Windows HPC Server RTMs
Microsoft has RTM’d Windows HPC Server 2008, which it’s been pushing at Wall Street this week of all weeks for – get this – risk analysis. For what it’s worth Morgan Stanley has been working with Microsoft on it. Cray is bundled the software on its new $25k-to-start CX1 compact supercomputer. HPC Server will cost $475 a node.

3Leaf Gets $35m C Round
Virtualization player 3Leaf Systems has gotten a $35 million C round from LSI with follow-on investments from Intel, Alloy Ventures, Enterprise Partners Venture Capital and Storm Ventures. The money is earmarked for accelerating the development of the company’s enterprise virtualization widgetry and expanding its sales and marketing. LSI expects to collaborate with 3Leaf, figuring on tickling its storage and networking. 3Leaf previously raised $32.5 million.

Linux Foundation Nails Another One
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange has joined the Linux Foundation and will chair the User Advisory Council. LF’s people say the move might appear to have “some dark irony considering the financial markets’ crash; however, the Linux Foundation and many of the banks with which it works believe that Linux and open source will be more and more considered as we move into a new economic environment.” CME is one of the financial services industry’s biggest users of Linux.

rPath Enables VMware Appliances
rPath says that virtual appliances designed for the VMware Ready Virtual Appliance Program can be developed using its rBuilder and rPath Lifecycle Management Platform, widgetry that’s supposed to – poof – transform apps into virtual appliances. The stuff’s also meant to leverage SUSE, at least just enough of it to run.

Shorting IBM Outlawed
After IBM asked, the SEC put its name of the new list of stocks thou shalt not short, at least until October 2 when the economy presumably stops being in freefall. IBM apparently qualifies because of its global financing arm. IBM hasn’t been a target of the shorts. At close of business Thursday there were 299 names on the list and according to the AP some of the companies haven’t a clue how they got there.

Google Defends Yahoo Deal
Google has put up a web site to sell its deal with Yahoo to the unconvinced and utterly opposed at http://www.google.com/yahoogooglefacts/.

Citrix Subject of Repeat Acquisition Rumor
Barron’s has been passing along the latest rumor redux, which has Citrix back being an acquisition target. Off and on the rumor mill has had Microsoft interested.

Financial Crisis Will Hurt IT Spending: Ballmer
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told Bloomberg Wednesday that hardware and software sales will probably be hurt by the financial crisis. Microsoft would use the slump, he said, to “invest more in our future than the other guys we’re competing with.”

Microsoft Just Saved $1.5b
That weeping and gnashing of teeth you heard is coming from Alcatel-Lucent because it won’t be getting that $1.5 billion in MP3 damages from Microsoft that a jury awarded it last year. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has upheld a lower court’s decision finding one patent wasn’t infringed and Microsoft had a valid license to the other one from the Fraunhofer Institute.

Windows 7 Mobile Reportedly Delayed
Based on what Microsoft partners have been whispering in its ear and with no rationale offered, CNET says Redmond is going to delay the release of Windows 7 Mobile, its next iPhone-leveling smartphone OS, by six to nine months – from early 1H09 to 2H09. Microsoft has previously made no pronouncement about timing.

Dual-Core Atoms Move Out
Intel has released its dual-core nettop-seeking Atom chips, which run $40 in 1,000-unit quantities, 11 bucks more than the single core. The 1.6GHz Atom 330 has a 1MB L2 cache and a 533MHz front-side bus. It dissipates 8W.

Wistron Eyes Dell Plants
Wistron, Taiwan’s third-largest contract manufacturer, told Reuters it’s interested in those factories Dell wants to sell. Talks were described as “very, very early stage.”

Pioneer Latest To Sign Microsoft Patent Cross-License
Pioneer is going to be paying Microsoft for the patent cross-license deal they just cut. It covers Pioneer’s TVs and auto navigation products.

Six Years & Microsoft Documentation Still Lacking
A documentation-challenged Microsoft got its ears boxed Thursday by the lady judge overseeing its 2002 US consent decree. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly disabused Microsoft of the notion that what it’s produced lately “fully complies with the full judgment” and told it to cough up the systems documents so licensees could interoperate with Windows. Microsoft is predicting it’ll take over a year, months past when oversight is supposed to end.

HP To Expand Board
Come January Rohm Haas CEO Rajiv Gupta, whose company makes specialty materials, will join the HP board, which will then expand to 11 seats, 10 of which are filled by outside directors.

OASIS To Push Information Cards
OASIS has formed an Identity Metasystems Interoperability Technical Committee to push the use of Information Cards to manage personal digital identities. They let people authenticate themselves on multiple web sites without maintaining passwords for each site. The committee includes IBM, CA, Microsoft, Novell and the DOD.

Mess Spreads to India
Credit Suisse figures “a majority of Indian IT companies are likely to miss their FY3/09 revenues guidance.”

Cloud Computing on Wall Street Conference & Expo Announced
SYS-CON Events announced today that the Cloud Computing on Wall Street Conference & Expo will take place on March 22-24, 2009, in New York City. The event is expected to attract over 1,000 decision makers, developers, architects, IT managers, and software professionals of every stripe who will be converging in New York City to attend this comprehensive meeting on Cloud Computing on Wall Street.

The future model for providing IT infrastructure and services in large organizations is what many today are calling "Cloud Computing" - a concept popularized by Amazon through its web services efforts. Financial analysts for example reckon that by 2011 the volume of Cloud Computing market opportunity will amount to $160BN, including $95N in business and productivity apps (e-mail, office, CRM, etc.) and $65BN in online advertising.

Any chief information officer concerned with computer system reliability and application availability in the competitive financial markets is thinking one of two things: either make failure impossible, or make recovery very fast. Thanks to virtualization, the trend is shifting toward fast recovery. Wall Street has a vested interest in eradicating downtime and achieving near-perfect uptime - a.k.a. "high-availability" (HA).

The Cloud Computing on Wall Street Conference & Expo is the leading event covering the booming market of Cloud Computing for the financial markets, with experts on financial, high-performance computing, service management, web-scale computing, and cloud standards. The conference will contain multiple sessions on how to improve application efficiency and lower costs by leveraging network and computing resources. Cloud Computing will help you take your applications and platforms to the next level.

Forrester Research analyst James Staten calls cloud computing "classic disruptive innovation where the mainstream dismisses the product and small companies have time to create a real differentiated value." But there are so many offerings just now that what infrastructure architects are looking for above all is a set of organizing principles they can use to guide them in choosing between them all.

Cloud Computing has many interpreters just now - and many interpretations. One thing is certain: it is the most dynamic new metaphor to hit enterprise computing since the creation of the "Web" by Tim Berners-Lee.

Accordingly SYS-CON Media & Events is continuing its market-leading practice of launching full-blown conferences ahead of anyone else by launching its Cloud Computing Expo, to be held March 22-24, 2009 in New York City.

Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities
Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities Offered on a First-Come First-Served Basis. To inquire about sponsorship and exhibit opportunities please contact Carmen Gonzalez at 201-802-3021 or by email at events(at)sys-con.com. Currently, a limited number of sponsorship and exhibition packages with multiple sponsorship discounts are available.

Cloud Computing Technology Providers and Contributors in 2008-2009
The following companies are among the providers and contributors of Cloud Computing technology: 10Gen, 3Leaf, 3Tera, Absolute Performance, Accenture, Akamai, Amazon.com, Appirio, Appistry, Areti Internet, Boomi, Box.net, Canaan Partners, Cloud9 Analytics, CloudWorks, CNI Systems, CohesiveFT, CSRware, DataDirect, Dell, DNAmail, eBay, Elastra, EMC, EngineYard, Enki Consulting, Enomaly, Excelian, Flexiscale, Fortress ITX, Forum, GigaSpaces, GoGrid, Google, HP, IBM, IBRIX, Joyent, JumpBox, Layered Technologies, Level 3 Communications, Linxter, LongJump, MDV, Microsoft, Moka5 (MokaFive), Mosso, NewServers, Nirvanix, Ocarina Networks, OpSource, Panorama Software, Peer1 Networks, Pervasive Software, Platform Computing, PLX Technology, Qlayer, Rackspace, RampRate, Red Hat, RightScale, rPath, Salesforce.com, Saugatuck Technology, ServePath, Skills Matter, Skytap, SnapLogic, SOASTA, Sun Microsystems, Symphoniq, Symphony Services, Tap In Systems, Teneros, Terremark, Transitive Corporation, Univa UD, Verizon Business, Vertica, VMware, XCalibre, Zabovo.com, ZOHO and Zuora.

Virtualization Technology Providers and Contributors in 2008-2009
The following companies are among the providers and contributors of Virtualization technology: 3PAR, Accellion, Acronis, Actional, Active Endpoints, ActiveGrid, activePDF, ActiveServers, ActiveState, Actuate, Adaptec, Agile Software, AGiLiENCE, Agilysys, Akorri, AlachiSoft, Alter Logic, Altor Networks, Altova, AMD, AMDAHL, Amentra, Amyuni, anacubis, Apani, APC, Appcelerator, AppSense, AppStream, Array Networks, Ascential, Astaro, Attune Systems, Autodesk, AutoVirt, Availl, Avanade, Azul Systems, Barracuda Networks, BEA Systems, B-hive, Black Duck Software, Blackbaud, Blade Network Technologies, Blue Coat, Blue Lane, BlueArc, BlueNote Networks, BluePheonix Solutions, BMC Software, Borland, Bristol Technology, Brix Networks, BroadVision, Brocade, Burton Group, Business Objects, CA, CalAmp, Cassatt, Cast Iron Systems, Catbird, Cayenne Technologies, Ceedo Technologies, Cenzic, Certeon, CiRBA, Cisco Systems, Cision, Citrix Systems, ClearApp, ClearCube Technology, CollabNet, Compass America, Composite Software, Compugen, Compuware, Configuresoft, Continuity Software, Coraid, Courion, Coyote Point Systems, Crescendo Networks, CSC, DataCore, DataSynapse, Dell, Desktone, Digipede Technologies, Double-Take Software, Ecora Software, EDS, eG Innovations, Egenera, Elastra Corporation, Electric Cloud, Embotics, EMC Corporation, Emulex, Endeavors Technology, Enigmatic Corporation, Enterprise Management Associates, Entuity, EqualLogic, Ericom Software, ESRI, EVault, eXludus Technologies, F5 Networks, FalconStor, FastScale Technology, Foedus, Force10 Networks, Fortisphere, Forum Systems, Fujitsu, GemStone Systems, Getronics, GlassHouse, Green Hills Software, Grid Dynamics, GridGain Systems, GT Software, Hitachi, HP, Hyper9, Hyperic, IBM, ICEsoft, IGEL Technology, Illumita, ILOG, IMEX Research, Information Builders, Ingres, InstallFree, Integrien, Intel, Intellium, International Computerware, iTKO LISA, JBoss, Juniper, KACE, Kidaro, LeftHand Networks, Leostream, Lifeboat Distribution, Liquid Computing Corporation, Liquid Technology, Lynux Works, Mainline, ManageIQ, Managed Methods, ManageSoft, Marathon Technologies, McAfee, Mellanox Technologies, Microsoft, Mid-Atlantic Computers, Mindbridge Software, Mindreef, MKS, MonoSphere, Motorola, MQSoftware, mySoftIT, NASTEL, Ncomputing, NEC, Neocleus, NeoPath Networks, Neoware, NetApp, Netegrity, Neterion, Netuitive, Neverfail, Nexaweb, NextAxiom, Nimbus, Nimsoft, Niyuta, NoMachine, Novell, ONStor, Opalis Software, Open Kernel Labs, OpenSpan, OPNET Technologies, Optaros, OpTier, Oracle, Pano Logic, Parallels, Parasoft, Perforce Software, PHD Technologies, Phoenix Technologies, Phurnace Software, Pillar Data Systems, PlateSpin/Novell, Progress Software, Prolifics, ProSync Technology, Provision Networks, QLogic, Quest Software, Racemi, Raritan, Raxco Software, Red Hat, Reflex Security, Resolution Enterprises, RingCube Technologies, Riverbed Technology, Rogue Wave Software, RSA Security, Sagnet Solutions, SanDisk Corporation, SAP, SAVVIS, ScaleMP, Scalent Systems, Seanodes, Secure Command, Secure Computing, Sentillion, Shavlik Technologies, ServInt Internet Services, Silpion IT Solutions, SIMtone, Skytap, Skyway Software, Software AG, Sonasoft, SourceGear, Splunk, StackSafe, SteelEye Technology, StillSecure, StoneFly, Stonesoft, Stoneware, StoreVault, StrikeIron, STT WebOS, Sun Microsystems, SunGard, Supermicro Computer, Surgient, SWsoft, Sybase, Symantec, Systar, TBD Networks, Tenfold, TheInfoPro, Thinstall, Third Brigade, TIBCO Software, Tidal Software, Tideway Systems, TOA Solutions, TRANGO Virtual Processors, Trend Micro, Tresys Technology, Trigence, Tripwire, Ulteo, Unisys, United Devices, VaST Systems, VDIworks, VeeAm Software, Verari Systems, Verio, VeriSign, Vicom Computer Services, VirtenSys, Virtera, Virtual Iron, VirtualLogix, Virtugo Software, Virtutech, VisionCore, Vizioncore, VKernel, VMLogix, vmSight, VMware, Vordel, vThere-Sentillion, Vyatta, WaveMaker, Web Age Solutions, WSO2, Wyse Technology, XDS, XenoCode, Xiotech, xkoto, Xsigo Systems, Zenith Optemedia, Zeus Technology.