HP gets cost-conscious

HP has made available upgraded management software and alternate licensing options that will help enterprise IT managers reduce costs and continue to deliver services during the economic downturn, reports Network World.

At HP Software Universe in Vienna, Austria, HP unveiled upgraded products that help enterprise IT managers better prioritise projects and manage business requirements.

HP integrated Quality Centre 10.0 with Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) enables IT managers to see the number of events, incidents and defects that occur in a project and can help ensure business needs are met and projects are finished within deadline.

Despite the economic turmoil, venture capitalists remain confident about investing in software-makers that work to optimise virtual server environments, according to Network World.

As proof, virtualisation management software maker Embotics garnered $4 million in a series B round of financing led by Canada's Covington Capital.

Embotics, also a Canadian company, said in a statement it intends to put the additional cash toward building out its server virtualisation management technology and expanding global sales and operations.

Fresh from exposure to the global ICT industry at Gitex, representatives of Bahrain's ICT industry are planning to create an industry committee, reports AME Info.

Over 12 Bahrain-based SMEs decided to build on the momentum generated by their participation in Gitex and formed a committee that will plan a roadmap for improving the industry over the next 18 to 24 months.

Many of these companies participated in Gitex under the Tamkeen labour fund's Growth Assistance Programme (GAP), which aims to enable SMEs to enhance their competitiveness and growth potential.