Stories by Siobhan McBride

Degrees of difference

With the end of the year in sight, many IT professionals take stock of their career prospects and consider the options available to bag that promotion or go for that dream job.

Online and on demand

IT's many names and methods - from CBT (computer-based training) to e-learning produce a teaching tool that's getting more interactive and dynamic.
Online training is evolving - getting more interactive and more diverse in its uses for training, testing and group work. Because it can deliver a broad range of information - from skills to product and service details - to a variety of people, when they want it, e-learning is not only an educational asset, but can cut time and travel-associated costs.

Pharmacy group cuts inventory down to size

Retail pharmacy group Pharmacy 777 is spending $1 million on a solution to cut inventory requirements by up to 10 percent, improve customer service and speed up compliance reporting.

BEA acquires Plumtree for $263m

BEA Systems wants a bigger slice of the portal market and has announced its intention to purchase portal vendor Plumtree Software for $263 million ($US200 million) to take it there.

Multiemedia to acquire New Skies Networks

IT and communications company, Multiemedia has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent equity of New Skies Networks Australia from Netherlands-based satellite communications company New Skies Satellites, for $13 million.

Suncorp rationalises licence costs

Suncorp has set out to rationalise its reporting tools and software licence costs across the organisation, signing a contract for reporting solutions worth $700,000 over three years.

TAFE boosts network capacity with a SAN

Holmesglen TAFE is providing internal e-mail addresses for up to 55,000 students for the first time through a SAN solution that has increased network access by 30 percent.

Four-way Fusion

Far from the myth of the paperless office, company printers -add scanner, fax, copier and e-mail, to make it five-way fusion - now produce more paper than ever, for more uses than were available to the early printers. Siobhan McBride checks out the multifunction devices.

CompTIA launches ICT skills initiative

IT Pro Australia is a new association which Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) launched this week for ICT professionals and students.

[]