Richard Davies wrote: The UK has a good crop of technology pioneers in cloud computing - for example ElasticHosts, FlexiScale, Flexiant, OnApp - and also some strong government initiatives such as G-Cloud.
We will have to see whether this kind of technical leadership converts into swift mass-market adoption or not.
GLENDALE, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/08/07 -- 3n (National Notification
Network), the leading mass notification system
provider, today announced that Biola University has expanded its use of
3n's InstaCom Campus
Alert solution to automate emergency communications with students,
faculty and administration. The University, which has been successfully
using the 3n system for the past year to enhance its IT alerting
capabilities during technology disruptions, recently decided to expand its
use to notify the entire campus during emergencies or other critical
incidents.
Founded in 1908, Biola University has more than 5,500 students enrolled in
seven different schools. The University identified several key criteria in
its notification system selection process: ease of use; ability to
integrate with existing systems; guaranteed infrastructure security and
reliability; and ability to address challenges specific to a campus
environment, including delivering messages using student-friendly contact
paths, such as instant messaging and true 2-way SMS text messaging.
"Over the past 18 months Biola University has been implementing systems and
procedures to provide increased campus safety and security," said Gregory
Balsano, Vice President of University Services at Biola. "A year ago,
after extensive research, our IT department chose 3n's InstaCom system to
notify staff and other campus emergency responders in the event of
after-hours equipment failure and power outages. The fact that InstaCom has
performed excellently for us during actual IT-related emergencies gave the
system added weight as we reviewed products that could broaden the nature
and scope of emergency notification to include potential student, faculty
and staff needs. The 3n representatives became our partners as we
determined how best to provide emergency notification for our campus
community during various crisis scenarios. InstaCom is a critical component
in our program to improve communication and thereby enhance safety."
Prior to selecting 3n, Biola relied upon a laborious calling list process
that required the message initiator to manually call each phone number or
pager number in an effort to contact each message recipient. The process
was time consuming and delivered inconsistent results. Using 3n's InstaCom
Campus Alert system, Biola University will be able to communicate quickly
and reliably in any crisis with all constituent audiences -- students,
faculty and administration -- wherever they are located and independent of
which communication devices they are using. The 3n system notifies message
recipients via all standard modes of communication, including phone, email,
text messaging, instant messaging, pager, fax, BlackBerry® devices and
more.
"The Virginia Tech tragedy underscored the need for colleges and
universities to adopt a crisis communication solution that speaks the
language of students, and that means being able to communicate rapidly
across newer technologies popular with students, such as instant messaging
and native text messaging," said Cinta Putra, CEO and co-founder of 3n. "As
colleges and universities analyze how best to contact students, faculty and
administrators in and outside of class during a crisis, they are finding
that systems unable to leverage these critical communication paths
represent a serious limitation in their emergency communication
capabilities. We are excited to support Biola University in its proactive
efforts to ensure the safety of its campus with the most comprehensive and
reliable campus notification solution available."
About 3n® (National Notification Network)
3n (National Notification Network) is the leading global provider of mass
notification solutions to Global 2000 corporations, government agencies,
healthcare systems, and educational institutions in more than 70 countries
with the ability to communicate in more than 230 countries worldwide. 3n's
innovative and powerful mass notification system is the most advanced,
efficient and easy-to-use on the market today, enabling organizations to
respond rapidly and effectively to crises and achieve considerable
bottom-line savings in routine and emergency situations. For more
information about 3n, log on to www.3nonline.com/pr or
call toll-free at
1-888-366-4911.
About Biola University
Biola University, founded in 1908, is recognized by U.S. News & World
Report as a "National University," which they consider the "major leagues"
of higher education. Biola offers 145 academic programs through its six
schools, ranging from the B.A. to the Ph.D. As a theologically
conservative, Protestant university, Biola provides Evangelical students
with biblically centered education, equipping them in mind and character to
impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ in any professional setting. In
2003, Biola launched a new vision to be a global center for Christian
thought and spiritual renewal, addressing the crucial cultural issues of
our day. For more information, visit www.biola.edu.
Contacts:
Marc Ladin
3n (National Notification Network)
(818) 230-9733 Email Contact
Rob Westervelt
Biola University
(562) 906-4546 Email Contact