Bank Aljazira has deployed Peribit Networks Peribit Sequence Reducer products to improve application performance on its wide area network (WAN) in more than 16 locations throughout the Kingdom. This has led to a reduction in network traffic of over 75 percent.

Bank Aljazira is taking advantage of the Peribit Networks PeribSphere architecture and specifically, using Molecular Sequence Reduction (MSR) technology and Packet Flow Acceleration (PFA). Bank Aljazira has installed Peribit SR-50 and SR-20 sequence reducers across all branches of the bank network.

“Upgrading the WAN and increasing speed was not an option due to time constraints, higher costs and availability in certain locations,” said Abdel-Karrem Friehat, division manager-technology, Bank Aljazira. “Being a key player in the growing regional financial sector, we needed a faster, more cost effective solution. Having tested Peribit comprehensively and achieving great results on MSR and PFA, our decision was straightforward. The ease of use of the technology provided by Peribit and its comprehensive PeriSphere architecture is what sealed the deal for us.”

He added, “By deploying Peribit technology, we’ve vastly improved our key services including ‘Tadawul,’ our centrally located equities trading application. The reduced data levels coupled with the added bonus of latency reduction has greatly enhanced our service which provides real time pricing information, market news and other market data that aids stock trading to our valued customers.”

Peribit Networks’ Packet Flow Acceleration (PFA) technology, an important component of the solution has helped the bank overcome the impact of latency on TCP-based applications, which is especially important when dealing with remote sites connected via satellite-based WAN links such as the bank’s branches.

“Easy installation, unsurpassed performance and real time monitoring and reporting are just some of the advantages that have driven leading organizations in the region to deploy our sequence reducers,” said Shane Buckley, president, international, Peribit Networks. “The success of the Bank Aljazira deployment is a key example of Peribit delivering on its promise of providing quick, painless network performance solutions with a rapid return on investment.”

Latest BenQ Strategy

BenQ has completed a three-city roadshow tour in the Kingdom to brief its partners on the company’s latest products and technology, as part of its continued investment in the Middle East’s most important market.

Over 350 authorized BenQ dealers from across Saudi Arabia attended the seminars in Jeddah, Riyadh and Alkhobar. BenQ’s Middle East GM Manish Bakshi addressed representatives on the company’s recent product launches, as well as its strategic plans for the country.

“Information sharing is vital in order to ensure both consumers are kept up-to-date, and partners feel they are an integral part of the vendor’s focus,” said Saleh Ali Al-Sagri, chairman and CEO, Safari Electronics, a BenQ partner in Saudi Arabia. “Events such as this allows us access to key regional decision-makers, and helps to drive our business further.”

Senior executives at the company have reported strong sales in Saudi Arabia, with consumer sales outstripping those of the corporate sector for the first time.

“Consumers in Saudi Arabia are extremely knowledgeable about today’s latest technological developments,” said Tabrez Ahmed, BenQ’s country sales manager for Saudi Arabia. “The Kingdom is the region’s most important business market, because of its size and demand for leading edge technology.”

The three-city roadshow tour was conducted in cooperation with BenQ’s distributors in Saudi Arabia. During the event, Ayman H. Akel, general manager, Rodana Digital, BenQ’s distributor for projectors in the Kingdom, was awarded for his efforts in helping to establish BenQ as the No. 2 projector vendor in the country.

Visa Projects $150bn in Sales

Visa International expects 2004 global e-commerce sales volume to exceed $150 billion by the end of the year, a 56 percent increase over volume of $96 billion a year ago.

“Consumers are increasingly confident about the Internet as a global retail channel, particularly as services like Verified by Visa make online shopping safer,” said Tim Lee, VP, global e-commerce, Visa International. “A secure foundation coupled with increased demand for specialized products not offered in local markets continues to drive cross-border transaction volume growth, just 10 years after the first Internet transaction took place.”

Cross-border transactions now represent 16 percent of all Visa e-commerce transactions, up from 15.2 percent a year ago. Other global Visa e-commerce highlights include:

* Average e-commerce transaction value at $107 versus $70 in the physical card acceptance environment;

• Online sales represent 7.4 percent of all transaction volume, up from 5.5 percent a year ago;

• Online Visa sales originate in over 90 countries, purchased with Visa cards issued in over 150 countries worldwide.

“We believe that consumer confidence comes from an increased familiarity with the channel and the improved security available for online shoppers,” remarked Lee. “With cardholder authentication using Verified by Visa, virtually all fraud-related chargebacks have been eliminated.”