Fingerprint authorisation for notebooks

Gateway has announced that one of its notebooks can be fitted with a fingerprint sensor to prevent access to e-mail and files by unauthorised users.

CNet reports the sensor is an optional feature that can be built into the palm-rest of the Gateway 450+ and is aimed at security-conscious government agencies and corporations.

The report says more device-makers have begun introducing fingerprint readers. MicronPC has a portable computer with a fingerprint recognition sensor, and last year, Sony introduced a flash drive featuring a fingerprint identification system.

Sasfin has chosen outsourced technology solutions company, Symetrix, to take care of its storage area network (SAN) and server environments.

Craig Munitz, marketing and sales director at Symetrix, says Sasfin has signed a three-year Microsoft Select licensing agreement to provide Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 products, as well as support for the group`s Compaq servers and SAN environment.

"Our technology infrastructure of about 500 desktops, 70 servers and a Compaq StorageWorks SAN is absolutely critical to the day-to-day running of the business," says Peter Oeschger, Sasfin CIO. "In choosing a partner we sought a company that would recognise and respond to the consequence of downed systems, and Symetrix has consistently delivered a six-hour turnaround time."

Epson has released EpsonNet JobTracker software to control colour laser printing costs.

The cost control software is a Web-based solution enabling companies to track and monitor print usage, as well as restrict and manage user privileges and control the use of printers to streamline productivity.

The software is fully network compatible and can be deployed as either a server or client tool on all Microsoft Windows operating systems and servers. EpsonNet JobTracker is available free of charge from the Epson Web site.