IT Executive news

• Will Facebook putting ‘Stories’ everywhere crack Snapchat?

  30-03-2017 23:59
  
  Within the span of five weeks, Facebook has copied a format pioneered by Snapchat and introduced it to all three of its most widely used apps: WhatsApp, Messenger and the primary Facebook mobile app. “Stories,” a tool that lets you share photos and videos in a feed that “disappears” after 24 hours, came to Instagram in August and started rolling out to Facebook proper this week. With short-lived media promoted and featured prominently across the company’s entire fam
  
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• Impatient Windows 10 users can download Creators Update April 5

  30-03-2017 23:31
  
  Microsoft today said that Windows 10 users eager for the next feature upgrade may download it manually starting Wednesday, April 5, nearly a week before the refresh begins reaching PCs via Windows Update.Windows 10 Creators Update -- Microsoft's name for the first of two upgrades in 2017 -- will launch on April 11, when the installation file will be staged on Windows Update and offered to a select group of users. To jump the Windows Update line, people will need to run the Upgrade Assistant, an
  
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• 20% off Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station - Deal Alert

  30-03-2017 23:05
  
  A new approach that centers around performance makes the Airport Extreme taller with 6 antennas at the top, three for the 2.4GHz band and three for the 5GHz band, creating a higher platform for dispersing the signal. Together with 802.11ac wireless technology, they let you connect faster, farther. Averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon from 1,800 people, the typical list price of Apple's Airport Extreme has been discounted on Amazon by 20% to $159. See this deal on Amazon.To read this article in
  
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• Tesla to begin taking orders for its solar roof shingles

  30-03-2017 22:36
  
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed his company will begin taking orders in April for its latest product: roof shingles that are tougher than standard roof coverings and can enable an energy-independent building.In October, Tesla unveiled four different solar roof tiles that the company plans to tie tightly into its manufacturing and sales of household and commercial battery systems; the tiles can store energy while at the same time making it available to charge Tesla electric cars.To read this ar
  
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• Staying alive: DDR5 memory is on its way

  30-03-2017 22:26
  
  More DDR memory is on the way, despite many predictions that its time would soon be up.Development of specifications for the new DDR5 DRAM has started, and it will be finalized next year, JEDEC, a memory standards-setting organization, said on Thursday.DDR5 will succeed the current DDR4 memory, which is used in PCs and servers. DDR5 will be two times faster than DDR4 and also more power efficient.DDR5 will also have double the density of DDR4. Typical DDR5 DIMMs will have twice the gigabyte capa
  
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• Privacy activist wants to unveil lawmakers' browser histories

  30-03-2017 22:13
  
  After Congress on Tuesday approved a resolution that would toss out significant online privacy protections, one Internet user decided to do something about it.Adam McElhaney, who calls himself a privacy activist and net neutrality advocate, created a website and a GoFundMepage to raise money to buy the internet histories of the legislators who backed the resolution so he can make them available and easily searchable.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• New 9.7-inch iPad teardown reveals it's basically an original iPad Air with minor tweaks

  30-03-2017 22:12
  
  Apple’s new iPad is actually kind of a throwback.According to iFixit, the 9.7-inch iPad that Apple unveiled last week is essentially a spruced-up version of the original iPad Air released in 2013. They share the same battery and the same display. There are some minor tweaks, too, including the integration of the third-generation A9 chip and Touch ID capabilities.Their teardown confirmed our initial suspicions that, specs-wise, this new model is a minor upgrade. The biggest draw of the new
  
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• Senator: Russia used 'thousands' of internet trolls during US election

  30-03-2017 21:56
  
  The Russian government used "thousands" of internet trolls and bots to spread fake news, in addition to hacking into political campaigns leading up to the 2016 U.S. election, according to one lawmaker.Disinformation spread on social media was designed to raise doubts about the U.S. election and the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, said Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat."This Russian propaganda on steroids was designed to poison the national conversation in Am
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Putting the T back in STEM

  30-03-2017 21:52
  
  We often hear passionate discussion from the industry on the shortage of U.S. talent in the field of STEM. But is the onus on us? Are we telling our youth exactly what skills we are hiring for today?As noted by the U.S. Department of Education, “In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowl
  
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• Samsung reboots its smart home, IoT strategy with the Galaxy S8

  30-03-2017 21:46
  
  Samsung has a portfolio of devices and appliances that would make Apple envious. But unlike Apple, Samsung devices don't work well together.With the Galaxy S8 smartphones and other new products, Samsung hopes that will change. The company is setting in motion a grand plan to build smart homes where its devices operate seamlessly and provide a consistent user experience.Samsung's S8 smartphones will be able to activate appliances through Connect, an app based on the company's SmartThings platform
  
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• Ford hires 400 mobile connectivity engineers

  30-03-2017 21:26
  
  Ford plans to double its mobile connectivity engineering team by hiring 400 software developers and hardware engineers.Three-quarters of the new engineers will be part of a Canadian research-and-development center aimed at building out connected vehicle technology that will eventually let vehicles talk to each other -- and the infrastructure around them.Ford is investing about $375 million to establish its new Ottawa Research and Engineering Centre. It is Ford's first Canadian R&D facility f
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Red Hat's secrets of success

  30-03-2017 21:19
  
  That’s $2.4 billion dollars, from pure open source projects. There is not a single strand of proprietary code in Red Hat’s products. So while some say open source is hard to monetize, here we have a company that continues to set the example for others to follow.However, I recall an earlier interview with Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst where he said, “If open source was a proprietary technology and we had been the large share player of Linux as we are with RHEL, we would be generati
  
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• Verizon to launch wireless Cat M1 network nationwide to juice IoT

  30-03-2017 21:17
  
  Verizon on Friday will launch a nationwide wireless network designed to help developers, businesses, utilities and municipalities deploy secure internet-of-things devices at lower cost.The Verizon 4G LTE Category M1 (Cat M1) network will span 2.4 million square miles and will be the first of its kind, the company said.Many IoT technologies have been slow to catch on, but Verizon's Cat M1 and similar networks will be game changers for IoT deployments, said Steve Hilton, an IoT analyst at Machnati
  
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• Google patches Chrome bug from fizzled Pwn2Own hack

  30-03-2017 21:03
  
  Google yesterday updated Chrome to patch several vulnerabilities, including a bug in the browser's JavaScript engine that a Chinese team tried to exploit at a recent hacking contest.The update to version 57.0.2987.133 contained fixes for five vulnerabilities, one marked "Critical" -- the most serious rating in Google's system -- and the others tagged "High."Of the four vulnerabilities ranked High, one was attributed to "Team Sniper," one of five groups from Chinese company Tencent Security that
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: The undeniable power of human emotions in marketing

  30-03-2017 21:00
  
  Far too many brands unintentionally devalue digital marketing. They see it as something that needs to get done — an obligatory box to check in order to feel good about the direction the business is headed. As a result, they miss out on the opportunity to use marketing as an avenue for pushing past the surface level nonsense and engaging customers on an emotional level.Making marketing human
  For decades, people believed there were six core human emotions: happy, surprised, afraid, disgusted
  
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• How CIOs can drive change by setting a vision

  30-03-2017 19:56
  
  Where Wayne Shurts goes, change happens.And it usually happens fast.So it’s no surprise that he constantly hears the question: “Why are we doing this?”He’s heard it countless times during his career. It’s symptomatic of a transformational CIO. As all leaders will attest, change is uncomfortable for many employees, and “why?” becomes the usual response when they hear big overhauls are on the horizon.But how Shurts has reacted to that question — and
  
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• Raspberry Pi roundup: Winning your wizarding duels, and bad IoT news

  30-03-2017 19:33
  
  Harry Potter-related Raspberry Pi creations have made it into the august pages of this notionally weekly roundup in the past, but this, I’m pleased to say, is easily the coolest such entry.+ ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: The Gearhead Toolbox: Raspberry Pi tools + Windows 10 Creators Update: The 5 biggest changesTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Mobile networks still stink, with more workers coming

  30-03-2017 19:04
  
  A new survey sponsored by NetMotion Software and WBR Digital shows that mobile network connectivity problems are the top reason for mobile-related trouble ticket submissions at enterprise companies. But that might not matter in terms of growth – as the same survey indicated that more than half the companies (56%) expected their mobile workforce to increase this year.Despite Wi-Fi networks and mobile WAN (3G, 4G, etc.) being available for the better part of a decade or more, as well as mobi
  
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• Hands-on with DeX, Samsung's bid to make your Galaxy S8 a desktop computer

  30-03-2017 18:46
  
  Update 03/30/17 9:45am: Added DeX pricing and availability information.With powerful chips, tremendous graphics power, and a high-speed, versatile charging port, the Galaxy S8 is basically a handheld PC that fits in your pocket. The only thing that’s holding it back is its screen—and maybe a keyboard and mouse. While the S8+’s 6.2-inch display is nothing to scoff at, it still pales in comparison to the 27-inch monitors that grace our desks, or even the 13-inch displays on our l
  
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• Twitter stops counting usernames in replies toward the 140-character limit

  30-03-2017 18:11
  
  Twitter’s 140-character limit is essential to its existence, but the company realizes how annoying it can be to trim your thoughts when composing a reply because the person you’re chatting with has a long username. Twitter has decided to no longer count a username toward your 140 characters, a change now rolling out to its iOS and Android apps as well as Twitter.com.This means tweets will look a little bit different. Instead of including the username of the person you’re replyi
  
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• The Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition is infused with Microsoft apps

  30-03-2017 17:22
  
  Microsoft's invasion of Android phones just took a new turn. Up until now, the company has strong-armed device makers into pre-installing Microsoft apps on Android phones. With the Samsung Galaxy S8, however, Microsoft is selling its own version of the phone called the Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition. (There’s also a Galaxy S8+ edition.)[ Related: Samsung Introduces Galaxy S8 and S8+, featuring Infinity displays ]To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Millions of websites affected by unpatched flaw in Microsoft IIS 6 web server

  30-03-2017 16:47
  A proof-of-concept exploit has been published for an unpatched vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services 6.0, a version of the web server that's no longer supported but still widely used.The exploit allows attackers to execute malicious code on Windows servers running IIS 6.0 with the privileges of the user running the application. Extended support for this version of IIS ended in July 2015 along with support for its parent product, Windows Server 2003.Even so, independent web ser
  
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• Google to developers: Get on the 18:9 bandwagon or get left behind

  30-03-2017 16:38
  
  Taller is the new bigger. If you haven’t been paying attention to the specifics of the newest Android flagships, you’re not in tune with the latest trend: wider screens. Both the LG G6 and the Galaxy S8 have introduced larger aspect ratios for their displays, and the result is a phone that’s easier to hold and better to use.But there’s a problem when it comes to apps. For years, developers have been optimizing their apps for 16:9 screens, whether they’re 5.2 inches
  
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• Here's how Microsoft is helping companies build IoT hardware

  30-03-2017 16:20
  
  One of the biggest challenges with building connected hardware is getting from proof-of-concept (PoC) prototypes to devices that are ready for large-scale production rollout. Microsoft is aiming to help through labs that allow companies to come in and work with experts on building internet-connected hardware.Companies come into one of three Microsoft Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence (IoT/AI) Insider Labs with the hardware they’ve built so far and a plan for an intense two or
  
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• BrandPost: The Network Assessment

  30-03-2017 16:01
  
  The world is hearing about this race to digital transformation. We have to learn about it given the sheer volume and velocity of new devices and data impacting our networks—and ultimately the success of our businesses. DT (also called DX and Industry 4.0) is not just a technology trend, it is at the center of business strategies across all industry segments and markets, stated IDC—and the network will be the key to digital success.A digital enterprise can expect to increase reve
  
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• This company is turning FAQs into Alexa skills

  30-03-2017 16:00
  
  People looking for an easier path to integrating with Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant have good news on the horizon. NoHold, a company that builds services for making bots, unveiled a project that seeks to turn a document into an Alexa skill.It’s designed for situations like Airbnb hosts who want to give guests a virtual assistant that can answer questions about the home they’re renting, or companies that want a talking employee handbook. Bot-builders upload a document to NoHo
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Software wildcatting: 4 ways organizations launch wrong projects

  30-03-2017 15:55
  
  Oil optimists significantly depended on luck when they drilled in an area not already known to have oil — an approach called wildcatting. Nine times out of 10, they drilled a well that was a dry hole. While the oil drilling process has advanced since then, software practice has not — when it comes to selecting software that has strategic potential.Most organizations today believe technology can help execute strategy. Unfortunately, they often end up selecting software that can't acco
  
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• Federal CIO authority still falling short

  30-03-2017 15:24
  
  The Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), hailed by supporters as the biggest government IT overhaul in nearly two decades, promised to raise the profile of agency and department CIOs, consolidating their authority and giving them ready access to the organization's leadership.But more than two years after Congress passed FITARA, many CIOs at the agencies covered by the bill report that little has changed, and that they continue to operate without the authorities the leg
  
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• What makes IT pros happy? One thing ranks higher than pay

  30-03-2017 15:13
  
  Coworkers can make or break a good job. For IT pros, it’s all about their peers, managers, and end users.“I tossed out money as a contributor to happiness a long time ago,” said IT pro Michael Studte. “Although my salary, work hours, and vacation time are important to the equation, I’ve been the happiest in companies where management will listen and take my recommendations seriously, and where I’m able to build a good rapport with my users.”Spiceworks sh
  
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• BrandPost: Managing the Network for Digital Transformation

  30-03-2017 14:46
  
  Digital transformation (DT) is an extinction-level event for enterprises — it’s “go digital or die” — so your network must be DT-capable.On average, companies that embrace DT can expect to increase annual revenues by 2.9% and reduce costs by 3.6%. That’s game changing, but companies that go all in are likely to forecast “both revenue gains of more than 30% and cost reduction of more than 30% at the same time.”The network is the framework that suppo
  
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• Open-source developers targeted in sophisticated malware attack

  30-03-2017 13:20
  
  For the past few months, developers who publish their code on GitHub have been targeted in an attack campaign that uses a little-known but potent cyberespionage malware.The attacks started in January and consisted of malicious emails specifically crafted to attract the attention of developers, such as requests for help with development projects and offers of payment for custom programming jobs.The emails had .gz attachments that contained Word documents with malicious macro code attached. If all
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: The challenges big data poses to democracy

  30-03-2017 13:14
  
  Last week the U.S. Senate overturned regulations that blocked ISPs and internet companies from selling your private data to the highest bidder. This will make it very difficult—nay, impossible—to protect your online privacy. With the threat big data already poses to political neutrality, the chilling effect this has on our democracy could be far reaching.Companies track your every click, your entire browsing history, every article you read and every person you talk to online. The sho
  
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• AI test drive: Is Alexa on your phone as good as it is in your home?

  30-03-2017 13:00
  
  Alexa is making its move. While Amazon’s virtual assistant has been tied to its own devices since its introduction more than two years ago, it is now beginning its an all-out assault on Siri and Google Assistant as it looks to establish a foothold on iOS and Android.But entering enemy territory isn’t going to be easy. Apple and Google have both built their AI aides deeply into their mobile operating systems, so Alexa has to live inside apps for now. On the iPhone it’s inside th
  
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• Hackers continue to troll LinkedIn

  30-03-2017 12:43
  
  Linked to crimeImage by Steve TraynorLinkedIn and other social networks are becoming targets for threat actors since they know it's a great way to bypass company's defenses. These attacks are becoming more common because it’s easy and inexpensive. Companies have placed a lot of money in their perimeter security and purchased products to find sites with poor reputations scores. LinkedIn circumvents both of these layers. LinkedIn is typically a site that is not block
  
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• Windows 10 Creators Update: The 5 biggest changes

  30-03-2017 12:30
  
  Windows 10 just keeps getting bigger and better.Microsoft just announced that the Windows 10 Creators Update will start rolling out on April 11, building upon the foundation laid by vanilla Windows 10 and its subsequent “November” and “Anniversary” updates. While not every feature that Microsoft promised at the Creators Update’s reveal last fall actually made the final cut, it’s still overflowing with helpful new extras that polish rough edges and just plain m
  
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• IP theft: Declining, or just more stealthy?

  30-03-2017 12:27
  
  Eighteen months ago, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced, with considerable fanfare, an agreement aimed at curbing economic espionage.According to the Sept. 25, 2015 White House press release, “neither country’s government will conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors.”
  
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• 8 great testing tools for mobile app developers

  30-03-2017 12:00
  
  8 great testing tools for mobile app developersImage by geralt via PixabayThe rapid proliferation of mobile devices presents a particular nasty testing issue for mobile app developers. With so many operating system versions, browsers, and devices in circulation, ensuring a quality experience across all combinations can be nearly impossible, especially when you have a limited number of devices on hand.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• VMware patches critical virtual machine escape flaws

  30-03-2017 11:53
  
  VMware has released critical security patches for vulnerabilities demonstrated during the recent Pwn2Own hacking contest that could be exploited to escape from the isolation of virtual machines.The patches fix four vulnerabilities that affect VMware ESXi, VMware Workstation Pro and Player and VMware Fusion.Two of the vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2017-4902 and CVE-2017-4903 in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures database, were exploited by a team from Chinese internet security firm Qihoo
  
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• Why human interaction is the 'killer app' for recruiters

  30-03-2017 11:00
  
  You're probably familiar with the legend of John Henry, the "steel-drivin' man" whose prowess as a steel driver for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad was measured in a race against a steam-powered hammer. Though folklore says Henry won that contest, he died with his hammer in his hand when his heart gave out from the stress.What does any of this have to do with sourcing and recruiting? Quite a bit, actually, according to Jason Roberts, senior vice president of strategy and standardization with
  
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• Hoe combineer je cloud storage-diensten met ECM?

  30-03-2017 09:57
  Door Sjoerd Alkema – Van Dropbox tot Box en van Google Drive tot OneDrive, het gebruik van cloud storage-oplossingen is de laatste jaren sterk toegenomen. De gebruiksvriendelijke interface en handige features, zoals het samen kunnen werken aan documenten, het maken van backups, versiebeheer en de mogelijkheid om... lees meer
  
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• Before suing Uber, Waymo initiated action against former engineer

  30-03-2017 09:04
  
  Uber is asking a federal court that most of the claims of a lawsuit filed by rival self-driving car developer Waymo should be settled through arbitration, a process that is usually cheaper and faster than a federal lawsuit.The ride-hailing company is referring to Waymo’s own arbitration proceedings against a former engineer who later joined Uber as the basis for its argument in favor of arbitration to resolve the dispute.Waymo filed a suit last month in the U.S. District Court for the Nort
  
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• Trump extends Obama executive order on cyberattacks

  30-03-2017 03:18
  
  U.S. President Donald Trump is extending by one year special powers introduced by former President Barack Obama that allow the government to issue sanctions against people and organizations engaged in significant cyberattacks and cybercrime against the U.S.Executive Order 13694 was introduced on April 1, 2015, and was due to expire on Saturday, but the president sent a letter to Congress on Wednesday evening informing it of his plans to keep it active."Significant malicious cyber-enabled ac
  
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• Sanbot is the Jill of all trades

  30-03-2017 00:18
  
  Need a teacher, airport guide, care taker, and customs control officer all in one? Sanbot has you covered. Standing at just under 3 feet tall with big cartoon eyes and flipper arms, Sanbot looks more helpless than helpful, but don't let that cute appearance fool you. Sanbot is packed with features to help "her" get the job done.First off...sensors. Sanbot has 14 of them scattered throughout its three foot frame. Many of these are touch sensitive, allowing the robotic lady to respond with hu
  
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• Extreme swallows Brocade's data center networking business for $55M

  30-03-2017 00:18
  
  Extreme Networks continued to amass a nice nest of data center technology saying today it would buy Brocade's data center networking business will be sold to Extreme for $55 million in cash from its current owner Broadcom.Broadcom bought Brocade last year for about $5.5 billion but has since sold off Brocade’s Ruckus Wireless Wi-Fi business for $800 million to Arris International and now the data center networking business to Extreme.+More on Network World: When the Internet Engineering Ta
  
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