic Version and the General Training Version:
* The Academic Version is intended for those who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education and for professionals such as medical doctors and nurses who want to study or practice in an English-speaking country.
* The General Training Version is intended for those planning to undertake non-academic training or to gain work experience, or for immigration purposes.
It is generally acknowledged that the reading and writing tests for the Academic Version are more difficult than those for the General Training Version, due to the differences in the level of intellectual and academic rigour between the two versions.
IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and South African academic institutions, over 2,000 academic institutions in the United States, and various professional organisations. It is also a requirement for immigration to Australia and Canada. This has been criticised in Canada, because the English accents employed in the Listening section of the IELTS are far removed from typical Canadian accents.
An IELTS result or Test Report Form (TRF - see below) is valid for two years.
In 2007, IELTS tested over a million candidates in a single 12-month period for the first time ever, making it the world's most popular English language test for higher education and immigration.[1]
There are two versions of the IELTS: the Academic Version and the General Training Version:
* The Academic Version is intended for those who want to enroll in universities and other institutions of higher education and for professionals such as medical doctors and nurses who want to study or practice in an English-speaking country.
* The General Training Version is intended for those planning to undertake non-academic training or to gain work experience, or for immigration purposes.
It is generally acknowledged that the reading and writing tests for the Academic Version are more difficult than those for the General Training Version, due to the differences in the level of intellectual and academic rigour between the two versions.
IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and South African academic institutions, over 2,000 academic institutions in the United States, and various professional organisations. It is also a requirement for immigration to Australia and Canada. This has been criticised in Canada, because the English accents employed in the Listening section of the IELTS are far removed from typical Canadian accents.
An IELTS result or Test Report Form (TRF - see below) is valid for two years.
In 2007, IELTS tested over a million candidates in a single 12-month period for the first time ever, making it the world's most popular English language test for higher education and immigration.[1]
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
What is TOEFL?
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (or TOEFL, pronounced "toe-full")
evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting. It is an admission requirement for non-native English speakers at many English-speaking colleges and universities.
Additionally, institutions such as government agencies, licensing bodies, businesses, or scholarship programs may require this test. A TOEFL score is valid for two years and then will no longer be officially reported since a candidate's language proficiency could have significantly changed since the date of the test. Colleges and universities usually consider only the most recent TOEFL score.
The TOEFL test is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is administered worldwide. The test was first administered in 1964 and has since been taken by more than 23 million students.
Policies governing the TOEFL program are formulated with advice from a 16-member board. Board members are affiliated with undergraduate and graduate schools, 2-year institutions and public or private agencies with an interest in international education. Other members are specialists in the field of English as a foreign or second language.
The TOEFL Committee of Examiners is composed of 12 specialists in linguistics, language testing, teaching or research. Its main responsibility is to advise on TOEFL test content. The committee helps ensure the test is a valid measure of English language proficiency reflecting current trends and methodologies.
evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting. It is an admission requirement for non-native English speakers at many English-speaking colleges and universities.
Additionally, institutions such as government agencies, licensing bodies, businesses, or scholarship programs may require this test. A TOEFL score is valid for two years and then will no longer be officially reported since a candidate's language proficiency could have significantly changed since the date of the test. Colleges and universities usually consider only the most recent TOEFL score.
The TOEFL test is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is administered worldwide. The test was first administered in 1964 and has since been taken by more than 23 million students.
Policies governing the TOEFL program are formulated with advice from a 16-member board. Board members are affiliated with undergraduate and graduate schools, 2-year institutions and public or private agencies with an interest in international education. Other members are specialists in the field of English as a foreign or second language.
The TOEFL Committee of Examiners is composed of 12 specialists in linguistics, language testing, teaching or research. Its main responsibility is to advise on TOEFL test content. The committee helps ensure the test is a valid measure of English language proficiency reflecting current trends and methodologies.
TOEFL Paper-Based Test
Paper-Based Test
In areas where the iBT and CBT are not available, a paper-based test (PBT) is given. Because test takers cannot register at the testing center on the test date, they must register in advance using the registration form provided in the Supplemental Paper TOEFL Bulletin. They should register in advance of the given deadlines to ensure a place because the test centers have limited seating and may fill up early. Tests are administered only several times each year.
The PBT tests essentially the same skills as the CBT, albeit with some differences, noticeably the number of questions (which is higher in the PBT) and the score scales. The test lasts 4 hours more or less. Students can take the test as many times as they wish. However, colleges and universities usually consider only the most recent score.
1. Listening (30–40 minutes)
It consists of three parts. The first one contains 30 questions about short conversations. The second part has 8 questions about longer conversations. The last part asks 12 questions about lectures or talks.
2. Structure and Written Expression (25 minutes)
This part has 15 exercises of completing sentences correctly and 25 exercises of identifying errors.
3. Reading Comprehension (55 minutes)
It has 50 questions about reading passages.
4. Writing (30 minutes)
One essay with 250-300 words in average
In areas where the iBT and CBT are not available, a paper-based test (PBT) is given. Because test takers cannot register at the testing center on the test date, they must register in advance using the registration form provided in the Supplemental Paper TOEFL Bulletin. They should register in advance of the given deadlines to ensure a place because the test centers have limited seating and may fill up early. Tests are administered only several times each year.
The PBT tests essentially the same skills as the CBT, albeit with some differences, noticeably the number of questions (which is higher in the PBT) and the score scales. The test lasts 4 hours more or less. Students can take the test as many times as they wish. However, colleges and universities usually consider only the most recent score.
1. Listening (30–40 minutes)
It consists of three parts. The first one contains 30 questions about short conversations. The second part has 8 questions about longer conversations. The last part asks 12 questions about lectures or talks.
2. Structure and Written Expression (25 minutes)
This part has 15 exercises of completing sentences correctly and 25 exercises of identifying errors.
3. Reading Comprehension (55 minutes)
It has 50 questions about reading passages.
4. Writing (30 minutes)
One essay with 250-300 words in average
TOEFL Internet-Based Test
Internet-Based Test
Since its introduction in late 2005, the Internet-Based test (iBT) has progressively replaced both the computer-based (CBT) and paper-based (PBT) tests. The iBT has been introduced in phases, with the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy in 2005 and the rest of the world in 2006, with test centers added regularly.
Although the demand for test seats was very high, and candidates had to wait for months, it is now possible to take the test within one to four weeks in most countries.[1] The four-hour test consists of four sections, each measuring mainly one of the basic language skills (although some tasks may require multiple skills) focusing on language used in an academic, higher-education environment. Note-taking is allowed during the iBT. The test cannot be taken more than once a week.
1. Reading
This module determines proficiency in understanding intellectual reading issues. The Reading module contains questions about 3 to 5 long passages. The passages are chosen from the academic topics, which are found in undergraduate university textbooks.
2. Listening
This module determines proficiency in understanding spoken English as it is used in colleges and universities. The listening module consists of 6 comprehensive passages. Two passages will be conversations between students, and the other four will be academic lectures or discussions. Students have to understand the conversations and answer the corresponding questions.
3. Speaking
This module determines proficiency with speaking in English. The speaking module consists of 6 tasks: two independent tasks and four integrated tasks. In the independent tasks, students have to answer opinion questions concerning academic life. In two of the integrated tasks, students have to read a passage, listen to a passage, and speak about how the ideas in the two passages are related. In the other two integrated tasks, students have to listen to long passages, review them and speak about the information in the passages.
4. Writing
This module determines proficiency with writing in English that is pertinent for colleges and universities assignments. The writing module consists of two tasks: one independent task where students have to read an academic passage, listen to an academic passage and write their reviews about the two passages, and another integrated task where students have to write an essay.
Task iBT Approx. time
READING 3 passages and 39 questions 60 minutes
LISTENING 6 passages and 34 questions 50 minutes
SPEAKING 6 tasks and 6 questions 20 minutes
WRITING 2 tasks and 2 questions 55 minutes
At least one of the sections of the test will include extra, uncounted material. Educational Testing Service includes extra material to try out material for future tests. If the test taker is given a longer section, he must work hard on all of the materials because he does not know which material counts and which material is extra. For example, if there are four reading passages instead of three, three of the passages will count and one of the passages will not be counted. It is possible that the uncounted passage could be any of the four passages.
Since its introduction in late 2005, the Internet-Based test (iBT) has progressively replaced both the computer-based (CBT) and paper-based (PBT) tests. The iBT has been introduced in phases, with the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy in 2005 and the rest of the world in 2006, with test centers added regularly.
Although the demand for test seats was very high, and candidates had to wait for months, it is now possible to take the test within one to four weeks in most countries.[1] The four-hour test consists of four sections, each measuring mainly one of the basic language skills (although some tasks may require multiple skills) focusing on language used in an academic, higher-education environment. Note-taking is allowed during the iBT. The test cannot be taken more than once a week.
1. Reading
This module determines proficiency in understanding intellectual reading issues. The Reading module contains questions about 3 to 5 long passages. The passages are chosen from the academic topics, which are found in undergraduate university textbooks.
2. Listening
This module determines proficiency in understanding spoken English as it is used in colleges and universities. The listening module consists of 6 comprehensive passages. Two passages will be conversations between students, and the other four will be academic lectures or discussions. Students have to understand the conversations and answer the corresponding questions.
3. Speaking
This module determines proficiency with speaking in English. The speaking module consists of 6 tasks: two independent tasks and four integrated tasks. In the independent tasks, students have to answer opinion questions concerning academic life. In two of the integrated tasks, students have to read a passage, listen to a passage, and speak about how the ideas in the two passages are related. In the other two integrated tasks, students have to listen to long passages, review them and speak about the information in the passages.
4. Writing
This module determines proficiency with writing in English that is pertinent for colleges and universities assignments. The writing module consists of two tasks: one independent task where students have to read an academic passage, listen to an academic passage and write their reviews about the two passages, and another integrated task where students have to write an essay.
Task iBT Approx. time
READING 3 passages and 39 questions 60 minutes
LISTENING 6 passages and 34 questions 50 minutes
SPEAKING 6 tasks and 6 questions 20 minutes
WRITING 2 tasks and 2 questions 55 minutes
At least one of the sections of the test will include extra, uncounted material. Educational Testing Service includes extra material to try out material for future tests. If the test taker is given a longer section, he must work hard on all of the materials because he does not know which material counts and which material is extra. For example, if there are four reading passages instead of three, three of the passages will count and one of the passages will not be counted. It is possible that the uncounted passage could be any of the four passages.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a general term for a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over IP networks such as the Internet or other packet-switched networks. Other terms frequently encountered and synonymous with VoIP are IP telephony, Internet telephony, voice over broadband (VoBB), broadband telephony, and broadband phone.
VoIP systems usually interface with the traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) to allow for transparent phone communications worldwide.[1]
VoIP systems employ session control protocols to control the set-up and tear-down of calls as well as audio codecs which encode speech allowing transmission over an IP network as digital audio via an audio stream. Codec use is varied between different implementations of VoIP (and often a range of codecs are used); some implementations rely on narrowband and compressed speech, while others support high fidelity stereo codecs.
History
* 1974 - The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) published a paper entitled "A Protocol for Packet Network Interconnection."[2]
* 1981 - IPv4 is described in RFC-791.[3]
* 1985 - The National Science Foundation commissions the creation of NSFNET.[4]
* 1995 - VocalTec releases the first commercial Internet phone software.[5][6]
* 1996 -
o ITU-T begins the standardization of VoIP initially with the H.323 standard.[7]
o US telecommunication companies ask the US Congress to ban Internet phone technology.[8]
* 1997 - Level 3 began development of its first softswitch (a term they coined in 1998).[9]
* 1999 -
o The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) specification RFC-2543 was released.[10]
o The first open source SIP PBX (Asterisk) is created by Mark Spencer of Digium.[11]
* 2004 - Commercial VoIP service providers proliferate.[12]
VoIP systems usually interface with the traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) to allow for transparent phone communications worldwide.[1]
VoIP systems employ session control protocols to control the set-up and tear-down of calls as well as audio codecs which encode speech allowing transmission over an IP network as digital audio via an audio stream. Codec use is varied between different implementations of VoIP (and often a range of codecs are used); some implementations rely on narrowband and compressed speech, while others support high fidelity stereo codecs.
History
* 1974 - The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) published a paper entitled "A Protocol for Packet Network Interconnection."[2]
* 1981 - IPv4 is described in RFC-791.[3]
* 1985 - The National Science Foundation commissions the creation of NSFNET.[4]
* 1995 - VocalTec releases the first commercial Internet phone software.[5][6]
* 1996 -
o ITU-T begins the standardization of VoIP initially with the H.323 standard.[7]
o US telecommunication companies ask the US Congress to ban Internet phone technology.[8]
* 1997 - Level 3 began development of its first softswitch (a term they coined in 1998).[9]
* 1999 -
o The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) specification RFC-2543 was released.[10]
o The first open source SIP PBX (Asterisk) is created by Mark Spencer of Digium.[11]
* 2004 - Commercial VoIP service providers proliferate.[12]
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