Universiti Malaysia Perlis Secures and Optimizes Web Experience for 8,500 Users with Blue Coat ProxySG Appliances

SUNNYVALE, Calif., November 16, 2010 – Blue Coat Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCSI), the technology leader in Application Delivery Networking, today announced that Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), one of Malaysia’s top engineering universities, has deployed Blue Coat^® ProxySG^® appliances with Blue Coat WebFilter to secure and optimize the Web experience for 8,500 users. With the Blue Coat ProxySG appliances, UniMAP can define flexible Web access policies while mitigating the impact of bandwidth-intensive, rich-media applications such as video, resulting in lower management costs, improved application performance and greater Web security.

“We need to protect our users from Web threats and other malicious content while providing optimal application performance and readily available Internet access across our distributed campus,” said Hj Nasrudin Abd Shukor, director of the Information Communication and Technology Center at UniMAP. “The Blue Coat products meet the high expectations of our community of academics, students and administrators and allow me to utilize my staff more efficiently, giving me peace of mind.”

UniMAP deployed the solution across its campuses in three days and can now easily define and alter policies based on users, content, groups and times of day with the ProxySG appliances. With the ability to categorize every URL into up to four categories, WebFilter gives UniMAP the granular visibility into Web content that allows it to create flexible access policies without overblocking content. 

Additionally, WebFilter is supported by the cloud-based Blue Coat WebPulse™ service, which rates new content in real-time and immediately applies definedpolicies, freeing IT security officers to focus on more strategic objectives. The WebPulse service provides on-demand security intelligence based on real-time URL requests from 70 million users worldwide to quickly identify new Web content, including malware and other malicious content. The discovery of malware by one user immediately protects all users, providing UniMAP with greater security than it would have on its own.

In addition to providing flexible control of Web content and a first line of defense against malware, the ProxySG appliances are uniquely adept at managing video traffic. Advanced functionality, including stream splitting and video caching, minimize the impact of video on the network by reducing the number of video streams that need to be downloaded. By optimizing video traffic, Blue Coat appliances free up bandwidth for other applications and improve the Web experience for all UniMAP users.

“The deployment of the ProxySG appliances has enabled Universiti Malaysia Perlis to get more value out of its network for the benefit of the entire organization,” said Nick Nindra, managing director for ASEAN, Blue Coat Systems. “In keeping malware at bay and recreational applications under control, the University has improved Web performance and security, so university staff and students can take advantage of the latest applications and technologies, including video.”

UniMAP, situated at the northernmost part of the Malaysian peninsula, specialises in electronic-based engineering and has grown from 116 engineering students in 2002, to more than 8,000 today. The university consists of eight engineering schools that offer 27 separate undergraduate programmes, as well as many postgraduate degree options.

UTP and MIMOS to Collaborate on Grid Computering, MEMS and Software Testing

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MIMOS Berhad to collaborate on three research areas - Grid Computing, Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and Software Testing.

The collaboration involves two programmes in UTP – Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EE) and Computer Information Sciences (CIS) – and MIMOS Test Centre of Excellence (MIMOS TestCOE), MIMOS Grid Computing Cluster and MIMOS Micro Systems and MEMS Cluster.

Under the memorandum, UTP and MIMOS will be working towards:

1. Software Testing via MIMOS TestCOE

• Knowledge sharing on the latest Usability Testing technologies
• Consultation by MIMOS domain experts on UTP Usability Subjects and the set-up of UTP’s Eye Tracking Usability Lab
• Postgraduate internships and adjunct learning programmes in Software Testing
• Establishing industry-centric syllabus in software testing in efforts to develop a Software Testing Institute

2. Grid Computing via MIMOS Grid Computing Cluster

MIMOS domain experts to facilitate research and provide resources for application simulation via KnowledgeGRID Malaysia for two technofund recipient programme that UTP is involved in – DBrainGRID, a programme with the aim to develop Multi-agents (hardware and software) for diagnosis, therapeutics and treatment of dementia-affected people and VLSI GRID, which simulates very-large-scale integration (VLSI) before committing to integrated circuit manufacturing.

3. MEMS via MIMOS Micro Systems and MEMS Centre

• Creating real-time detection sensors that is integrated via a wireless sensing network to monitor corrosion of materials
• Establishing a research collaboration network for industrial-environmental applications sensors
• Establishing a postgraduate internship programme

Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Haji Kasim said, “For the past two years, UTP has been actively pursuing various collaborations with a number of universities and research institutions, local and abroad, in line with our effort to ascertain global recognition. Collaborations with carefully selected partners would provide an opportunity for both parties to work together on common grounds to achieve our common goals.”

It is expected that through this agreement, it will pave the way towards an enhanced relationship between the industry and the academia in creating a pool of educated and trained human capital. It will also strengthen the existing collaborative works and spur many more new collaborative works between the two organisations.

“As the premier applied research centre in frontier technologies, MIMOS has consistently collaborated and will continue to do so with various local universities in efforts to not only power these institutes as our virtual researchers but also to mold our local graduates into domain experts via graduate placement programmes to better prepare them for a career in the research and development industry,” said Dato’ Abdul Wahab Abdullah, President & CEO, MIMOS Berhad.

“Our host of long-standing collaborations with UTP further strengthens MIMOS' network of dedicated partners and underscores MIMOS as the preferred partner of choice for developing frontier technology platforms as we work towards growing globally competitive indigenous industries,” he said.

Some of the existing on-going collaborations between UTP and MIMOS include student internships in MIMOS TestCOE since 2007 on Usability and Performance Testing; External Examiners Programme since 2008 where MIMOS TestCOE researchers evaluates students’ final year projects while providing feedback as per industry benchmarks; Adjunct Lecturers Programme since 2008 where UTP and MIMOS share knowledge on the latest happenings in the software testing and development industry.

At the MoU signing ceremony, UTP was represented by its Rector, Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Hj Kasim while MIMOS was represented by its Senior Vice President, Technology Strategy, Realisation and Operations, En Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadir.

The signing ceremony was further witnessed by Associate Professor Dr Abdul Rashid Abdul Aziz, Director, Research Enterprise Office, UTP and Professor Dr Masuri Othman, Head of Micro Systems and MEMS, MIMOS.

UTM spent RM500,000 to fight virus attacks

JOHOR BARU: The war against computer viruses does not come cheap. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has spent close to RM500,000 on cyber security protection.
The university also conducted a month long campaign on anti-virus awareness among its administration staff in April.
UTM Centre for ICT director Prof Zamri Mohamad said the campaign included the installation of hardware and software protection as well as updating the operating systems (OS).
“We also arranged for talks on healthy ICT lifestyle for our staff so that they realise it may not be safe to visit sites that are not secure,” he said, adding that the university currently had 10 servers alone for anti-virus protection which were updated daily.
The Star had reported on Thursday that the university had been facing a spate of virus attacks that targeted around 6,000 computers belonging to both the university and students.
Prof Zamri said the university also conducted demonstrations on how computers should be maintained and created a website, www.antivirus.utm.my, through the intranet system.
Students with their own personal computers have also been encouraged to obtain the anti-virus protection from the university free of charge.
UTM was also looking towards moving its entire software system from Windows to Open Source as there were fewer viruses created for it.
Prof Zamri said that with viruses and hackers getting increasingly sophisticated, the idea of owning a computer was not the same as owning a radio.
“It is more like owning a car as you need to learn how to operate it. You also need to constantly service and upgrade it,” he said.
According to him, UTM was considering the possibility of making its students and staff obtain a “licence” before they are allowed to use the computers on campus.

Bengkel Microsoft Word 2007

KUALA TERENGGANU – Bahagian Pembangunan Sumber, Seksyen Latihan Jangka Pendek & Induksi, Jabatan Pendaftar, Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM) telah menganjurkan Bengkel Microsoft Office (Word 2007) pada 24- 25 Februari 2009.

Bengkel yang diadakan di Makmal Komputer UDM, Kampus Kota telah dikendalikan oleh Ketua Unit Produksi Multimedia, Puan Norkhairani Binti Abdul Rawi.

Seramai 24 peserta terdiri dari kakitangan berjawatan Pembantu Tadbir (P/O) telah mengikuti bengkel tersebut.

Antara pengisian bengkel tersebut, para peserta telah didedahkan dengan langkah-langkah penggunaan Microsoft Word 2007 seperti menghasilkan dokumen termasuk surat, laporan, kertas cadangan, memo dan buku panduan.

Menurut Puan Norkhairani, Word 2007 dapat membantu peserta dalam menghasilkan dokumen yang lebih kemas, teratur, menarik dan juga mampu melicinkan lagi kerja-kerja pejabat.

UMT Signs Aggreements with Telekom Malaysia for Broadband Capacity Upgrade

 

Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) hari ini telah memeterai perjanjian dengan Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) bagi menaiktaraf kapasiti perkhidmatan jalur lebar TM Direct dari 16Mbps ke 45Mbps.

Dengan peningkatan kapasiti capaian Internet ke 45Mbps ini, UMT akan berupaya meningkatkan keberkesanan sistem operasinya di seluruh kampus termasuk semua jabatan dan dewan kuliah.

Di majlis ini, TM telah diwakili oleh Y.Bhg Dato’ Adnan Rofiee, Ketua Pegawai Operasi, TM Retail, Malaysia Business, TM manakala UMT diwakili oleh Y.Bhg. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Sulaiman Bin Md Yassin, Naib Canselor, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu .


Perkhidmatan jalur lebar TM Direct yang disediakan oleh TM ini akan memberikan UMT capaian Internet berkelajuan tinggi yang dapat memenuhi segala keperluannya sebagai sebuah organisasi pendidikan yang mementingkan kualiti dan sentiasa mengorak langkah untuk maju kehadapan. Sehubungan dengan itu, teknologi telekomunikasi yang baik dan keselesaan dalam mengakses maklumat dari Internet bukan sahaja akan menambah pengetahuan pihak pengurusan, tenaga pengajar dan pelajarnya, tetapi ia juga dapat meningkatkan prestasi dan daya saing UMT dalam sektor pendidikan global yang semakin kompetetif.

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Sulaiman Md Yassin dalam ucapannya berkata, ” Kami berharap dengan penaiktarafan infrastruktur ini, pelajar UMT akan dapat menerapkan gaya hidup digital masa kini, sekaligus memperolehi pencapaian yang cemerlang dalam pengkhususan pengajian masing-masing”.

Berucap di majlis tersebut, Dato’ Adnan Rofiee berkata, “Penyediaan perkhidmatan litar suwa jalur lebar TM Direct daripada TM ini adalah bertepatan pada masanya kerana ia dapat menyokong pembangunan UMT, disamping meningkatkan keberkesanan pengurusan dan sistem pentadbiran jabatan-jabatan di seluruh kampus”.

”Selain capaian Internet yang laju, TM juga turut menyediakan perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan tambah nilai seperti “web hosting” dan “storage access network” kepada UMT. Dengan ini, UMT akan dapat menyediakan kemudahan ICT yang menyeluruh kepada pelajar-pelajarnya. Selain dari itu, pihak UMT juga akan dapat menikmati penjimatan kos mengurus dan menyelenggara rangkaian datanya kerana ianya akan dipantau dan diselenggarakan sepenuhnya oleh TM melalui Pusat Operasi Rangkaiannya yang berpusat di Kuala Lumpur”, tambah Dato’ Adnan.

Majlis yang diadakan pada hari ini juga merupakan salah satu usaha TM dalam menyokong usaha Kerajaan merealisasikan matlamat penubuhan Wilayah Pembangunan Ekonomi Koridor Pantai Timur (ECER). ECER yang dilancarkan secara rasmi oleh YAB. Dato’ Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, Perdana Menteri Malaysia pada 29 Oktober 2007 di Kuala Terengganu menumpukan kepada tiga sektor utama iaitu Pertanian, Pelancongan dan Pendidikan.

FSKTM Students Represented UPM in Imagine Cup

Three students from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FSKTM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), were selected to represent UPM at the 2011 Malaysia Imagine Cup competition recently.

Mohamad Najib Basery, The Green P The FSKTM team is led by their mentors, Dr. Lili Nurliyana Abdullah, Dr. Razali Yaakob and Dr. Rohaya Latip. Namely the Green P, they created the 'Botanic Sustainability Smart System', a web based software to identify the type of soil and suitable plants that can be planted with it. A second year student in Bachelor of Computer Science (Computer Networks), Mohamad Najib said the idea to develop the software was drawn from the famine situation in Africa. Thus we are inspired to help them in identifying suitable crops for their land. "It took us almost two months to develop this system as well as data collected from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry (MOA), Institute for Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and assisted by Prof. Dr. Kamaruzaman Joseph from the Faculty of Forestry, "he said at the Malaysia 2011 Imagine Cup competition at the Pullman Hotel, Kuching. In addition, the system is able to analyze the crop price index, which enables those involved in the agricultural industry to determine their budget in order to initiate agricultural projects. Meanwhile, WASPending developed software that combines the teaching of general knowledge, science and math, and also a hero character as well as focused history for students aged 10 to 12 years old. WASPending team leader, Wong Ching Yee said the system called 'Challenge the Difference "was developed in the form of games and educational software. "I hope that this software will draw attention from the children’s education related industry," he said. His friend, Tan Wee Chong, a final year student of Bachelor of Computer Science (Software Engineering) from The Frontiers said his group developed 'The 1 Cent Project' a micro donation system that integrates with telecommunication companies to further promote the culture of giving among students. "Students can donate as low as one cent, and the use of the software can be promoted by the telecommunications company as a community service program (CSR). "By using this system, users can select their donation to be distributed for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the amount to be donated and the identification number and the data will be verified by the telecommunication companies after obtaining confirmation," he said. The 2011 Imagine Cup is a technology competition between the students of the Institution of Higher Education in promoting solutions to global problems. The competition aims to produce talented students in the world of software designers, programmers, game developers and digital media enthusiasts and simultaneously addressing issues related to humanitarian assistance, poverty, education, disease control, health, environment and global issues.

Mohamad Najib Basery, The Green P Copyright : Wong Ching Yee, WASPending Tan Wee Cheng,The Frontiers Copyright : Wong Ching Yee, WASPending

UM and UPM Enhance Learning Facilities and Empower Student Lives with 4G Mobile Internet

Kuala Lumpur, 13 September 2010 – Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Malaya (UM) today joined the Education Partner Program (EPP) spearheaded by YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (YTL Comms). Under the program, both universities will apply the power of 4G Mobile Internet campus-wide to give their students cutting-edge learning facilities and further enhance the quality of life on campus for both students and academic staff.

UM plans to utilise YTL's 4G Campus-wide Network to boost research activities and be among the top 100 universities in the world

UPM and UM are the third and fourth local university respectively to join the EPP program in the last two months after UTM and UTAR. All twenty of Malaysia’s public universities and selected private universities are expected to join the program by the end of the year.

“We want the students to access our enterprise, learning and research services from anywhere and at anytime and therefore we are pleased to partner with YTL Comms to give our students the freedom and the convenience of 4G Mobile Internet,” said Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Nik Mustapha R. Abdullah, Vice Chancellor of UPM.

“We champion the model of Ubiquitous Learning at UPM. This means learning whatever, whenever, wherever. We call it www-learning, which is, incidentally, the way the real Internet should be, too”, said Associate Professor Dr. Suhaimi Napis, CTO and Director, InfoComm Development Centre (iDEC), UPM.

The Ubiquitous Learning Environment (ULE) at UPM, the brainchild of Dr. Suhaimi, relies on the Malaysian Research and Education Network (MYREN), a high-capacity broadband network that connects universities, colleges, research organisations and scientific laboratories. UPM was one of the founding proposers of this dedicated network that provides a platform for creating research communities and encourages them to exchange ideas and collaborate with international partners.

YTL's 4G Campus-wide Network is set to take UPM's model of Ubiquitous Learning Environment (ULE) even further

While UPM’s ubiquitous learning model relies on MYREN as the foundation, the university also has a number of cloud services that can support blended learning – a mixture of remote and on-premise education. For example, the video collaboration services, 1VideoBridge, make live virtual classes possible, with up to 160 laptops, desktops and other compatible devices connected at one time, where students can interact with the lecturer and each other. We also have uCast, modelled after a popular video-sharing portal to facilitate video-on-demand.

“All this innovation that supports the ubiquitous learning model can’t be fully harnessed by the students without high speed Internet access that is available everywhere and from any device,” said Dr. Suhaimi. “The power of 4G Mobile Internet will create new ways for education to be delivered and we are already working with YTL Comms to enable interoperability between our learning and research cloud services and all platforms, including new Android-based devices, which we are eager to explore.” He added.

Under the EPP partnership, each student will receive FREE converged data and voice services of 300 megabytes per user, on a monthly basis over a period of 3 years at anytime and from anywhere throughout the campus grounds. On top of that, the students will be able to top up their accounts at special student rates.

“UM is currently rated the top ranking university in Malaysia, but it is our mission to see UM among the top 100 universities in the world in the next five years. Our partnership with YTL Comms and participation in the EPP program is a major milestone towards realising this vision,” said Datuk Dr. Ghauth Jasmon, Vice Chancellor of UM.

UM sees 4G Mobile Internet as a perfect tool to enhance students’ lives on campus, too. “The combination of 4G Broadband & Voice service under one account is a great value proposition to our students. When every ringgit needs to be stretched, it helps that our students can use their 300 megabytes of free broadband to make free phone calls, too. Considering that the majority of their calls are made to friends and colleagues on campus, the savings they will be able to realize are substantial,” elaborated Dr. David Asirvatham, Director, Center for Information Technology, UM.

UM is Malaysia’s first public university and a Research University, as designated by the Government. As such, UM actively spearheads a number of research-intensive projects in ICT and Computational Sciences, Biotechnology and Bioproducts, and Health and Translational Medicine in which it applies the power of Grid Computing. However, due to the current bandwidth limitations, the Grid Computing can only extend to the servers at the time being.

“With the superior performance of 4G, that delivers connectivity in megabits instead of the kilobits we currently get with 3G, the power of grid computing can easily extend all the way to desktops and devices, too, significantly improving our research process,” added Dr. David.

“We are very impressed with UPM’s and UM’s vision to create superior academic environments and we are extremely pleased to be their partner in realising this vision,” said Yasmin Mahmood, Executive Director, YTL Communications. “We are building a better Internet for everyone, a 4G Mobile Internet network that truly empowers all people, and we want our students, the leaders of a better tomorrow, to be the first to experience this most advanced Internet technology available today.