Saturday, January 17, 2009

NaviSite messaging

from Tier 1 Research daily newsletter:

>>NaviSite messaging update; positioning to capture growth in sector

NaviSite is known for its managed hosting line, but it also has wide-ranging expertise in messaging. This includes strong partnerships with Microsoft for Exchange and IBM for Lotus. NaviSite hosts about between 60-70,000 Lotus seats and 25,000 fully managed Exchange seats.

more info about Direct Edge

Direct Edge Monthly Volume for December 2008

Records in Matched and Handled Market Share and ELP Volume

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 12, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Direct Edge announced today statistical information regarding its volume for December 2008. Direct Edge reported 1.1 billion shares handled per day in December, representing a 108% year-over-year increase. Direct Edge's handled market share in all U.S. equity securities was 12.26% for the month, with a 6.93% matched market share -- both record highs. For volume handled in the month of December, Direct Edge was the third largest U.S. cash equities marketplace.

"2008 was a year of phenomenal growth for Direct Edge," said William O'Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Edge. "Our handled market share is up more than 40% from last December and our matched market share has increased by over 60%. We look forward to continued growth as we follow our path to exchange status."

The table below shows Direct Edge's market share broken out by listing market:


--------------------------------------------------------------------
Listing Market Handled Matched
Market Share Market Share
--------------------------------------------------------------------
NYSE 13.49% 7.10%
--------------------------------------------------------------------
NYSE Arca, NYSE Alternext 8.87% 5.55%
--------------------------------------------------------------------
NASDAQ 12.14% 7.83%
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The number of shares executed in Direct Edge's Enhanced Liquidity Provider (ELP) Program for December was a record 169.5 million (ADV). The ADV for MidPoint Match(sm) was 8.5 million.

All volume and market share statistics reflect single-counted data across all Direct Edge trading destinations -- EDGA, EDGX, and the ISE Stock Exchange. December is the first month the ISE Stock Exchange's volume is being included in Direct Edge's overall total. ISE Stock Exchange volume for the entire month is included. Direct Edge took operational control of ISE Stock Exchange on December 23, 2008. For a detailed explanation of Direct Edge's volume and market share terminology and methodology, please see http://www.directedge.com/marketshare_terminology.aspx

About Direct Edge

Direct Edge offers the next generation of displayed markets. With U.S. cash equities volume routinely exceeding 1 billion shares per day, Direct Edge uses multiple ECN and exchange platforms and unique order types to match complementary forms of liquidity based on sensitivity to transaction cost, fill rate, fill speed, and contra-side sophistication, while maintaining high execution quality and low latencies. Headquartered in Jersey City, N.J., Direct Edge is owned by a consortium that includes the International Securities Exchange, Knight Capital Group, Inc., Citadel Derivatives Group, The Goldman Sachs Group, and J.P. Morgan. More information about Direct Edge is available at http://www.directedge.com. Everybody Needs Some Edge.

---

from Traders magazine:

>>Direct Edge Expands After-Hours Market

In response to demand from retail brokerages and their customers, Direct Edge ECN next week will expand its after-hours trading session. It will offer trading from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., extending its after-hours session by three hours.

"The suggestion that we extend our trading hours came mostly from retail and online brokers," said Bryan Harkins, head of sales and strategy at Direct Edge. "Their customers like to have their limit orders displayed over a longer period of time." He declined to say which brokers encouraged the ECN to extend its post-close session.

After-hours and pre-open traders trade mainly on Nasdaq and NYSE Arca. "We will win flow based on our pricing, service, liquidity, technology and the relationships we have," Harkins said. Some National Market System rules don't apply to non-market hours, but Direct Edge said it would route out to better prices at other market centers if it doesn't have the best price. Brokers' best execution obligations apply around the clock.

---

an interview with Direct Edge CEO, from Marketsmediaonline:

Bill O'Brien, CEO of Direct Edge

Markets Media: How did your company perform in market turmoil of 2008 and what did it learn from the challenges of last year?

Bill O'Brien: 2008 was a year of incredible turmoil and incredible transition. It was an incredible opportunity for Direct Edge. I really feel like this year was our coming out year. We established ourselves as one of four major market centers. If you look at matched market-share and where everybody is in January versus December, Direct Edge has grown the most. We're definitely the fastest growing major market. Throughout the course of 2008, we layered on significant growth with significant volume in these turbulent times. It really was quite a ride.

studies about CyberKnife radiosurgery

from two different posts made by yyy60 on the IV MB:

>>CyberKnife radiosurgery for malignant spinal tumors: characterization of well-suited patients

CONCLUSION:

Spinal radiosurgery with the CyberKnife technology is a nonivasive, safe, and effective treatment method for patients with 1 or 2 small spinal malignant tumors. The best benefit of the treatment can be expected in patients with good to excellent clinical condition and patients with severe tumor associated pain.

---

Radical cyberknife radiosurgery with tumor tracking: an effective treatment for inoperable small peripheral stage I non-small cell lung cancer

CONCLUSION

Radical CyberKnife radiosurgery is a well-tolerated treatment option for inoperable patients with small, peripheral stage I NSCLC. Effective doses and adequate margins are likely to have contributed to the optimal early local control seen in this study.

Alternative trading venue Direct Edge plans to convert to an exchange

from the WSJ:

>>CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Alternative trading venue Direct Edge plans to convert to an exchange in the fourth quarter of 2009, when it will introduce a new trading platform, company officials said Friday.

Direct Edge, one of a new breed of electronic equities trading platforms challenging established exchanges like NYSE Euronext (NYX) and Nasdaq OMX (NDAQ), will follow a path blazed by Bats Trading, an alternative trading venue that attained exchange status last year.

...

The company announced Friday that it tapped Foster City, Calif.-based technology firm Equinix Inc. (EQIX) to provide a data center for the trading platform.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Sector Snap: Analyst upbeat on data outsourcing

Analyst sees growing demand for data outsourcing even as recession crimps near term growth

NEW YORK (AP) -- Companies that specialize in helping other firms store and manage data stand to gain in the long term as corporate customers outsource more of their IT infrastructure, a Boenning & Scattergood analyst said.

In a client note Thursday, Boenning & Scattergood analyst Steve Salberta told investors that "while corporate outsourcing is not new, the outsourcing of the corporate data center is relatively novel."

He said the growth of online content -- large video files, for instance -- and the need to send material over the Internet at high speeds should help the data outsourcing industry grow by 17 percent annually through 2012.

In the short term, however, Salberta sees mixed implications from the ongoing recession. On the one hand, incumbents with data storage capacity already in place stand to gain as tight credit markets make capital investment in new data centers scarce. But Salberta said revenue growth in 2009 is likely to be below estimates because of the weak economy.

CNET announces Samsung 'Best of CES' 2009 award winners

Boasting an impressive 3-inch WQVGA TFT-LCD touch screen, the P3 allows for widescreen enjoyment of video and photos. Adding a new level of connectivity between the player and its user, the P3 includes Samsung’s upgraded EmoTure™ touch interface with true haptic feedback.

With every command gesture, from swiping a finger across the screen, to switching audio tracks, to holding down a digital button for fast-forwarding video, the P3 reacts with a variety of physical sensations for a more intimate user experience versus other media players.

Lexus unveils the evolution of the ultimate advanced driving experience

The new Remote Touch is similar to a computer mouse and as easy to use.
The screen menus are selected with the controller, eliminating the need to
reach out or avert eyes from the road.

The attribute that most distinguishes Lexus' Remote Touch from other
devices in other luxury models is its "haptic"-feedback technology. As the
user hovers the mouse near a screen icon, the cursor is automatically pulled
onto it, while feedback from a servomotor in the device enables the user to
feel it "click" into place. The driver or passenger makes a selection by
pressing the side thumb button on either side, and the feedback servo is
adjustable for sensitivity. Again showing Lexus attention to detail, the water
drops in a Japanese garden inspired the selection sound. Remote Touch
integrates the functions of seven hard switches used with the previous touch
screen, allowing users to operate those functions with minimal effort and
distraction.

HAPTICS technology

Alps Electric announced that it is to establish a design team to introduce a new technology into the European Automotive market and position it as the Market Leader in terms of safety and driver interface. The team will work in the areas of both mechanical construction and software controls and will build on the HAPTICS technology of the Alps group. It will build significant technical capability and knowledge within the Irish operation and strengthens their position within the Alps group.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

SoftLayer Technologies, Inc.

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) peering, too:

Public Peering Exchange Points
Exchange Point Name ASN IP Address Mbit/sec
Equinix Ashburn 36351 2001:504:0:2::3:6351:1 10000
Equinix Ashburn 36351 206.223.115.185 10000
Equinix Dallas 36351 206.223.118.24 10000
Equinix Dallas 36351 2001:504:0:5::3:6351:1 10000
SIX 36351 2001:0478:0180::140 10000
SIX 36351 198.32.180.140 10000

Equinix Exchange Peering Live!

Today we have gotten our GigE circuit to the Equinix Exchange live and are currently in the process of adding our first peers through that exchange. We are already peered through the Chicago Internet Exchange, but we feel the Equinix Exchange will give us access to a larger number of networks, thus improving our overall network connectivity. Right now, the Equinix Exchange in Chicago has over 100 members and we should be able to establish a relationship quickly with about 1/3 of those networks, while others will take longer term negotiations, etc. Overall, this link will continually improve our network quality as additional members join and establish peering relationships with us.

If you would like to peer with us via the Equinix Exchange in Chicago, please email noc@steadfast.net.

successor to the PRADA Phone by LG

Singapore, 14th January 2009 LG Electronics (LG), a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, and PRADA, world’s leading fashion brand, today announced the launch of the highly anticipated successor to the PRADA Phone by LG in Singapore.

The handset’s user interface also receives a powerful improvement with LG’s latest active flash UI technology and haptic feedback on touch input enhancing the experience of the phone’s exclusive contents offerings.


Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Barron's on colo

from their article "Networking Equipment Feels the Pain - Signal Hill suggests moving to data-center services in the downturn"

>>We remain bullish on the data-center services market, and on neutral colocation [a method of joining server machines for efficiency] in particular. In light of the economy, we believe neutral colocation is increasingly attractive as content providers and carriers seek lower cost interconnections with partners and customers. Our checks also suggest international demand, particularly in Europe, is strong and pricing is quite favorable. Furthermore, we feel that neutral colocation providers are benefiting from partnerships with managed-hosting service providers that draw customers to data centers in which they reside.

Equinix is our favorite pick as we enter earnings season. We believe the company is executing very well and capitalizing on several demand trends including strength in Europe, in the enterprise and across managed hosting partners.

Tervela and FIX Flyer Announce First Production Customer for Integrated High-Performance Order Routing Platform

a P/R made by an Equinix Financial eXchange customer:

>>

Global Brokerage Firm Deploys FIX on TMX for High-Volume, Low-Latency Trading and Market Feed Capabilities

NEW YORK, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Tervela, the leading provider of high-performance, low-latency messaging systems, and FIX Flyer, an innovator in trading solutions for electronic trading, today announced the first joint production customer for FIX on TMX, an integrated high-performance order routing platform. The customer, an international brokerage firm that provides liquidity to global equity markets, has deployed the platform to provide a single point of management for mission-critical, high-speed electronic trading. FIX on TMX combines FIX Flyer's Engine and Daytona Monitoring Framework with the Tervela Message Network(TM).

Powered by Tervela's core message switches, FIX on TMX offers the firm:

  • Predictable, market-leading order processing with verifiable service level agreements
  • Complete visibility into the entire order flow with full operational performance metrics and integrated, real-time monitoring on both the messaging and business level
  • Comprehensive high-availability and built-in redundancy to ensure non-stop service during increasing periods of market volatility
  • Rich capabilities and support for future service offerings without the need for re-architecture
  • Compelling reductions in TCO compared with disparate, larger-footprint order processing platforms

"In today's volatile markets, brokerage firms are seeing order flow and liquidity being threatened. As such, they are actively seeking new ways to improve service, increase 'stickiness' and remain competitive," said Barry Thompson, CTO and Co-Founder, Tervela. "Adding new functionality such as algorithms or more asset classes is much easier on this platform. Our integration with FIX Flyer gives customers built-in redundancy, order routing latencies and ensured non-stop service without requiring additional infrastructure investment."

With rules-based logic for trading and back office processing, automated data order processing and high-speed APIs, the integrated platform provides an intelligently architected approach to electronic trading and order routing. Additional capabilities include topic configuration, protocol transformation and normalization and multicast assignment. Traders at the global firm have the ability to safely handle unforeseen spikes in volume during volatile markets and experience increased operational efficiencies from consolidating systems and network connections into a single managed strategy.

"Global brokerage firms trade multiple assets across many different geographies, which taxes their trading architectures in very specific ways," said George Kledaras, Chairman and Co-Founder, FIX Flyer. "FIX on TMX was designed to deal with the demanding performance requirements, heavy dependence on messaging and unique operational challenges they deal with every day. Unlike the legacy, software-based systems that many brokerage firms have, we are working with Tervela to deliver unparalleled speed, continuous stability, enterprise scalability and state of the art monitoring so they can overcome these challenges."

FIX Flyer is a charter member of the Tervela Advantage Partner Program (TAPP), an ecosystem of integrated partner solutions that extend and amplify the Tervela Message Network to ensure that financial services firms maintain competitive advantage with their high-performance trading infrastructures.

About Tervela

Founded in 2004, Tervela delivers the next-generation communications infrastructure -- the message network -- designed and engineered to exceed the information dissemination and processing requirements of the world's most demanding financial services institutions. Addressing the challenges of market volume, volatility and visibility, Tervela invented the message switch to enable investment banks, hedge funds, exchanges and other data-intensive organizations to deliver consistent, outstanding and predictable performance -- even in the most demanding market conditions. The company is funded by Goldman Sachs, Sigma Partners, Acartha Group and North Hill Ventures. For more information, please visit www.tervela.com.

About FIX Flyer

Based in Tribeca, New York City, FIX Flyer develops advanced technology for managing complex, multi-asset, institutional securities trading using highly scalable internet networks and technologies. FIX Flyer provides Managed FIX services, FIX engine agnostic monitoring, web based reporting and surveillance, certification and testing tools, zero-install and fully hosted web applications to manage trading and fund allocations for a new breed of portfolio managers. The Flyer Engine is the first FIX server designed to manage high volume, ultra-low latency trading networks and ECNs, easily scaling to thousands of connections. FIX Flyer hosts and partners with Equinix, the leading global provider of network-neutral data center and interconnection services. Visit www.fixflyer.com for company information and to download Flyer for a free evaluation. FIX Flyer is a member of the FIX Protocol Ltd., the industry-led standards organization.

tipping point for haptic?

cellodude on the IV MB:

>>Short IMMR podcast from CES 2009 - "tipping point" approaching
Short & crappy podcast IMO.

The main point I take from it is that IMMR feels that its haptic technology is very near the touchscreen "tipping point," the point at which consumers expect their touchscreens to have haptics rather than not. Mainly due to the explosion of haptic phones, IMMR predicts that soon consumers will think a touchscreen is malfunctioning somehow if there are no haptics.

I agree, and many of us here knew that the day would eventually come that haptics would become mandatory. Not there yet, but when? It will happen though, simply because given a choice, most people prefer haptics.

http://podcasts.digitaltrends.com/podcast/176/ces-2009-haptic-feedback-trends-for-2009

IMMR Medical developing cardiac catheterization simulation technology

cellodude from the IV MB:

>>IMMR Medical developing cardiac catheterization simulation technology

Despite the dubious title of a recent patent application by IMMR, "Simulation Of Coupled Objects," the contents reveal that IMMR Medical is branching out from laparoscopic simulation into the world of cardiology including catheters, guide wires, stents and fluoroscopy. What is the difference between the two kinds of surgery?

[BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002]The growth of minimally invasive therapies has led to a growing interest in the potential for computer-based simulation for training. Many computer-based medical simulators have been designed to teach these new techniques. Most of these efforts have focused on laparoscopic surgery, in which rigid tools are inserted into the patient's abdomen and visual feedback is provided by an endoscopic camera that produces a high-definition color image. These simulators are predominantly skills trainers, emphasizing the two-dimensional hand-eye coordination practice that is useful for laparoscopic surgery.

[0003]Interventional cardiology shares characteristics with other minimally invasive therapies that make it suitable for simulator-based learning: it requires complex understanding of three-dimensional anatomy from two-dimensional displays and fine hand-eye coordination. As with surgery, complications from improperly performed cardiac catheterization can have catastrophic results. Thus, there is a strong need for simulator based training before an actual procedure is attempted.

[0004]However, interventional cardiology simulation presents unique challenges. First, visual feedback is not provided by visible light but by fluoroscopy, which must be simulated in real time while allowing for changes in points of view as the fluoroscope moves around the patient. Second, the catheters, guide wires, and stents are flexible devices and therefore must be modeled as deformable objects, which is not the case for rigid laparoscopic tools. To control the motion of a catheter or guide wire within the vascular network, the physician can only push, pull or twist the proximal end of the device. Since such devices are constrained inside the patient's vasculature, it is the combination of input forces and contact forces that allow them to be moved toward a target.]

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch
-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=20090012755&OS=20090012755&RS=20090012755


The rest of the document explains the new technology which mimics the forces arising from the interaction of flexible surgical tools and the body. Extremely complicated math is used to model graphics and feedback forces.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

The 2009 Equinix Silicon Cup


The 2009 Equinix Silicon Cup

The largest annual sailing event for the IT industry

The Equinix Silicon Cup is the largest annual sailing event for the IT industry, and will take place on 17 - 18 September 2009, in Cowes, Isle of Wight.

Two days of yacht racing offer formidable opportunities for networking, team-building, and cultivating business relationships. A regatta is the most effective team building event there is. People arrive as a disparate group of individuals and end up leaving as a tight knit group. The professional skippers will allocate tasks to motivate the crew into working as a unit. The adrenalin and excitement of the racing does the rest!

Now in its 10th year, the original idea came from four senior people in the IT industry who got together and decided to combine their passion and their profession to raise meaningful amounts of money for charity.

• Industry networking
• Corporate hospitality and client entertainment
• Team building
• Putting something back

To reserve your company’s space at this fantastic event, please call Jess Lang at Britannia Corporate Events on 023 8045 8900 or email jess@britanniaevents.co.uk