Dr. Stephen Herrod, Chief Technology Officer for VMware noted, ”Passing this rigorous, globally recognized certification process demonstrates our commitment to delivering secure, reliable virtualization products. Earning the EAL4+ rating reinforces that VMware Infrastructure is the among the most proven and trusted ways to run enterprise-class applications. It can be used not just for commercial computing, but for sensitive, government computing environments that demand the strictest security.”

Specifically, the company’s solutions have gained Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4 (EAL4+) certification under the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) Common Criteria Evaluation and Certification Scheme (CCS), following an extensive analysis and testing process. The EAL4+ rating is the highest assurance level that is recognized by all signatories under the Common Criteria Certificates (CCRA).

Many government agencies are in fact using VMware software. VMware’s more than 100,000 customers include all 15 cabinet level agencies, all branches of the military, the Department of Defense Joint Commands, numerous independent agencies, as well as customers in the Judicial and Legislative branches in the United States.

Common Criteria is an internationally recognized set of guidelines (ISO 15408) that define a common framework for evaluating security features and capabilities of Information Technology security products. The standard consists of several predetermined evaluation assurance levels, each one more stringent than the last. Common Criteria allows vendors to have their products tested against a chosen level by an independent third-party testing laboratory. Common Criteria certifications are accepted by 25 countries, including the U.S. government, through the Common Criteria Recognition Agreement (CCRA). Common Criteria certification of security products is mandated by the U.S. government for all federal purchases.

To facilitate the prompt completion of the Common Criteria certification, VMware worked with Corsec Security, Inc., a consulting firm with more than 10 years of validation experience.

Matthew Appler, CEO, Corsec Security, Inc. remarked, ”Corsec is very pleased to have worked with VMware on their Common Criteria evaluation. The Common Criteria evaluation process is an extremely rigorous and time consuming investment. VMware’s decision to deliver a product evaluated at an EAL4+ demonstrates their strong dedication and commitment to their customers.”

Erin Connor, director of the EWA-Canada Evaluation Lab commented, ”The Common Criteria certification of VMware ESX Server and VirtualCenter technology is a significant accomplishment because VMware has indeed met the rigorous EAL 4+ security standard regarding trust and confidence for their software. VMware has once more set the standard for virtual machine environments, this time for security. I am pleased for VMware’s customers because, in addition to VMware technology having a significant place in the virtualization space, the company has demonstrated a strategic, long-term commitment to the quality of its product development and quality assurance processes. Customers who buy VMware ESX Server and VirtualCenter can rely on the products as trusted virtualization solutions that will also provide security to their applications, and can be assured that the company will be there to provide full support.”

VMware completed the first Common Criteria certification for a virtualization product in March 2006 with the certification of VMware ESX Server 2.5 and VirtualCenter 1.2 at EAL2. VMware has also entered VMware ESX 3.5 and VirtualCenter 2.5 into evaluation for certification at EAL4+.

EWA-Canada is a premier provider of advanced security services, having established itself as a vendor-neutral, independent centre of excellence in professional IT Security Services, Critical Infrastructure Protection, and testing of products in its IT Security Evaluation and Test Lab. EWA-Canada’s solutions, experience and expertise is benefiting businesses in over 25 countries world-wide. EWA-Canada’s Lab is recognized as a world leader for its comprehensive experience with Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408) evaluations, conformance testing to FIPS 140 and related cryptographic standards, Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) validation testing, and certification of point-of-sale devices and PIN Pads to Payment Card Industry and Interac and Association standards. EWA-Canada enables companies to efficiently and cost-effectively manage the evaluation and testing process and to ensure their products meet important certification requirements.

Corsec Security, Inc. specializes in helping companies navigate through the complex process of receiving FIPS 140 and Common Criteria (CC) certifications. Corsec’s consulting, document creation, and project management services deliver unmatched expertise in achieving government validation efforts at a firm, fixed price. Corsec partners with companies around the world to achieve local and international certification and to add security functionality to a wide range of products. Corsec minimizes the time, effort and money a vendor needs to invest in validation while ultimately maximizing the return on that investment.

VMware (NYSE: VMW) a global virtualization solutions provider, from the desktop to the datacentre. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.3 billion, more than 100,000 customers and nearly 14,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest growing public software companies. VMware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and on the web at www.vmware.com. VMware Canada is headquartered in Burlington, Ontario.

To learn more about EWA-Canada, please visit: www.ewa-canada.com.

For further information about Corsec Security, Inc., please visit: www.corsec.com

To learn more about VMware, please visit: www.vmware.com.

Software vendors issue serial numbers that control how many computers can run a software license. Users can easily and securely move a license between computers. A software vendor can use QuickLicense to configure how a license works by selecting options from a dialog. License options include time or execution limited trial editions, computer specific activation, paired user name and activation code, periodic software subscriptions or secure license block and unblock features. The Windows or Mac OS X runtime file is distributed royalty-free with the vendor’s software.

A licensed computer does not require an Internet connection. Activation codes can be acquired with any online computer, by phone or by email. The new license block and unblock feature in QuickLicense makes it easy for a vendor to issue refunds and ensure an unauthorized license cannot be used.

The flexible design of WebActivation makes it easy to customize user visible web forms and integrate the license management process into an existing order management or customer database application. Within hours, a webmaster can configure WebActivation to manage any number of products or serial numbers.

WebActivation 1.0 is $2500 for one web server. It normally requires a dedicated web hosting account that allows ASP files to run executables that read, write and delete files stored on the vendor’s web site. The WebActivation system includes an application to edit data files that store serial numbers and license data. It includes a printed and PDF User Guide with ready-to-use web forms, design diagrams plus free technical phone and email support.

QuickLicense 2.2 is $495 for a Single User License on Windows (98 through Vista) or Mac OS X (PPC and Intel) or $795 for both platforms. The package includes an integrated help system, examples, tutorial, PDF and printed manual. Each license purchase includes royalty-free distribution of the QuickLicense runtime file for any number of products or licenses on that computer platform. The QuickLicense movie may be downloaded from the company web site for a demonstration of how the license configuration and activation process works.

To learn more, please visit: www.excelsoftware.com.

Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels noted, ”Parallels Desktop not only broke down the barrier between the Mac and PC worlds, it also broke down the barrier that kept desktop virtualization from becoming a mainstream technology for consumers and professional users. We will continue innovating to extend our position as the desktop virtualization leader and provide our users with the fastest, easiest and most seamless solution available.”

Since its launch in June 2006, Parallels Desktop for Mac has been recognized with more than 30 major industry awards, including: MacWorld Magazine’s ”Editor’s Choice” Award (the ”Eddy”); PC World Magazine’s ”Innovation of the Year” Award; ”Best in Show” at the 2007 MacWorld Expo and at the 2007 London MacLiveExpo; BBC News ”Best Tech”; and InfoWorld 2008 ”Technology of the Year.”

Parallels Desktop for Mac’s success has quickly made Parallels the No. 1 company in desktop virtualization. Today, the software is available in 10 languages – Chinese, Czech, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Spanish.

Frank J. Bernhard, Managing Principal and technology economist with OMNI Consulting Group remarked, ”Parallels Desktop for Mac fundamentally shifted the Apple strategy from monolithic to multiplatform. It empowers Mac users with a new level of flexibility and gave them access to enterprise applications that were previously out of reach. The ability to operate business applications with complete transparency between the Windows and Mac platforms via Parallels Desktop is the coup that Macintosh users have been enjoying since the evolution of Intel architecture, and is one of the main catalysts behind enterprise Mac adoption.”

Currently, Parallels Desktop for Mac is in its third generation and is the world’s No. 1 selling Mac system utility. The product has introduced a string of industry firsts and innovative features:

• SmartSelect is a Parallels-exclusive feature that allows users to open any file from Windows or OS X with any program from either operating system. This feature provides the most integrated experience possible.
• Coherence is a Parallels-first feature that enables users to run Windows applications just like they were native Mac applications. When a Windows application runs in Coherence, only the Windows application is visible, providing a completely seamless user experience. Windows applications can be launched from the Mac dock, and individual Windows applications windows work with OS X’s Expose feature.
• Parallels Transporter is a free migration tool, bundled with every copy of Parallels Desktop for Mac, that helps users migrate entire Windows or Linux PCs – including the operating system, settings and software applications – to Parallels virtual machines in minutes without losing data. This tool is key for those switching from PCs to a Mac.

Parallels Desktop for Mac was also the first virtualization solution to offer support for DirectX and OpenGL 3D graphics. A complete overview of features and functions is available at www.parallels.com/products/desktop.

Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac is available for purchase online at www.parallels.com/buyonline, and boxed copies are available at the Apple Store, Amazon.com, CompUSA, Fry’s Electronics, MicroCenter, Office Depot, Staples, select Best Buy locations, and hundreds of other retailers nationwide. The standard retail price (SRP) of Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac is $79.99.

New users are also welcome to download and test a free, fully-functional copy of Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac for 15 days. The trial product and documentation is available at www.parallels.com/download/desktop.

Parallels (formerly SWsoft) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

For more information about Parallels, please visit: www.parallels.com.

4PSA Total Backup 2 is a Parallels Plesk add-on that automates the server backup processes and maximizes hosting server availability. This release of the popular 4PSA backup solution comes with new features and design enhancements oriented to improve usability, flexibility, and server performance during the backup job.

4PSA Total Backup handles the entire backup lifecycle: backup, storage, alerting, restore. The software is also able to encrypt backups, a very important feature targeted to customers that save backups on third party infrastructures. To minimize transfer times and backup overhead, 4PSA Total Backup saves only differences occurred from the last backup. Enhancements introduced by the new version include improved backup cycle storage that allows keeping locally and remotely multiple backup cycles, selective restore, the possibility to cap archives storage bandwidth, and compressed file transfers.

Bogdan Carstoiu, General Manager at Rack-Soft noted, ”Hosting providers have quite special backup and disaster recovery requirements. The backup operation should not affect production services, should optimize disk space, minimize bandwidth consumption, and guarantee information security. 4PSA Total Backup has been available for almost five years, saving thousands of Plesk server administrators from disaster. In the new version we simply incorporate the experience accumulated during these years.”

4PSA Total Backup 2 is a Unix/Linux software add-on for Parallels Plesk, the industry leading hosting control panel. Licensing prices start from 69 USD and include 12 months of maintenance and technical support.

Parallels (formerly SWsoft) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Rack-Soft is a specialized developer and integrator of server and Data Center software that supports major operating systems and platforms. The company delivers solutions designed to help service providers and enterprises control infrastructure, automate processes, and improve communications. The core of Rack-Soft’s business philosophy is based on an ISO 9001 certified quality management system certified by TUV CERT.

For more information about Parallels, please visit: www.parallels.com.

To learn more, please visit: www.4psa.com.

Joel Dreyfuss, Editor-in-Chief of Red Herring noted, ”We can see the exciting evolution of the technology sector reflected in the quality and variety of exceptional companies that we had to choose from in putting our list together. It was tough to choose just 200 finalists from such a large list of excellent contenders, and we are very happy with the quality of the companies we selected as finalists.”

In preparation for the formal announcement of its Top 100 Award, the Red Herring editorial board diligently surveyed the entrepreneurial scene throughout the North American region and identified the top 200 out of more than 800 closely evaluated companies that are leading the next wave of innovation.

Evaluations were made on both quantitative and qualitative criteria such as financial performance, innovation, management, strategy, and ecosystem integration.

According to Red Herring, Parallels is on the list due to its innovative and entrepreneurial achievements. The 100 winning companies will be announced at the Red Herring North America event, May 12-14, in San Jose, California. The event attracts leading entrepreneurs, financiers and corporate strategists. More information about this event can be found at http://herringevents.com/northamerica08/index.html.

Red Herring is a global media company which combines the world’s best high technology innovators, venture investors and business decision makers in a variety of forums: a leading innovation magazine, an online daily technology news service, technology newsletters and major events for technology leaders around the globe. Red Herring provides an insider’s access to the global innovation economy, featuring unparalleled insights on the emerging technologies driving the economy.

Parallels (formerly SWsoft) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

To learn more information about Red Herring, please visit: www.redherring.com.

For more information about Parallels, please visit: www.parallels.com.

David Wartell, Vice President of R1Soft, a division of BBS Technologies noted, ”FOSE 2008 is an exciting venue for R1Soft. We are the Federal Government’s sole source provider of Continuous Data Protection for Linux and Windows servers. Government servers are increasingly becoming a mixed Windows and Linux environment. Our data protection products allow management of backup and restore for both Linux and Windows using one web interface.”

FOSE 2008 is the largest trade show and conference for government technology professionals. Now in its 32nd year, FOSE 2008 is expected to attract 16,000 attendees and feature 500 exhibitors. R1Soft will be at booth #1517i on the floor of the exhibit hall, where it will offer a variety of promotional materials and run its popular prize wheel. Attendees have the chance to win one of many floor prizes, including CDP Starter packs, t-shirts, penguins, and cash.

At the show, R1Soft will showcase its CDP Server for Linux and Windows, and demonstrate key features of its products for the government sector. R1Soft has the only solution able to provide hourly backups on mission critical Linux and Windows servers. The company’s solutions can also create a significant cost savings for agencies currently using older technology, such as tape backups.

Founded in 2003, R1Soft is a provider of disk-based backup solutions. The company’s customer list includes some of the world’s largest hosting providers. R1soft products provide Continuous Data Protection (CDP) for over 85,000 mission-critical Linux and Windows servers worldwide. In November, 2007 R1Soft was acquired by BBS Technologies, Inc.

For more information about R1Soft and Continuous Data Protection, please visit: www.r1soft.com.

Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels noted, ”Parallels Plesk Sitebuilder 4.2 takes website creation to a whole new level with innovative features that are tightly integrated into the software to improve ease of use. The new version of Parallels website creation software demonstrates our commitment to delivering open solutions based on the Parallels Open Platform to help service providers add value to their offerings.”

Parallels Plesk Sitebuilder 4.2 integrates the Fotolia online micro-priced image marketplace into the software’s WYSIWYG editor, allowing users to browse and buy photos directly from the Fotolia gallery without leaving the wizard. The software also includes a new design module featuring SitePal speaking avatar technology by Oddcast. SitePal enables users to deploy animated, talking characters on any website.

Parallels Plesk Sitebuilder is a next-generation, scalable website-building application that can be integrated into any business process for hosting providers, ISPs, registrars and telecoms. The software’s easy-to-use, five-step wizard and 14 dynamic modules make this software a powerful and flexible solution. It is designed to work with hosting platforms that use the new Application Packaging Standard (APS), such as the Parallels Plesk Control Panel.

The Parallels Open Platform enables hosting with Parallels virtualization and automation technology through integration with a wide range of third-party applications and systems. The APS Standard (APS), a key element of the platform, is used by ISVs and service providers to seamlessly integrate applications to offer to the more than 10 million businesses and individuals that use Parallels products.

Parallels Plesk Sitebuilder 4.2 is available now for the Linux/Unix and Windows platforms.

Parallels (formerly SWsoft) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

To learn more about the new offering, please visit: www.parallels.com/products/sitebuilder.

For more information about Parallels, please visit: www.parallels.com.

The collaboration has been instituted, so that web developers may have a chance to work with full control, on a collection of Microsoft website development applications in a dedicated server environment.

Robert Miggins, Vice President of Business Development for PEER 1 noted, ”We are pleased to offer this great program that meets the needs of developers who want to explore new applications and ensure that they work well before exposing them in a production environment. With the sandbox servers we give developers the platform and tools they require to build applications, test, and deploy, all with a seamless experience.”

The 30-day free period is a unique opportunity for web developers and agencies to explore both the internal and external aspects of testing and developing a website and other online applications using some of the latest Microsoft software that has been pre-loaded into the sandbox server and is connected into PEER 1’s extensive online network infrastructure.

John Zanni, Director of Hosting for the Microsoft Communications Sector noted, ”This program is a good opportunity for developers in any field. Working together in a more collaborative and supportive environment enables developers to build better applications and compatible offerings, which can better meet customer needs and increase both business and customer revenue.”

The developer sandbox supports IIS 6, .ASP.NET 2.0 and PHP 5 and provides the following design and management tools:

• Microsoft Expression Studio: Expression Studio includes Expression Blend, Expression Web, and Expression Design – The professional design tools and innovative technologies in Expression Studio give you the flexibility and freedom to bring your vision to reality.
• Microsoft Visual Studio Express Editions: Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition and Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition – This is the ideal tool for productively building object-oriented applications for Windows on the .NET Framework.
• Microsoft Silverlight – A cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIAs) for the Web
• Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2005 – This tool contains features that will help your team develop data applications in a fraction of the time, helping to drive data to the corners of your business.

Microsoft and PEER 1 invite developers to apply to participate in the sandbox. Once approved developers gain free root access to a server set up in PEER 1’s San Antonio data center for 30 days with no contract and no obligation. As a bonus, developers who decide to order a server from PEER 1 at the end of the free sandbox server period will receive a Microsoft tool package, including Microsoft Expression Web ($299 value), Microsoft Expression Studio and Microsoft ASP.NET training ($1099 value), at no additional cost.

PEER 1online IT infrastructure provider, serves over 9,000 customers, with scalable managed hosting and co-location solutions. Since 1999, PEER 1 has grown to include data centers and network points of presence in 17 major cities across North America and Europe. Serving a variety of companies, PEER 1 offers solutions that grow through every stage of web commerce, regardless of company size. The company’s headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and the stock is traded on the TSX Venture exchange under the symbol PIX.

To learn more about the new offering, please visit: www.peer1.com/hosting/sandbox.php.

For more information about PEER 1, please visit: www.peer1.com.

APS-certified applications can be easily plugged into hosting platforms that conform to the standard. According to a recent survey of 400 service providers worldwide by Parallels, more than 70 percent plan to offer SaaS applications this year, nearly double the number that currently offer SaaS.

Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels noted, ”With our Parallels Open Platform and the APS standard, we are providing a unified, open technology platform that is helping software vendors and service providers take advantage of SaaS to expand their businesses and grow revenues. The certification of more than 100 applications to the APS standard is a significant milestone that shows momentum for the standard as well as SaaS.”

Applications certified to the APS standard are available for download from the APS Application Catalogue at www.apsstandard.com/app. The catalogue lists a broad range of applications in categories including back office, collaboration, infrastructure, personal and web.

Frederik Schouboe, Senior Vice President of Cohaesio hosting provider commented, ”Cohaesio partnered with Parallels to develop a fully-automated SaaS hosting platform. By implementing the APS standard, we have achieved a competitive advantage that enables us to deliver SaaS applications faster than ever before. The Parallels suite of automation and virtualization products has helped us move ahead of the competition.”

ISVs and service providers interested in the APS Certification Program can register at www.apsstandard.com/certification. For more information on the APS standard, visit www.apsstandard.com.

The Parallels Open Platform enables SaaS with Parallels virtualization and automation technology through integration with a wide range of third-party applications and systems. The APS standard is a key element of the Parallels Open Platform and is used by ISVs and service providers to seamlessly integrate applications to offer to the more than 10 million businesses and individuals that use Parallels products.

Founded in 1996, Cohaesio is a leading hosting provider with operations in Europe and the U.S. Cohaesio is focused on hosting for the small-to-medium-sized businesses through partnerships with leading ISVs to offer their solutions in the SaaS model. Cohaesio is also the company behind the fast-growing low-end hosting provider Surftown.com and recently launched online backup provider keepit.com.

Parallels (formerly SWsoft) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

To learn more about Cohaesio, please visit: www.cohaesio.net.

For more information about Parallels, please visit: www.parallels.com.

GNi recently launched its Games and Digital Media division to focus on the specific needs of the virtual world and MMOG sector, having previously partnered with Icarus and BigWorld.

Rik Alexander, CEO of Monumental released in a statement. ”Making great Virtual Worlds and Massively Multi-player Online games with our technology suite is only one of many aspects of developing and launching a successful product. The GNi guys know what they’re doing and specialize in games, so we are proudp and confident to offer their services to our technology licensees. Our partnership with GNi offers MTS licensees a complete hosting solution from pre-production through to launch and beyond.”

Global hosting, infrastructure planning, and roll-out activities are some of the most important decisions facing managers of successful Virtual World and Online Game projects. Monumental’s growing list of technology licensees are launching Virtual World and MMO products into the global marketplace. These products depend on mission critical hosting, infrastructure and bandwidth solutions to succeed. Monumental’s customers need hosting solutions that provide sustainable competitive advantage, long term cost savings and solid customer support in equal measure both to launch and sustain growth within the global marketplace.

Mr. Alexander added, ”Making great Virtual Worlds and Massively Multi-player Online games with our technology suite is only one of many aspects of developing and launching a successful product. The GNi guys know what they’re doing and specialize in games, so we are proudp and confident to offer their services to our technology licensees. Our partnership with GNi offers MTS licensees a complete hosting solution from pre-production through to launch and beyond.”

The Monumental Technology Suite (MTS) is a complete suite of tools that allows organisations to develop Virtual Worlds and Online Games for a wide range of applications (including computer based training (CBT), entertainment, corporate intranets, and collaborative environments). It makes sense to partner with organizations that specialise in the hosting of such large scale global projects. Monumental is happy to announce a strategic partnership with Global NetOptex, Inc. (GNi), which will see them offer world-class hosting services and solutions to licensees of the Monumental Technology Suite.

Philip Bouchard,CEO of GNi offered, ”Our partnership with Monumental continues to show that great developers know that well built and managed infrastructure is the foundation of delivery of a successful Online Game or Virtual World and we are pleased that Monumental has recognized and chosen GNi to provide this critical foundation.”

GNi offers a range of networking, internet transit and consultancy services, providing 24/7 facilities for the hosting and management of customers’ critical data, applications and networks. Data center facilities are located throughout California in San Francisco, San Jose, El Segundo, Sacramento, Oakland as well as Chandler Arizona, Frankfurt Germany, and Tokyo, Japan. GNi has been specializing in the provisioning of high grade hosting solutions for games and digital media companies for over three years making them a leading industry veteran. GNi provides games companies with fully-managed, dedicated game hosting services, comprising best-of-breed server and network infrastructure, and expert network design, deployment and operation.

For more information on with Monumental Games, please visit: http://monumentalgames.com.

To learn more about GNi, please visit: www.gni.com.