ReleaseWire Connect

SonicWALL, Inc., the leading provider of intelligent network security and data protection solutions, announced the availability of WAN Acceleration in SonicOS 5.8.1, further enhancing the capabilities of the current SonicWALL Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) Series and introducing integrated support for the SonicWALL WAN Acceleration Appliance (WXA) Series. Today’s announcement underscores SonicWALL’s commitment to continued investment in its NGFW series and to providing its customers with a highly secure, accelerated and optimized network that drives business and employee efficiency.

Global Islamic finance sector currently estimated at 0.38 trillion Omani riyals; 24% annual growth expected

The Islamic finance industry is currently valued at AED3.65 trillion (US$1 trillion) worldwide, of which AED717 billion (US$210 billion) is invested in the Middle East. Following the royal decree by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said authorizing Sharia-compliant financial products in Oman, International Turnkey Solutions (ITS), a global leader in Islamic banking technology solutions successfully concluded its first 'Oman Islamic Banking Conference 2011,' attended by over 80 banking decision makers, Islamic banking experts and financial organizations.

The International Reciprocal Trade Organization (IRTA) estimates that trade occurring through reciprocal trade or barter companies has grown from AED30.3 billion in 2004 to AED44.1 billion in 2009/2010 . Approximately 100 reciprocal trade exchanges operate in Europe, the Middle East and Asia accounting for AED5.5 billion worth of trade. Corporate/hybrid exchange companies (in which there may be a cash/barter blend) account for a further AED7.3 billion worth of trade.

Al Rajhi Holding, a diversified business conglomerate with operations across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), secured and integrated its wide area network (WAN), using SonicWALL’s Network Security Appliance (NSA) series. The Group, with distributed server assets across various locations: Jeddah, Jubail, Dammam and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia; and Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah in the UAE, sought to gain enhanced returns on its technology investments by better controlling the cumbersome and expensive maintenance and upkeep of hardware and network infrastructure.

A recent report by Alpen Capital on the ‘Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Hospitality Industry’ revealed that the religious tourism sector in Saudi Arabia generated more than US$7 billion (AED25.70 billion) in 2009 from visitors to Muslim holy and pilgrimage sites, and projected visitor numbers to grow from over 12 million visitors in 2009 to 15 million visitors in 2013.

Reem Finance PJSC today announced the final deployment of its strategic Islamic banking solution, ETHIX financial solution. The web-service-based solution offers Islamic finance institutions a range of pre-defined business models including Islamic finance, Islamic investment as well as trading and delivery channels. Reem Finance signed a partnership agreement with International Turnkey Systems Group (ITS), the owner of the ETHIX financial solution. This agreement paved the way for the rapid deployment of the ETHIX solution at Reem Finance's headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

Mobile financial solutions provider Luup today outlined key success factors for building a seamless remittances ecosystem that enables migrants in the Middle East to easily transfer funds to challenging geographies such as Indonesia.

IIR ME Business Management Survey ranks vision as top concern, followed by structured management, KPIs and employee communications

Hotel retains 5-star category in SCTA’s new classification system