Moving and Storage Business News

The News Review:

- EMC buys Pi to round out cloud computing unit
- Hitachi returns to capital with SMS storage device
- Former Bear to run for Palatine mayor
- Atomic moving company
- Russia: Likely Kremlin Heir Visits Serbia Amid Conflict With West

EMC buys Pi to round out cloud computing unit
ARNnet – Feb 25, 2008
Seattle-based Pi develops software and online services to enable users to control how they find, access, share and protect everything from photos, videos, and music. The data can be stored online or locally. The company name stands for personal information, not the number 3. The rapidly growing amount of personal data is what prompted EMC to open its wallet, according to CEO, Joe Tucci. It’s a cash transaction, but EMC won’t disclose the amount. Pi hasn’t actually launched any products or services yet: They are in beta testing, according to EMC…
Pi hasn’t actually launched any products or services yet: They are in beta testing, according to EMC. EMC sees Pi not only as part of its consumer push, but also an element of its cloud computing strategy, the next big thing in storage, according to one analyst. “Cloud computing is the next storage hype. It’s all about moving storage, back up, and even clock cycles to the net,” said Per Sedihn, chief technology officer at Swedish storage integrator, Proact. EMC expects to complete the deal during the first quarter, at which point Pi and its 100 employees will join EMC’s newly minted Cloud Infrastructure and Services Division. It already includes Mozy, an online backup service, and Fortress, a platform for cloud-based services. Pi founder and CEO Paul Maritz (who used to be an executive at Microsoft), will join EMC’s executive management team as president and general manager of the divsion.

Hitachi returns to capital with SMS storage device
stuff.co.nz – Feb 25, 2008
Hitachi Data Systems New Zealand – the wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese data storage technology company – opened an office in Wellington and hopes to capture the data storage market for small to medium-sized businesses with its SMS 100 storage product. Manager Brent Wilkinson says the SMS – an external storage device – has been designed to meet the needs of small and medium businesses – where general managers often perform the roles of procurement officer and IT manager. "You just use a simple wizard to install it and in 12 clicks it sets itself up. "If a drive breaks, you call a new one in, plug it in and it self installs. "He says the system is easily upgraded and Raid 6 technology means data won't be lost unless two drives fail at the same time.

Former Bear to run for Palatine mayor
ABC7Chicago.com – Feb 25, 2008
Jim Schwantz – a Palatine native and reserve linebacker on the Bears in the early 90′s – officially declared his candidacy for mayor of Palatine Monday. Schwantz has been working in sales for a Palatine Moving and Storage Company and serving as a Bears radio broadcaster. But, he says he’s ready for a career change into politics. Schwantz could face a tough battle. He may end up running against longtime incumbent Rita Mullins, who has served as mayor since 1989, if she decides to seek another term.

Atomic moving company
WebWire – WebWire (press release) – Feb 25, 2008
The data offer an important foundation for designing future atomic-scale devices. This result provides fundamental information about atomic scale fabrication and could pave the way for new data storage and memory devices, said Andreas Heinrich, lead scientist in the scanning tunneling microscopy lab at the IBM Almaden Research Center. Our mission is to create the foundation for what could someday be called the IBM nanoconstruction company. In a paper, The Force Needed to Move an Atom on a Surface, the scientists show that the force required to move a cobalt atom over a smooth platinum surface is 210 piconewtons, while moving a cobalt atom over a copper surface takes only 17 piconewtons. To put this in perspective, the force required to lift a copper penny that weighs just three grams is nearly 30 billion piconewtons, 2 billion times greater than the force to move a single cobalt atom over a copper surface. Understanding the force necessary to move specific atoms on specific surfaces is one of the keys to designing and constructing the small structures that will enable future nanotechnologies…
The data offer an important foundation for designing future atomic-scale devices. This result provides fundamental information about atomic scale fabrication and could pave the way for new data storage and memory devices, said Andreas Heinrich, lead scientist in the scanning tunneling microscopy lab at the IBM Almaden Research Center. Our mission is to create the foundation for what could someday be called the IBM nanoconstruction company. In a paper, The Force Needed to Move an Atom on a Surface, the scientists show that the force required to move a cobalt atom over a smooth platinum surface is 210 piconewtons, while moving a cobalt atom over a copper surface takes only 17 piconewtons. To put this in perspective, the force required to lift a copper penny that weighs just three grams is nearly 30 billion piconewtons, 2 billion times greater than the force to move a single cobalt atom over a copper surface. Understanding the force necessary to move specific atoms on specific surfaces is one of the keys to designing and constructing the small structures that will enable future nanotechnologies. Just as modern construction relies on knowing the strength of different building materials, nanoconstruction would need information on which atoms to use in rigid structures and which would move easily.

Russia: Likely Kremlin Heir Visits Serbia Amid Conflict With West
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty – Feb 25, 2008
In addition to his government post, Medvedev is also chairman of Russia’s state-controlled natural-gas monopoly, Gazprom. In January, the Kremlin signed a series of energy agreements with Serbia. One deal routes a leg of Russia’s South Stream pipeline through Serbia and another aims to build underground gas-storage facilities in the country. Additionally, a Gazprom subsidiary purchased a majority stake in the Serbian oil company NIS. As part of today’s visit, Medvedev signed a deal with Belgrade to establish a joint company to build the South Stream pipeline extension and the underground storage facilities. Kostunica said the deal shows that “cooperation between Serbia and Russia is ongoing at all levels. Serbian President Boris Tadic has sought to steer his country in a pro-Western direction and into the European Union…
Kostunica said the deal shows that “cooperation between Serbia and Russia is ongoing at all levels. Serbian President Boris Tadic has sought to steer his country in a pro-Western direction and into the European Union. Nationalists close to Kostunica, however, view moving into Russia’s sphere of influence as a viable alternative.