AFCOM and the TAG Infrastructure Society Present Where IT & Facilities Interconnect: Bridging the Gap Between Facilities and IT

(ATLANTA) May 13, 2013 – The explosive growth of cloud computing and the increasing need for greater amounts of data storage places datacenter networks at the core of today’s global economy, while demand for cost efficiencies has become the driving force for its next evolution. In response, AFCOM and the TAG Infrastructure Society have gathered an expert panel to review new technology and its impact on operational expenses in the datacenter environment. The event, scheduled May 22 at 11:30 a.m. at Villa Christina, is open to the public. To register, visit: s08.123signup.com/servlet/SignUpMember?P...11426256500&Info

“We see some very significant changes in data centers and IT occurring,” said Amy Spellmann, Global Practice Principal at the 451 Group. “The biggest changes are in the implementation of cloud computing and the cost of power.”

Spellmann, who has worked with hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies, will draw on 20 years of experience in IT capacity planning and performance engineering, when she keynotes the May 22 presentation along with Marco Kuysten, global IT and communications expert and Vice President of Consulting at Advocate Consulting. Spellman and Kuysten will be joined by a panel of experts from Nokia, HP, Internap, QTS and Elavon.

Al Edwards, Head of Global Data Center Operations at Nokia, brings 20 years of data center management and IT experience to the discussion, while fellow panelist Mike Fallos, U.S. Strategy Leader for HP Critical Services, offers 27 years of involvement in data center operations. Panelist Mike Higgins, Senior VP of Data Center Services at Internap, will draw from his background as head of product management, business development, data center services design and site selection. Chris Kenyon, Former EVP and CIO of Elavon, offers many years of progressive experience in application development, systems operations, security, infrastructure and data management, and Tom Mertz, EVP of QTS will offer insights gained from his management of the delivery of customized private solutions for QTS clients.

“There are so many changes going on with technology today,” said HP’s Hallie Middlebrooks, AFCOM Atlanta Chapter spokesperson, “and data center managers come to AFCOM to learn about them from both their professional peers and the subject matter experts from our vendor members. Heating and cooling are huge expenses when it comes to data centers; however, technologies such as virtualization/cloud and new computing paradigms, such as hyperscale computing environments, can drastically reduce power consumption, offering a reduction in OPEX, which directly impacts a company’s bottom line.”

Seating is limited to 150 so attendees are encouraged to register early. Follow the conversation on Twitter through @TAG_INF.

About AFCOM
AFCOM, the leading association of data center and facilities management professionals, is a dynamic community providing a forum for discussion, learning and problem-solving. With thousands of members worldwide, you will find no better place to build relationships with your peers. For more than 30 years AFCOM has compiled an innovative and comprehensive portfolio of resources for the data center industry. From educational conferences and an extensive local chapter program to in-depth publications and research tools – AFCOM provides the means to empower you and your data center. For more information visit: http://www.afcom.com.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 19,000 members and hosting over 200 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 32 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology. For more information visit: http://www.tagonline.org.

About TAG Infrastructure
The TAG Infrastructure Society’s mission is to become the expert resource for companies interested in locating their business within the state of Georgia. We believe that maintaining a comprehensive technology report on Georgia's road, power, water, real-estate and fiber infrastructure, along with the services enabled by these resources, makes Georgia the logical choice for the next high-tech industry destination. For more information visit: http://www.tagonline.org/chapters-and-societies/infrastructure/.

Media Contact:
Pat Mahony,
Infrastructure Society Board Member
Mahony and Associates
pat@patmahony.com
(770) 842-3275

Government and Carriers Among Early Adopters of Microcell 4G Technology

(Atlanta, GA) - Demand for wireless access has never been greater as more and more consumers seek WiFi connectivity to enable smart phones, tablets and e-readers. In fact, U.S. wireless connections have outpaced the U.S. population with 321 million wireless subscribers compared to 315 million U.S. residents.

And that number is expected to grow, according to industry experts. By 2016, WiFI and mobile devices are expected to account for 61 percent of IP traffic across the Internet compared to just six percent of IP traffic originating from non-pc devices in 2011.

All of this new technology comes at a price as existing infrastructure will need to change to handle the growth, said Paul Reynolds, president of Communications Management Associates (CMA).

“Like the perfect storm, a bandwidth explosion is inevitable. Wireless network operators need to prepare for even greater bandwidth demands or collapse in the wake of it,” Reynolds said. “Networks are currently running near capacity which can create roadblocks moving forward. We’re not going to be able to push 100 Megs or 4G from a cell tower 1.5 miles away to the vast array of users today. Microcells address capacity and quality with regard to super high-speed connectivity.”

Reynolds, a 25-year telecommunications veteran and noted expert in microcell technology, will be the featured speaker for the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG) Infrastructure Society presentation, “Microcell Technology: A Long-Term Solution to Mobile Bandwidth Demand,” scheduled Wednesday, February 27 from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Ravinia Club in Atlanta. To register for the event please visit the Technology Association of Georgia website signup page at: s01.123signup.com/servlet/SignUp?P=15219...1974182300&Info= . The event is open to the public.

The event will also feature a panel discussion featuring Reynolds; Sonny Pepper, Senior Site Acquisition PMO Manager of the Southeast Region with AT&T Mobility; and Jim Moore, Director of Information Technology for the City of Woodstock, GA.

Reynolds is currently working with municipalities, enterprise companies and carriers throughout the U.S. to encourage adoption of the new microcell technology. “By installing obscurely placed microcells on existing city assets such as street lights, power poles and buildings, cities are able to generate revenue from carriers in need of additional coverage for that area. Likewise, carriers increase their footprint and improve efficiency without the need for additional towers. It’s a win-win for cities, carriers and the end-user who receives enhanced service.”

Internap’s Adam Weissmuller and IPUtilinet’s David Quinn Present the Death of Hubs and Switches on November 15

(Atlanta, GA) – A new type of technology is gaining marketplace momentum as a cost efficient, non-fragmented solution for switched local area network (LAN) architecture.

The gigabit passive optical network (GPON) technology used by carriers to deliver multi-play services worldwide has begun to make headway into the LAN environment, offering schools, campuses, business parks and airport facilities a much more efficient way to connect point to multi-point optical fiber networks over one flat network. The 2006 ratification of ITU-T G.983 and G.984 standards in 2006 together with GPON technology’s 483-mile coverage radius and ZERO Layer 2/3 switches in the distribution architecture, is cheaper to build because it takes additional power and switching requirements out of the equation, said David Quinn, Managing Director of IP UtiliNET.

“This takes out future forklift upgrades and the challenges of managing networks that have become too complex and transitions the network to an operational services network, which equals more jobs,” Mr. Quinn said. “The result is a freeing up of wasted expenses that today are spent on hardware, maintenance services and power consumption.”

Join the Infrastructure Society of the Technology Association of Georgia on Thursday, November 15, as we present “Death of Hubs and Switches,” at the Centergy Building in Atlanta. To register, visit bit.ly/Tw6QJa.

Mr. Quinn is the Managing Director of IP UtiliNET, a Georgia headquartered firm that specializes in next generation all fiber networks. At this session, Mr. Quinn will demonstrate a fully functional enterprise capable network that supports up to 512 ethernet ports, a live surveillance camera, and Voice over IP (VoIP) capability. With its all-property, all-fiber, aggregated core, Multi-Service Networks enable Cloud Computing while eliminating outdated campus distribution switch and copper cable.

Adam Weissmuller, Director of Product Management for the Managed Hosting and Cloud Services business unit at Internap, will discuss GPON technology and the recent launch of Internap’s cloud solution suite. Adam is also a 10-year veteran of the hosting industry and, prior to joining Internap, held management positions at PEER 1 Hosting and Rackspace.

For more information about the presentation please contact Heather Miner, Director of Community and Economic Resources at the Technology Association of Georgia at heather@tagonline.org.

About the Infrastructure Society
The Infrastructure Society’s mission is to expose the rich infrastructure in Georgia enabling our state to lead in many areas of technology. Transportation, Power, Water, Data Centers and Fiber infrastructure, along with the services which are enabled by these resources, make Georgia the logical choice for the next high-tech industry destination. The Infrastructure society was created to support TAG’s mission, which is to educate, promote and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy.

Media Contact:
Pat Mahony
Social Media Manager
Infrastructure Society, Technology Association of Georgia
Patriciam1723@gmail.com

ATLANTA, GA – BlueWave Computing, LLC, Atlanta’s leader in business IT support, cloud computing, Internet security and managed services, was named the winner of the 2012 Consumers’ Choice Award in the category of Managed IT Support. BlueWave Computing was selected following an independent survey of Atlanta’s business community. The managed IT support company has been named the Consumers’ Choice Award Managed IT Support winner for the past three years.

“We are pleased and humbled to be named the Consumers’ Choice Award winner for the third year in a row,” said Steven Vicinanza, BlueWave Computing CEO. “We believe our processes and our people make the difference to our clients and enable us to stand out as a company amongst our competitors. It is an honor to be recognized for our efforts with this award.”

In addition to the independent selection process required to win the award, each business must also undergo a regulatory review by the law firm of MacMurray, Petersen and Shuster, which confirms the ethical standing of each award winner.

“Through commitment to customers and an unswerving belief in your ideas and employees, BlueWave Computing has been acknowledged by the Atlanta community for business excellence,” said Jeffrey Chernoff, Chairman of Consumers’ Choice Award USA.

The mission of the Consumers’ Choice Award organization is dedication to identifying and promoting businesses that exemplify superior customer service, integrity and professionalism while recognizing and nurturing business excellence for the benefit of local enterprise companies and the customers they serve.

About BlueWave Computing, LLC
As Atlanta’s largest managed service provider for small and mid-size businesses, BlueWave Computing keeps IT services Under Your Control while enabling real-time network visibility through its proprietary IT Quality Management System. Using BlueWave Computing’s Total Control™ System, businesses find IT costs are more effectively controlled, more predictable and more reliable. BlueWave’s service options include IT management, cloud computing, disaster recovery, strategic planning, web development, custom application and mobile application development, 7x24 monitoring and support, Microsoft CRM and VOIP systems. Visit www.bluewavecomputing.com or call 770-980-WAVE for more information.



For More Information Contact:
Pat Mahony
Director of Marketing
BlueWave Computing, LLC
pmahony@bluewave-computing.com
678-501-7310

BlueWave Computing Achieves VMware Solution Competency in MS SQL Server, MS Exchange

(Atlanta, GA) BlueWave Computing, Atlanta’s leader in business IT support and managed services, today announced that it has successfully completed the Virtualization of Business Critical Applications solution competency in MS SQL Server and MS Exchange. This achievement demonstrates that BlueWave Computing is committed to be an expert in helping customers virtualize their IT environments. Further, in achieving this competency, BlueWave Computing acknowledges that this distinction and VMware solutions are key accelerators for enabling their growth in the virtualization and cloud markets.

“VMware is pleased to recognize BlueWave Computing for achieving the MS SQL Server and MS Exchange solution competency. Achieving this competency demonstrates to customers that BlueWave Computing is committed to be an expert in helping customers virtualize their IT environments, enabling them to confidently select BlueWave Computing as a solution provider capable of delivering VMware solutions to customers on the journey to cloud computing,” said Doug Smith, vice president, global partner strategy and operations, VMware. “We value our partnership with BlueWave Computing and we appreciate their efforts in achieving this VMware distinction.”

“By partnering with VMware, BlueWave Computing can provide customers with ease of administration and backup of highly available, redundant solutions within a private cloud platform and within existing virtual environments,” said Steve Vicinanza, BlueWave Computing CEO. “Achieving VMware’s Virtualization of Business Critical Applications Competency further demonstrates to our clients that BlueWave’s engineering team possesses the certifications and expertise required to implement and support virtualization of business-critical applications such as Exchange and SQL while improving our marketplace visibility through the VMware Partner Locator.”

VMware has established solution competencies as designations of expertise that enable customers to identify partners with the highest level of VMware technical solution knowledge and experience. VMware partners with competencies are able to earn customer credibility by driving deeper into customer engagements, based on knowledge and ability with the following VMware solution competencies:

Infrastructure Virtualization Competency: Recognizes partners for their demonstrated ability to virtualize and consolidate server environments using a VMware virtualization solution

Business Continuity Competency: Recognizes partners for their expertise in deploying VMware solutions for data protection, high availability and disaster recovery

Desktop Virtualization Competency: Recognizes partners for their expertise in deploying VMware solutions for virtualizing desktops and applications

Virtualization of Business Critical Applications (VBCA) Competency: Recognizes partners for their demonstrated ability to provide guidance and solutions for virtualizing business-critical applications such as Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, Oracle DB and SAP

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Competency: Recognizes partners for their expertise in VMware hybrid cloud solutions and services

Management Competency: Recognizes partners for their ability to help customers simplify and automate the operations of virtual and cloud environments with the VMware vCenter™ Operations Management Suite

VMware Partner Network is a comprehensive program that provides a common infrastructure, extensive sales and services tools, margin opportunities and industry-recognized training for the entire VMware partner ecosystem, including solution providers, technology partners and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). VMware Partner Network is designed to help ensure a more consistent and successful user experience as well as help partners increase their business potential by increasing their skills in VMware solutions. The program helps partners maximize their investments in VMware virtualization to provide customers with the best end-to-end virtualization solutions available.

Read more about VMware Partner Network.

About BlueWave Computing, LLC
As Atlanta’s largest managed service provider for small and mid-sized businesses, BlueWave Computing keeps IT services Under Your Control while enabling real-time network visibility through its proprietary IT Quality Management System. Using BlueWave Computing’s Total Control™ System, businesses find IT costs are more effectively controlled, more predictable and more reliable. BlueWave’s service options include IT management, cloud computing, disaster recovery, strategic planning, web development, custom application and mobile application development, 7x24 monitoring and support, Microsoft CRM and VoIP systems. Visit www.bluewavecomputing.com or call 770-980-WAVE for more information.

VMware is a registered trademark and/or trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. The use of the term “partner” or “partnership” does not imply a legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other company.

For More Information Contact:
Pat Mahony
Director of Marketing
BlueWave Computing, LLC
pmahony@bluewave-computing.com
678-501-7310

ATLANTA, GA – June 6, 2012 -- BlueWave Computing, LLC, Atlanta’s leader in business IT support, cloud computing and managed services, was named one of Cobb’s Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Cobb County businesses were nominated earlier this year and following an evaluation by an independent panel of judges, BlueWave Computing was named as one of the Top 25 companies. Selection criteria included business growth, financial standing, innovative services, and contributions to community projects as well as overall management philosophy. This marks the fifth year BlueWave Computing has been named to the list of Top 25 Small Businesses in Cobb County and the first year of recognition in the Top 5 designation.

“It is a great honor to be considered for the Small Business of the Year award by the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. We consider Cobb County our home and attribute BlueWave’s continued success to the strong support of our partners, including the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, our clients and our employees,” said Dr. Steven Vicinanza, BlueWave Computing’s founder and CEO. “We work hard on behalf of our constituency to be the best information technology partner for our clients while providing ongoing employment opportunities to some of the top talent in our community.”

The Top 25 were recognized at the Cobb Chamber’s First Monday Breakfast on June 4. The Cobb Chamber of Commerce represents Cobb County’s diverse, dynamic business community. The Cobb Chamber is a member-supported business organization working to maintain a healthy economy by bringing business and industry to the area, helping established firms grow and building the community through outreach and service.

In addition to BlueWave Computing’s multi-year designation as a Top 25 small business in Cobb County, BlueWave has also been named to the Inc. 500/5000 list in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, the Atlanta Consumers’ Choice Award in 2010 and 2011, the AJC Best Workplace award in 2011, and the CRN Fast Growth 100 award in 2010 and 2011.

About BlueWave Computing, LLC
As Atlanta’s largest managed service provider for small and mid-size businesses, BlueWave Computing keeps IT services Under Your Control while enabling real-time network visibility through its proprietary IT Quality Management System. Using BlueWave Computing’s Total Control™ System, businesses find IT costs are more effectively controlled, more predictable and more reliable. BlueWave’s service options include IT management, cloud computing, disaster recovery, strategic planning, web development, custom application and mobile application development, 7x24 monitoring and support, Microsoft CRM and VOIP systems. Visit www.bluewavecomputing.com or call 770-980-WAVE for more information.

For More Information Contact:
Pat Mahony
Director of Marketing
BlueWave Computing, LLC
pmahony@bluewave-computing.com
678-501-7310