Audi Announces Attractive Sales & Service Benefits in May-June, 2017

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer has today announced attractive offers on Sales and Service on the entire range of its product offerings.These offers are being rolled out with immediate effect across dealerships and are only applicable until the end of June, 2017.

“Customer Delight is at the center of Audi’s focus and we are sure that our current offers will delight Audi enthusiasts. The attractive prices and packages bring fantastic value to the Audi enthusiasts. It is the best time to join the Audi family, buy your dream Audi and benefit from the privileges of the Audi Club India. As opposed to the market trend, this is not a measure to clear old stock; we are extending the benefits on our new cars as well. This is what Customer Delight stands for,” said Mr. Rahil Ansari, Head, Audi India.

Under the new schemes on Sales and Service, Audi is offering competitive pricing on the entire model range. In addition to this, the company has also announced a tailor-made Comprehensive Service Package, which offers a variety of time and mileage options and range of service plans for customers to choose as per their individual needs and driving habits. The Comprehensive Service Package covers full maintenance, warranty and wear and tear. The brand with the four rings has also announced attractive finance and insurance schemes to make the experience of owning an Audi even more exciting. Customers can now approach their nearest dealership to avail tailor-made benefits to suit one’s requirement.

Cloudera’s Altus to Simplify Big Data Workloads in the Cloud

Cloudera, Inc, the provider of the leading modern platform for machine learning and advanced analytics, announced the release of Cloudera Altus, a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering that makes it easier to run large-scale data processing applications on public cloud. The initial Altus service helps data engineers use on-demand infrastructure to speed the creation and operation of elastic data pipelines that power sophisticated, data-driven applications.

Data engineering applications like ETL (Extract, Transform and Load) or batch scoring are often large, batch-oriented workloads that run for a fixed period of time and help companies extract critical insights from raw data. Organizations can gain significant flexibility and efficiency advantages by running these pipelines on elastic infrastructure. Enterprises want to leverage cloud infrastructure alongside familiar large-scale data processing tools and technologies.

The Cloudera Altus Data Engineering service simplifies the development and operations of elastic data pipelines; putting data engineering jobs front and center and abstracting infrastructure management and operations that can be both time consuming and complex. Altus also reduces the risk associated with cloud migrations. It provides users with familiar tools packaged in an open, unified, enterprise-grade platform service that delivers common storage, metadata, security, and management across multiple data engineering applications.

“Data engineering workloads are foundational for today’s data-driven applications,” said Charles Zedlewski, senior vice president of Products at Cloudera. “Altus simplifies the process of building and running elastic data pipelines while preserving portability and making it easy to incorporate data engineering elements into more complex BI, data science and real-time applications.”

Cloudera makes it easy, cost-effective, and convenient to deploy these workloads on cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), taking advantage of cloud elasticity, low-cost storage and compute options, and rapid provisioning to deliver a modern data service that can tackle even the most challenging business problems. Cloud object stores such as Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) are becoming increasingly popular for their resiliency, scalability, and relatively low cost.

According to IDC, public cloud deployments are now at 12% of the overall worldwide business analytics software market and expected to grow at a 25% CAGR through 2020^[1]. Cloud is one of the fastest growing deployment environments for Cloudera customers, and Altus makes it easier than ever to run data engineering workloads in the cloud.

Features and benefits of Altus include:

●       Managed service for elastic data pipelines - Cloudera Altus is a PaaS that allows data engineers to easily and quickly provision Apache Spark, Apache Hive, Hive on Spark, and MapReduce2 capacity on cloud-native infrastructure. Altus presents intelligent default cluster settings and environments that dramatically reduce cluster deployment times and operations, automating processes like cluster provisioning, configuring, and termination.

●       Workload orientation - Cloudera Altus centers around data pipelines rather than clusters or infrastructures, so users can easily submit, clone, and troubleshoot pipelines with minimal attention paid to the underlying infrastructure.

●       No data siloes - The Altus Data Engineering service enables data engineers to run direct reads from and writes to cloud object storage as does the rest of Cloudera’s platform. This data is immediately available for use by other Cloudera workloads without requiring data replication, ETL or changes to file formats. In doing so users can more easily incorporate data engineering into their data science, BI and real time DB applications.

●       Backward compatibility and platform portability - Altus supports multiple versions of CDH the most widely used open source platform in the industry. Users can easily move workloads to and from the cloud without needing to modify their applications. Because CDH is backward compatible across minor releases, customers can harness the latest innovation from the Apache big data open source community without fear of breaking their applications from release to release.

●       Built-in workload management - Altus automates and simplifies the common operational issues related to elastic data pipelines with workload management. Users can troubleshoot failed jobs with or without the clusters or compute infrastructure being present.  In addition Altus’ workload management flags significant performance deviations and proposes a root cause analysis. In doing so customers can run their data pipelines with greater reliability and lower cost.

The initial rollout of Cloudera Altus includes support for Apache Spark, Apache Hive on MapReduce2, and Hive on Spark. It is available today in most Amazon Web Services (AWS) regions. Over time Cloudera plans to expand Altus to support other leading public clouds such as Microsoft Azure, etc.

The Tamara Coorg Opens Doors to its New ‘Yoga Temple’

The award winning luxury resort – The Tamara Coorg, known for its picturesque, tranquil and peaceful experiences, will add another exceptional feature to its property with the launch of its Yoga Temple. As the name suggests, the ‘Yoga Temple’ will be a place of divine worship where one can connect with one’s inner self. Inspired by the garbha griha or a sanctum sanctorum, with The Yoga Temple, The Tamara Coorg takes another step towards facilitating an environment of wellness for its guests, attained through a feeling of deep purity, peace and contentment. The spiritual soul of The Tamara Coorg will be launched on World Yoga Day on June 21, 2017.

The Yoga Temple, the first of its kind in India, was conceptualized to be a secular meditative space which unites the mind, body and spirit amidst an exuberant interplay of light, colour and texture. It is located on one acre of converted land surrounded by the lush greenery and serenity of the neighbouring organic coffee plantation and east facing mountain ridges.   

In line with the World Yoga Day, The Tamara Coorg will observe a special ‘Week of Revival’ between June 19 and 22, 2017. Whether a beginner or an advanced practitioner, guests’ can choose to partake in any or all of the below sessions with the in-house yoga expert –

-          Start the day by mastering the art of Asana, the posture while performing yoga and Pranayama, the practice of controlling the breath which is the vital life force, between 8:00 – 9:00 hrs

-          Stimulate different body parts and the mind with Yoga Mudra between 11:00 – 12:00 hrs

-           Indulge in deep relaxation when performing Yogic sleep with the Yoga Nidra session between 15:00 – 16:00 hrs

-          End the day by calming one’s senses with the guided meditation and art of breathing session between17:00 – 18:00 hrs

Speaking about the launch Shruti Shibulal, Promoter & Director of The Tamara said, “At The Tamara, we endeavour to provide our guests an all-encompassing experience through a series of our thoughtfully curated offerings. We want our guests to unwind and absorb the goodness and the calmness of the surroundings at The Tamara Coorg. With the launch of the ‘Yoga Temple’ we are certain about enabling a holistic experience for our guests that will help them restore balance, harmonize energy and revitalize their mind, body and soul.  We take great pride in presenting a truly authentic experience, which can heal, calm and connect one to a larger positive force.”

A team of well trained and experienced yoga instructors will assist practitioners replace restlessness with calm, impatience with fortitude and the constant search for the self with a complete sense of being.  At The Yoga Temple, guests will experience for themselves a sense of complete relaxation which enables one to attain spiritual happiness and inner strength.

The Yoga Temple is exceptional in all aspects of architecture - proportion, colour, sound and temperature. It is built through the fusion of long-established knowledge and contemporary technology celebrating the amalgamation of sacred art and architecture. Adorned with traditional Mangalore clay roof tiles and laterite stone craft, the Yoga Temple has been re-imagined to revive indigenous art and extend appreciation to local artisans. 

The oil diyas light up the space and elevate the divinity of this place. It is spread across ­­­­1000 sq. ft. of land which is part of the Elevation Spa and leisure area.  The Yoga Temple can accommodate 10 to 12 practitioners at any point in time.

The ‘Yoga Temple’ will be open from 7:00 – 9:00 hrs and from 17:00 – 19:00 hrs.

Recent IT Layoffs was Sad, Says Infosys Founder Narayana Murthy

Founder Chairman of Infosys N R Narayana Murthy today expressed sadness over the IT companies laying off their employees as part of their cost cutting strategy.

"...It is sad...," Murthy told in an email reply to a PTI query about recent IT layoffs. Murthy, however, did not elaborate on the matter.

Infosys had announced that it could hand out pink slips to hundreds of mid and senior-level employees as it carries out bi-annual performance review amid a challenging business environment.

The development comes at a time when its peers Wipro and Cognizant are taking similar measures to control costs.

The US-based Cognizant had rolled out a voluntary separation programme for directors, associate VPs and senior VPs, offering them 6-9 months of salary.

Wipro, too, is learnt to have asked about 600 employees to leave as part of its annual "performance appraisal" even as speculations were that the number could go as high as 2,000.

According to executive search firm Head Hunters India, the job cuts in IT sector will be between 1.75 lakh and 2 lakh annually for next three years due to under-preparedness in adapting to newer technologies.

A report submitted by McKinsey & Company at the Nasscom India Leadership Forum said, nearly half of the workforce in the IT services firms will be "irrelevant" over the next 3-4 years.

IT companies have been one of the largest recruiters in the country. However, they have warned that increasing automation of processes would lead to reduction in hiring in coming years.

While the outsourcing model has placed India on the global map, increasing scrutiny and rising protectionist sentiment are also posing challenges for the USD 140 billion Indian IT industry.

Companies are now working towards reducing their dependence on work visas and instead hiring more locals to ensure continuity of work for clients, even though it impacts their margins. 

Agencies

NXP India Technical Symposium 2017 Provides Platform for Nurturing Innovation

NXP India; a world leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications; recently concluded its technical symposium, with hundreds of enthusiastic attendees across multiple NXP sites in India. The symposium highlighted the key trends which are driving the company’s growth such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Internet of Things (IoT), security, automotive, and payments. The inaugural edition of the event was attended by NXP Global leaders such as Lars Reger, Senior Vice president and Chief Technology Officer for Automotive, Richard House, Vice President, Digital Networking Software, and Chris Collins, Senior Vice President, Product and Technology Enablement.

During the three-day symposium, leaders shared their insights on the automotive industry and emphasized on the importance of innovation. There were different themes on each day, from paper presentations on key innovations to special technical presentations from tech streams to global market insights and trends by the global leaders to name a few. Further, a panel discussion was organized on IoT security that was driven and conducted by NXP global leaders and industry experts across India. The leaders discussed various aspects of IoT and highlighted the importance of secured connectivity for the IoT revolution to grow. Furthermore, Prof. M. Balakrishnan, Deputy Director (Strategy & Planning), Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, IIT Delhi, gave the key-note speech on ASSISTECH: Technology Solutions for the Mobility & Education of the Visually Impaired. It highlighted the key role technology plays in improving the life of the differently-abled.

Speaking about the occasion, Sanjay Gupta, Vice President and India Country Manager said: “We were happy to host the Tech Symposium for our talented engineers and grateful to the entire NXP leadership team for their encouragement and immense support. The symposium aimed at providing a platform for our technical community to share knowledge, showcase niche technological developments, mutual learnings and explore avenues for nurturing innovation across multiple levels”.

NXP is a leader in high-performance mixed-signal semiconductor electronics, with innovative products and solutions, and leadership positions in automotive, broad-based microcontrollers, secure identification, network processing and RF power. A top semiconductor solutions supplier to the automotive industry, NXP also has leading positions in automotive infotainment, networking and safety systems. NXP has a broad customer base, serving more than 25,000 customers through its direct sales channel and global network of distribution channel partners.

NXP recently announced its financial results for the first quarter that ended in April 2, 2017, delivering solid seasonal results, with a revenue of $2.21 billion. The first quarter results are a strong step towards the successful integration of Freescale and NXP. With the divestment of NXPs Standard Products group, the overall product portfolio has a sharpened focus on higher growth, desirable margins, and stickier market segments.

Infosys and HP Announce Strategic Alliance to Accelerate Digital Transformation for the Enterprise

Infosys and HP Inc. have launched joint Retail Point of Sale (RPOS) and Enterprise Device as a Service (DaaS) solutions to help businesses accelerate digital transformation as part of the HP Global System Integrator (GSI) Alliance Program. 

The joint RPOS solution offers a digital approach across the supply chain, enabling real-time collaboration between shoppers, retailers and vendors at the point of purchase, providing a true omni-channel experience. The joint Enterprise Device as a Service solution defines and delivers technology-enabled transformations that optimize how organizations acquire, manage and use devices with end-to-end services, enterprise applications, fleet reporting, analytics, insights and more.

“Together, HP and Infosys can improve end-customer experience, while forging deeper, more valuable relationships with joint customers across industries, enabling them to embark on their own business reinvention journeys,” said Jon Flaxman, Chief Operating Officer, HP.

“The launch of the RPOS and Enterprise DaaS solutions validates our joint vision with HP for revolutionizing the retail industry through constant innovation, and deep analytics,” said Sandeep Dadlani, President and Head of Americas, Infosys. “Digital transformation is being steadily embraced by businesses and as this transformation evolves further, we will continue our focus to create newer experiences across industry segments.”

About the HP Global System Integrator (GSI) Alliance Program

In today’s world of rapid technological innovation, companies in every industry must take bold measures to stay competitive amidst constant change. Adopting new technologies is simple in theory, but bedeviling in practice. Companies are dealing with challenges greater than just IT considerations, including broader supply chain, manufacturing and transportation hurdles. 

The HP GSI program has enabled HP and select leading Global System Integrators to co-develop breakthrough solutions available in a choice of consumption models, mirroring the migration from purely transactional to everything as-a-service. The program reinforces HP as vendor of choice for the tools of digital transformation and provides customers the expert guidance they need to thrive on their transformation journey.

Trend Micro to Host Third Annual Capture the Flag Competition in Tokyo

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced it will host Trend Micro CTF 2017 - Raimund Genes Cup, the third annual Capture the Flag (CTF) cybersecurity competition. Trend Micro CTF targets young professionals in the cybersecurity industry to enhance their practical skills in areas such as cybercrimes, targeted attacks, Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS).

“Our goal is to support and strengthen the skillset of professionals entering the industry to better prepare and protect against today’s most pressing threats,” said Eva Chen, chief executive officer for Trend Micro. “To accomplish our mission of making the digital world safer for everyone, we must support engineers in developing and stretching their cybersecurity knowledge in these specific, relevant areas.”

The competition comprises an online qualifying event and finals held in Tokyo, Japan. The online qualifier is in a “Jeopardy” format, challenging players to solve challenges in various categories, such as SCADA, IoT and targeted attacks. The top ten teams from the online qualifier will advance to compete in the final, which will be played with a combination of “attack and defense” and Jeopardy formats. The final winning team will be awarded JPY 1,000,000 (approximately US$8,700), Zero Day Initiative Rewards Program points, and automatic qualification for HITCON CTF 2017 Final to be held in Taipei, Taiwan.

Trend Micro CTF 2017 - Raimund Genes Cup - Online Qualifier

·  Dates: June 24-25, 2017 (Game starts at 12:00 a.m. ET, June 24, 2017)

·  Requirements: Participants must be at least 20 years old

·  Format: Jeopardy

·  Venue: Online

·  Team registration: May 23-June 25, 2017

Trend Micro CTF 2017 - Raimund Genes Cup - The Final

·  Dates: November 11-12, 2017 (JST)

·  Requirements: The top ten teams from the online event will qualify and receive travel support for attending the finals. Additionally, winners from Egypt National CTF will compete. Each team may have a maximum of four players.

·  Format: A combination of Attack and Defense and Jeopardy

·  Venue: BELLESALLE Nishi Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

Prizes:

·  First Place Team:

o    JPY1,000,000 (approximately US$8,700) per team

o    15,000 Zero Day Initiative Rewards Program points per player (these points result in eligibility for benefits, including a one-time bonus of US$2,000)

o    Automatic qualification for HITCON CTF 2017 Final to be held in Taipei, Taiwan

·  Second Place Team:

o    JPY300,000 (approximately US$2,600) per team

·  Third Place Team:

o    JPY200,000 (approximately US$1,700) per team

To register for the online qualifier and for more information about Trend Micro CTF 2017 - Raimund Genes Cup, please visit:www.trendmicro.com/tmctf.