Office Next - Working Redefined for the New Generation

Business needs are changing faster than imagination. But what is changing even faster than that is technology and office culture that gets business going. Yes! you got it right. We are talking of “Office Next”, the workplace that will rule the changing paradigm in the way businesses are done today. SHIPRA ARORA explains the various changes taking place in the new work environment.

According to nalini jolly, digital products are primarily sold on total cost of ownership basis as benefits provided can be matched with cost savings at the same time

'Work Smart' - is the mantra for the workplace of the future. The 21st century office is therefore the 'Office Next'. What better imbibes the very essence of smart working than technology. Technology has come to be identified as one of the major components of the concept of 21st century workplace and will continue to be the dominant characteristic marking the ‘Next Generation Office’ technologies like - PDAs, mobile desktops, wireless enabled notebooks, Multifunctional Devices (MFDs), mobile printers, large screen LCD Display panels, new age laser printers, smart phones and fax machines, high speed internet access and Wireless networks - are no longer mere status symbols. They have come to deliver all that an ‘Office Next’ stands for - efficiency, productivity and at the same time cost-effectiveness.

What is ‘Office Next’ ?

Your office is the window into your work ethics, business ethics, the seriousness of your commitment to the business and most importantly an insight into the health of your company. Off late, there has been a paradigm shift in the day-to-day working of an organisation. This paradigm shift essentially marks the transition from a conventional office to office next. It is essentially a mixture of various components that have come together to create a work environment that positively reflects on all these aspects mentioned through increasing the productivity, efficiency and comfort levels of the employees. According to Nalini Jolly, National Operation manager, Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd, "Digital revolution which is being brought about by office automation will make larger firms more efficient. The digital products are primarily sold on total cost of ownership basis as benefits provided can be related to cost savings at the same time related to enhacing the efficency & productivity in an organisation, all this put together will bring in benefits to larger firms." Toshiba calls its concept of the smart office, 'e Studio', wherein 'e' stands for 'easy', 'excellent', 'enjoy', 'efficiency', 'empower', 'express', 'excite' and 'Studio' stands for the 'place for creative work'.

Today the most immediate problems faced by users of office equipment are too many machines and the fact that the offices are not very conducive to communication as people usually work in cubicles which naturally isolates them from each other. According to Lakshmi Narayan Rao, Assistant Director, Marketing OSS Value, Canon India, the smart office will take care of all these problems with technology as the key enabler to simplify lives. Some of the basic characteristics of today's Office Next are the need to staying connected without being at the office and optimum utilisation of office space. "Adaptability, virtuality and multifunctionality will be the key characteristics of Offices of the Future," says Rao.

Technology is set to change office layouts and the way people work. Computers will get smaller, monitors will get thinner and cell phones and handsets will further reduce dependence on personal secretaries. As we go forward, offices will get more and more connected, and there will be a need for integrating multifarious communication forms into one common conduit. In the Smart Offices of today, technology will provide individuals with better desktop control, easy hardware upgrade and integrated document communication solutions. According to Rao, as technology continues to evolve in an endless cycle that will only accelerate and intensify, it is imperative that management thinking mirrors this change so that organisations effectively leverag these technology development to maximise employee and business productivity. In the future, as manual interaction between workgroups and customers decline, intelligent IT networks and communication hubs will become the information conduits for businesses and emerge as the critical link connecting organisations. According to Sanjay Dhuria, NEC Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, the Smart Office concept was developed for the sole purpose to offer expanded solutions to deliver the most efficient combination of hardware, software, and services and support the business needs for increased productivity, lower costs and greater protection. "In short it's how technology can make business more successful," he adds.

Technology Ingredients for Office Next

Technology is being used in varying degrees in offices today, ranging from some highly technology savvy workplaces (using wireless networks, Intelligent Building Management Solutions) to those which are moderately using technology for the simple business requirements like printing, scanning, emailing, etc.

Following are some of the technology ingredients that are going to be the most prominent in the 21st century workplace.

Personal Computers: Getting innovative

With increasing adoption of technology, PC's are omnipresent in most offices today. However, as Shuchi Sarkar, Head of Marketing - PSG Division, HP India Sales Pvt. Ltd, points out that in the office of the future, the PC's will be much more aesthetic looking with small and slim form factors, TFT screens, and colour coordinated accessories. Space saving will be essential in these smart offices.

Vendors like HCL, HP, IBM are now embedding convergence and other futuristic technologies into the design of desktops. HCL Infosystems has recently launched its Beanstalk Neo PC along with Microsoft and Intel. The PC is a true convergence product utilising Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Operating System and Intel's Hyper Threading (HT) technology. Priced at Rs. 99,990, HCL Beanstalk Neo is an integrated digital entertainment system which includes a LCD TV, DVD player, MP3 / CD player with a surround sound system, live radio television and it is wireless and broadband ready and comes with a remote control.

According to Shuchi sarkar, in the office of the future, the PC's will be much more aesthetic looking with small and slim form factors, TFT screens, and colour coordinated accessories

Some of the key technologies that vendors are focussing on include Hyper Threading, Gigabit NICs, Dual Channel Memory, security and manageability. In the commercial space, the pitch will be in the form of security, robustness and multiple levels of redundancy to ensure practically 100 percent availability. Offices are not taking decisions just based on price clock speed, memory or HDD size but have also started giving due consideration to factors like support, security, total cost of ownership (TCO), compatibility with existing infrastructure and future technologies and also compatibility with various access devices that they have. According to Sarkar, going forward software, manageability, security and after sales service will continue to be important along with wireless, options to enhance the utility of the PC and smaller form factors, ability to multitask at faster speeds etc. Offices will prefer PC's with enhanced security features (both hardware and software) and manageability.

HP is targeting its products for the offices across three broad categories: SMB, large corporates/government or global MNC's. In terms of verticals it is focussing on medical and healthcare, education. Continuing with the tradition of refreshing the business desktop line every 12-15 months, HP will unveil a new range in 2004, The desktops, HP 2000, 5000 and 7000 series will bring in a four-digit nomenclature as against the existing three-digit nomenclature of d220, d330 and d550 series. The Integrated Work Centre is the hottest launch that has been made in the desktop segment. Under its 'Smart Office' initiative targeted at the SMEs, HP has recently introduced the HP Compaq Business Desktop d240 microtower equipped with HT Technology, priced at Rs. 47,990 It is a full-featured desktop PC designed for SMEs looking for looking for value, dependability, HT performance in a desktop PC and at a low cost. The product is an extension of the HP Compaq Business Desktop d200 series. It comes with full multi-media capabilities delivering high quality audio and video to businesses. The HP Compaq d240 is available with the latest operating systems from Microsoft - Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home or Mandrake's Linux v9.2.

According to Sanjay dhuria, display products & solutions like Multimedia projectors; Plasma display; LCD desktop monitors & large LCD display are all essential components of a smart office.

Notebooks are hot

Notebook is another segment that is finding wider acceptance in the office space, especially for creating a mobile workforce. Providing the dual advantages of both mobility and computing, notebooks are becoming an essential component that a modern office cannot do without. This has, in fact, been one of the most vibrant segments within the PC space as vendors created a furore in the market with the launch of products in the sub - Rs. 50,000. Thereby, making it affordable for companies to equip even their middle level managers and sales staff with computing power while on the move. Vendors including HP, IBM, Toshiba, Acer launched notebooks in this category. Companies like Samsung and LG have also entered the Indian notebook market with their offerings for the premium segment. On the high-end side there is an increasing demand for WiFi enabled notebooks based on Intel Centrino processor in the office space.

Display Devices

According to R. MANIKANDAN,the key factor driving faster movement towards the next technology level is the rise in multimedia usage, coupled with the growing use of high bandwidth and graphic intensive applications, making monitors a hub of the convergence experience

Display products play a big role to share information and produce/ reproduce a total environment using audio, visual images, and environmental control. According to Dhuria, display products & solutions like Multimedia projectors; Plasma display; LCD desktop monitors & large LCD display are all essential components of a smart office.

With modern day audio/video conferencing, meetings have become fast, interactive and cost effective than they used to be earlier as the virtual meeting rooms of today omit the need for extensive business travel. This has helped in decreasing cost, make better utilisation of time & increase productivity. All internal circular / notice / memos / information can be put on a LCD / Plasma display in office with immediate reach to employees. Software like Panel director can help regulate the flow of information in large office set-up, which can be spread over multiple locations geographically. Dhuria points out that the same set-up can also be used for public information by organisation like banks/post offices; insurance companies; travel & tour operators & other organisation in direct public service domain.

a) TFT LCD Monitors

Monitors not only provide the actual PC experience but are also the most visible part of it. As a result, it holds a pride of place in the offices not only for their functionality but also for their visual appeal in the overall look of the office. This is driving the increasing proliferation of TFT LCD monitors in the workplace. There are a host of companies offering products in this segment for offices. These include Samsung, LG, HCL, Sharp, Philips and BenQ.

A TFT LCD screen not only adds to the aesthetic appeal of the workplace but also provides advantages in terms of better resolution, display qualities, etc. LCD is becoming the technology of choice particularly where applications requiring high-resolution colour display are involved. It also offers space saving features with a LCD occupying a footprint, which is less than half a CRT monitor of the same size. Apart from the advantages that LCD offers over CRT monitors another major factor driving the usage of LCDs is the declining prices. In fact, the prices of the entry-level LCD monitors have come into the sub-Rs. 20,000 category, making them more affordable. With the reducing price gap between a CRT and LCD organisations are now more inclined towards buying a LCD. Within the LCD range the 15" monitors are currently the most popular among these market segments. However, as the Average Sales Value (ASV) of the 17" LCDs continues to fall faster than that of 15" LCD the popularity of the former among the corporates is going to increase in the coming 1-2 years.

According to R. Manikandan, DGM, Sales & Marketing, IT Products, LG Electronics India, the key factor driving faster movement towards the next technology level is the rise in multimedia usage, coupled with the growing use of high bandwidth and graphic intensive applications, making monitors a hub of the convergence experience. The major technology trends that will govern the Indian market over the next few years will be flat screens, touch screens and wireless technologies along with the wider acceptance of upcoming display projection technologies like TFT LCD and Plasma displays. According to Manikandan, the upcoming technologies in display are monitors with Digital Inputs, Internet Ready Monitors, Tablet Monitors and Large Screen LCD Monitors.

Last year companies introduced some cutting edge technology products, which truly galvanised the Indian market. LG introduced 30" LCD monitors with cutting edge Light View technology and Colourific program. LG has a whole range of LCD monitors ranging from 15" to 30" LCD panels. On the technology front, LG has introduced leading edge technology in LCD monitors like colourific program and Light View technology. Two of the key LCD monitors models offered by LG electronics are - 20.1-inch LCD monitor (Model name: L2010P) and 30-inch LCD monitor (Model name: L3000A). These large-sized LCD monitors can input analog signals and can send digital signals from PC to monitor with DVI (Digital Video Interface), providing a high definition without any damage to data from PC. According to Manikandan, both the products allow users to freely adjust brightness and colour temperature according to their computing situations like day/night, photo, movie and text and making an optimum working condition possible.

On the other hand, Samsung has launched 15" to 25"

Convergence TV Monitors and Dual Hinge 152S and 172S monitors in the TFT LCD range. Carrying the series of innovative launches forward, Samsung has introduced its new 'Dali' range of TFT LCD monitors in 17" & 19" category in the Indian market. The 'Magic Stand' of the Dali PC Monitor allows the user to swivel, tilt and adjust the height as per convenience. With an innovative, button less, slim and narrow design, the Dali PC Monitor combines the best of performance and style. In fact, Samsung is the first in the industry to offer red and blue colour options in its TFT LCD monitors. With the introduction of the

According to RAVI AGGARWAL, HP’s entry in the projector space is a part of the company’s overall strategy to offer end to end solutions to meet the multifarious requirements of customers across all business categories

Dali series, Samsung has 14" TFT LCD monitors in its Display lineup.

b) Projectors

Projectors are becoming an integral part of the 21st century workplace. They are being used for providing information at reception/lobby area, meetings, conferences, training, and boardroom as well for employees' recreation. Companies like NEC, National Panasonic are coming out with innovative products for meeting the modern office requirements. A recent entrant into this market has been IT major, HP.

The company marked its entry into the Indian projector market with the introduction of its new range of digital projectors - the xp 8010. The xp 8010 projector is based on the Digital Light Projector technology with in-built state of the art management, security and networking features to ensure performance and minimal downtime. It also allows users to manage and make remote presentations- from anywhere to anyone on the network. It offers customer friendly features for quick installation and usage across a wide variety of environments. According to Ravi Aggarwal, Director HP-IPG said, "Our entry in the projector space is a part of the company's overall strategy to offer end to end solutions to meet the multifarious requirements of customers across all business categories." HP has a series of projectors for both the 'mobile user' and the 'conference room user'. The xp8010 is targeted at large corporates as the product allows users to collaborate with colleagues and clients anywhere on the network - with the help of WebEx, Net meeting or other web based collaborative tools that are compatible to the projector. xp8010 has been designed to address these needs. Priced at Rs 4,90,000, xp8010 comes with an innovative 3-position dual colour wheel projection technology that can be used in 3 modes of operation, i.e. graphics (for bright and colourful business graphic), video (for theatre-like colour saturation for video projection) and grayscale (for bright images). The features enable individuals to view presentations and life like video in a wide variety of environments and extreme lighting conditions.

According to MONINDER JAIN, one can see a trend whereby laser printers are slowly replacing the high- speed inkjet printers due to the obvious edge that laser printers have on print quality and print cost

NEC has also revolutionised projection technology with its WT600, which is being dubbed as the world's shortest throw distance projector by utilising NEC's patented lens-less mirror design. WT600 projector can project a 40" image at a mere 6.5 cms. distance from the screen and a 100" image at 26" away from the screen. In addition, the WT600 joins NEC's existing HT1000 as one of only two projectors available to feature a 3000:1 contrast ratio for incredible image quality with deep black detail. It also incorporates NEC's ImageExpress wired and wireless networking technologies for the ability to communicate from a PC to the projector through a wired LAN system using a 10 base or a wireless system via Wi-Fi 802.11b. The wireless option enables users to place their laptop anywhere in the room and switch between presentations on multiple laptops with just the touch of a button. In addition to NEC ImageExpress, the new WT600's networking capabilities allow users to perform online diagnostics by accessing the menu system for complete control of the projector from a remote location.

Printers

Printing has been one of the most vibrant and dynamic technologies being used in the office space. The product segment has undergone sea change with newer technologies emerging on the horizons. Vendors have been coming out with products that are specifically geared to meet the requirements of the 21st century workplace. Overall, the transition from Inkjets to Laser printers in the office space is gaining further momentum driven by the latter’s relative advantages in terms of factors like high quality printing, space saving, initial cost and running cost (toner). According to Moninder Jain, DGM, Value Products, Samsung India Electronics Ltd., small offices and professionals will all shift to the laser technology. One can see a trend whereby laser printers are slowly replacing the high speed inkjet printers due to the obvious edge that laser printers have on print quality and print cost. Factors such as narrowing price barrier between entry level and inkjet printers will further boost the market for laser printers.

Both print resolution and speed are on the upward spiral. Going ahead, remote printing and network printing are other technologies that will see greater adoption and demand from the office segment. The concepts of network printing, mobile printing and colour lasers are already gaining momentum.

Network printers have been in existence for quite some time now. However, the increasing emphasis on workplace productivity is driving the demand for network printing. According to Samir Shah, Country Category Manager, Shared Printing & Connectivity, Imaging & Printing Group, HP India, coming to the 21-30ppm and 31+ ppm categories (both network printer categories) the corporate buying is on rise. "The economic indicators are strong and the entire thing is looking positive. Companies are hiring and the moment they hire people they need more PCs. And the more they have the population of PCs in their environment they need printers." In the 21-30 ppm and the 31 + ppm categories, what the enterprises look at is the function. "When you choose a network printer its just not that you want a network printer and you buy it. You need to evaluate a whole lot of parameters like what's the network print volume, how many people are going to access this printer and so on and so forth. So, it's a bunch of a whole lot of parameters on the basis of which you decide," says Shah.

Xerox, in keeping with its plans to expand its presence in the fast growing 'Office' segment has launched new network laser printers. The new products launched by the company include the Phaser 3121, 3420 and 4500 (laser monochromes), priced at Rs 12, 800*, Rs 40,000 and Rs 90,000 respectively and the Phaser 6100, 7750 and 8400 (colour lasers) priced at Rs 75,000, Rs 4,75,000 and Rs 1,50,00 respectively.

Wireless printer is clearly one of the biggest innovations in recent times. This offers the printing functionality while on the move. Companies like HP, Canon and Samsung are offering some exciting products in this category. Canon's first Bluetooth mobile printer i80 is a Wireless photo printing for an executive on the go. Priced at Rs. 19,995 Canon i80 enables wireless printing via bluetooth and infrared from camera phones, PDAs or notebook computers. It can print a 4R photo in only 83 seconds. It prints pictures directly without using a PC from a wide range of Canon digital cameras and other brands of digital cameras that are PictBridge compatible. Samsung also offers WiFi enabled printers to the offices in India.

Another major trend in the Office space is 'Colour Printing'. There is a growing adoption of colour laser printers in today's offices. Vendors are aggressively promoting colour laser printers in the office segment. And their focus will get further intensified over the coming year. Companies at the forefront of this include HP, Canon, Xerox and Samsung. Factors like ease of use, quality of output and the recent trends of usage of business graphics in presentations are catalysing the growth of colour laser printers in the office segment. HP is driving down the message of cost effectiveness of in-house colour printing for short run prints rather than outsourcing to drive colour sales in the offices.

While till some time ago only large corporates were adopting colour lasers the price drops have now brought even the SMEs into the fold. Leading this are vendors like HP and Canon. Affordability factor is now driving the transition from monochrome laser printers to colour laser printers in the SME offices. According to Vibhor Bansal, Country Category Manager, Colour

According to VIBHOR BANSAL, with the prices of entry-level colour lasers falling, the mid and high end mono laser printers market is moving towards entry- level colour laser

Lasers and Business Inkjets, IPG, HP India, with the prices of entry level colour lasers falling, the mid and high end mono laser printers market is moving towards entry level colour laser. The entry level is the growth driver in the colour lasers. Apart from SMEs, which will be a big focus area, companies will continue to tap the large corporates and the print service provider segments with the mid to high end colour laser printer offerings.

Samsung has also recently announced its foray into the colour laser printer category in India with the launch of its CLP 500 series of Colour Laser Printers. The Colour Laser Printers from Samsung are available in three configurations - Entry level CLP500, Network CLP 550 N and Wireless CLP 550 W. The CLP 500 is one of the top performers in its category, capable of printing 5 colour pages per minute or 20 black and white pages per minute. With unique and innovative NO-NOIS™ Static Engine, it incorporates fewer moving parts for increased reliability, minimal disruption and less noise. The built in LCD status monitor, the quick toner change design, the one touch duplex printing and the high paper capacity of the Samsung CLP 500, make it an ideal choice for a demanding business environment.

Multi Functional Devices (MFDs)

According to LAKSHMI NARAYAN RAO, MFDs will transform themselves into communication hubs not only integrating printing, scanning, copying and fax functionalities but also e-mail, i-fax and virtual mailbox facilities

At a time when convergence of technologies is the buzzword whether it be in consumer electronics, or telecom, the office automation space is also not left behind. The emergence of MFDs has revolutionised the entire document management concept in the offices. Replacing multiple machines with one device is a sign of the times. The MFDs can be built around a fax machine or a copier or there can be high-end MFDs, which combine both copying and printing functions into a single unit. The prominent MFD vendors are Canon, Xerox, HP, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, Epson, Lexmark, Gestetner, etc.

By combining several devices into one, MFDs have not only resulted in tremendous cost savings but also better manageability, simplicity and improved efficiency. Having one machine instead of 4-5 different machines helps in saving a lot of space not to mention the ease of managing one machine as compared to many. According to the Gartner Group, by consolidating imaging and printing functions, businesses can save time, reduce supplies and lower maintenance costs by as much as 30 percent. Given these advantages MFDs are gaining maturity in the Indian market and becoming hot items especially for SMEs. According to Jolly, "Small businesses can invest in small digital MFDs which will lead to reduced costs and higher efficiency in their office. As these devices are modular in design various functions can be added on to these equipments which can lead to saving of office space and higher productivity can be added on they can compete with larger firms. Small businesses face problem of different devices taking up too much space and at the same time return on investment is low for separate devices. Our e-Studio range of digital equipment takes care of all these problems."

According to samir shah, more for less is the driving force behind all product innovations in today’s day and age

Even though the laser technology will continue to be very popular in the large and corporate segment, this year will witness a growing trend towards adoption into SMEs. A number of vendors have started pitching aggressively in this space in the last few months and this will further gain momentum in 2004. This includes the likes of HP, which is aggressively eyeing the SMB and the self-employed professionals' space. The affordability of laser MFDs is likely to increase further in the coming year allowing further penetration into the SMB space. According to Shah, "The challenge here is to make this technology more affordable. If we are to increase the penetration of laser MFDs one obvious thing is to make the technology more affordable."

According to Rao, MFDs will transform themselves into communication hubs not only integrating printing, scanning, copying and fax functionalities but also e-mail, i-fax and virtual mailbox facilities. In technology terms the laser MFD market is undergoing a transition from sheet-fed to flatbed technology. Another significant trend that is catching up in the office space is the demand for devices, which are capable of multi-tasking.

Choosing the right MFD can be a difficult task. There are endless devices with output speeds ranging anywhere from 110 ppm for high end to 6 ppm for personal units. The office has to arrive at the exact requirements taking into account both the present and the future scenario over the next 2-3 years before investing into a particular kind of MFD.

Here are some of the exciting products that have been recently launched by MFD vendors in the Indian market.

HP

HP has recently launched the 'next generation' HP Officejet 4255 with 5-in-one capability including a phone. The new HP OJ 4255 armed with printer, fax, scanner and copier and phone functionalities promises to be a single function killer. Priced at Rs 9,999 this ultra compact all-in-one with well integrated multifunction capabilities is a steal for any customer. It an entry level AIO, which integrates phone and versatile fax features to serve as a powerful communication centre at the desktop. It comes with a 33.6 built in modem offering upto 3sec per page fax transmission.

HP has also heralded a new era of imaging and printing convergence with the introduction of a new range of affordable and compact Mono Laser All-in-Ones targeted at the SMB /SOHO segment and workgroups in enterprises to achieve continued business growth. The new portfolio includes - HP LaserJet 3015, HP LaserJet 3020 HP LaserJet 3030 and HP LaserJet 3380. Tailored for productivity, performance and volume printing, the new range is priced as low as Rs19000/- onwards. Based on HP LaserJet platform the new offerings provide reliable and easy-to-use scanning, printing, copying and faxing. These devices are space saving and compact in design and can be set up in almost any environment.

According to Shah, "More for less is the driving force behind all product innovations in today's day and age. The new range of Mono laser all-in-Ones will enable cost sensitive businesses to reap benefits of consolidated workflows, reduced costs and increased productivity. This new range will enable us to also tap the stand alone fax and copier market in India."

Canon

The Star performer in Canon's Value Portfolio is the Canon imageRUNNER series. This definitive document imaging and delivery solutions product is the mainstay of Canon's value business and is capable of turning the dreams of a Digital Smart office into a reality. By using the revolutionary new Canon imageRUNNER architecture, you can print, copy, scan and send digital information anywhere in the world and control this information dissemination from a computer desktop. With advanced features like Universal Send (sanding documents to many destinations), Integration (open architecture enabling seamless integration), Modularity and Operational Concurrency (multitasking for enhanced productivity and excellent value), it is truly a futuristic way of communicating in today's business environment.

The company has recently launched its Canon MP 370, which is a PictBridge photo all-in-one. The Canon MP 390 offers 'photo-print-scan-copy-fax' for performance users and is the world's first PictBridge Photo AIO Printer with fax. Their new Photo Index sheet button allows the all-in-ones to print thumbnail indexes (contact sheets) from a memory card. It is also extremely easy to select and print photos from the memory card, as users only need to shade the appropriate circles. The MP 370 and MP 390 print photo at a high 4,800 dpi with its minute 2-picolitre ink droplets. Besides photo printing, these nifty AIOs can scan at a high 1,200 dpi. The MP 390 also copies and faxes a single-colour A4 document in 3 seconds. While the MP 370 is priced at Rs. 16,995, the MP 390 comes at Rs. 19,995.

Faxes: Still going strong

According to Prashant naik, wired networks are changing into wireless and for businesses wireless technologies means new ways to stay in touch with customers, suppliers and employees

The use of the fax machine to transmit images via telephone lines did not become common until the late 1980s, but the technology dates back to the nineteenth century. In 1843 in England, Alexander Bain (1818-1903) devised an apparatus comprising of two pens connected to two pendulums, which in turn were joined to a wire that was able to reproduce writing on an electrically conductive surface. That gave birth to the modern age fax machines, which are now used for communication of very crucial and critical business data whether it is a report or order form or even details of payments etc.

But for many years, facsimile machines remained cumbersome, expensive and difficult to operate, but in 1966 Xerox introduced the Magnafax Telecopier, a smaller, 46-pound (17 kg) facsimile machine that was easier to use and could be connected to any telephone line. Using this machine, a letter-sized document took about six minutes to transmit. In the late 1970s, Japanese companies entered the market, and soon a new generation of faster, smaller and more efficient fax machines became available. Now there are variety of fax machines available at the customer choice and there is a clear segregation between the home faxes and office faxes. These next generation office faxes themselves are multifunctional devices, performing great amount of office work and seamlessly connected even to the PC. Even though the multifunctional devices with fax function are giving tough time to the standalone fax devices, yet the innovation in technology of faxes show that this is not going to vanish in the near future.

Companies like Canon offer a full range of laser business fax machines fulfilling basic to more complex and higher volume faxing requirements. L240 is incredibly good value-buy for a stand-alone laser fax, whilst L280 (L295 - NEW) enhancing it with PC-printing capacity. L360 offers great value-for-money especially for mid-high volume users while L2000 allows for heavy-duty fax usage. The compact FAX-L220 handles all your office faxing needs fast at its 3 seconds per page Super G3 modem speed. A high memory capacity of 350 pages also ensures that the L220 will leave you more time to work with, and less worry that your faxes won't be stored if your run out of paper or ink. It works easily and efficiently. Canon's got something to show for its extensive experience in designing market-leading laser fax machines - consistently crisp, sharp and clear image quality. The L295 makes use of Canon's patented Ultra High Quality (UHQ) image processing system to deliver enhanced laser quality printouts in superior 600x600dpi resolution. And its Photo Mode captures and reproduces images accurately - down to the tiniest detail.

As we were discussing, Xerox was the inventor of the fax machines that we actually see now a days. Company has a broad range of office fax machines such as Xerox 7241, which is a feature rich thermal paper fax machine with automatic paper cutter, automatic document feeder and supports delayed transmission. It also has features like LCD display, hands free dialing and auto tel/fax switching which make usage easy and convenient. The delayed transmission feature enables you to automatically send messages at times when the long distance tariffs are lower.

Panasonic, for example, has Multi-Function Fax with PC Interface. It has features like USB and Parallel interface capabilities, allowing you to print images from, and scan images to your PC. The program is compatible with Windows 95®, 98®, 2000®, ME®, and XP®. The company also has Panasonic KX-FLB756 Flatbed, Multi-Function, Laser Fax Machine with 150 Sheets Paper Tray Capacity (LTR/LGL), Up to 36.6 kbps High Speed Fax Modem, Multifunction Operation, with PC Scan and PC Print USB/Parallel/PC Interface, OCR Software - Full Version of Read-Iris Pro 5.5 etc.

Wired is old, Wireless is hot

Wireless features among the top trends in the future office. The smart office is flexible and that flexibility of mobility is provided by the wireless technology. To ease business and enhance productivity, enterprises are now turning to the wireless technology, which is now gaining a stronger foothold in offices.

According to Prashant Naik, Product Engineer, Lanner Electronics India Ltd, the wired networks are changing into wireless and for businesses wireless technologies means new ways to stay in touch with customers, suppliers and employees. In near future wired structure or cables will be outdated. Wireless networks are now becoming widely deployed and today's 802.11 wireless technology promises to open up exciting new possibilities. Wireless network will make offices free of all wire obstacles likes cable losses, laying of cables, maintenance of cables, etc. Wireless network will give more speed and easy accessibility to users.

The shift towards WiFi began over the last one a half years with the delicensing of 802.11b being the inflection point. Intel's launch of the Centrino processor, which has integrated wireless onto the chipset gave momentum to the adoption. Now, with the proliferation of hotspots as well wireless is bound to grow faster and find wider acceptability in the enterprise. Though WiFi has brought wireless technology into the spotlight it is not the only option for wireless computing. There are options like Infrared also available. Business travellers also using a notebook's Infrared (IR) port to connect to a cellphone and use the phone as a modem to get mail or connect to a corporate VPN. Bluetooth is another wireless technology option that offices are looking at aggressively. It is a cutting-edge open specification that enables short-range wireless connections between desktop and notebook computers, handhelds, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, camera phones, printers, digital cameras, headsets, keyboards and even a computer mouse. Bluetooth wireless technology uses a globally available frequency band (2.4GHz) for worldwide compatibility

The new technology trends in wireless are towards addressing the speed and security concerns. The future of wireless lies in faster, more reliable methods of transferring data and also to a lesser extent, increased use of voice commands and audio improvements.

DLink is now working closely with Atheros to develop chipsets that will extend the range of a WLAN network and still be interoperable and compatible with traditional 802.11b and 802.11g networks. This will provide a much wider reach. Cisco is also focussing heavily on Wireless, which it proclaims to be one of the hottest technologies of the time.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) & Smart Phones

PDAs are fast becoming the technology of choice for corporates. PDAs are carving out a significant utility for themselves in corporate and government circles. Third-party software development companies are offering customised, task-based software applications that turn the PDA into a useful enterprise tool. The bulk of enterprise customers are using PDAs for collecting data on the field and Sales Force Automation (SFA). Sales departments of FMCG and insurance companies are heavy users of PDAs, as they are constantly on the move. Sales personnel can use PDAs to collect data from customers and then directly synchronise it to the CRM application on their desktop PCs when they get back from their sales calls.

PalmOne is a strong player in the corporate market. It has a range of offerings for the enterprise market, ranging from the entry-level Zire, M500 and Zire 71 to the high-end Tungsten E. The focus for PalmOne is on banking and insurance, pharma, courier agencies and FMCG companies during the year. Some of the other key players in the fray are Casio, HP's iPaq, etc. Casio has recently launched its new Pocket Viewer, PV-S1600, which has synchronisation with Microsoft Outlook 97 / 98 / 2000 / 2002. After installing the bundled PIM software on the PC one can synchronise PIM data in an instant using PC-sync. One can also synchronise a single unit PV unit with several PCs under the new MSC (Multiple Sync Capability) technology. The PV-S1600 also provides Pocket Sheet for Microsoft Excel 97 / 2000 / 2002 to give access to basic spreadsheet capabilities while on the go.

Mobile phones, with smarter and more sophisticated features to match the lifestyle of today's tough office demands, are finding their way into the pockets of professionals. Phones with large colour screens, built in camera, visually pleasing keypad designs,(contact sheets) from a memory card. It is also extremely easy to select and print photos from the memory card, as users only need to shade the appropriate circles. The MP 370 and MP 390 print photo at a high 4,800 dpi with its minute 2-picolitre ink droplets. Besides photo printing, these nifty AIOs can scan at a high 1,200 dpi. The MP 390 also copies and faxes a single-colour A4 document in 3 seconds. While the MP 370 is priced at Rs. 16,995, the MP 390 comes at Rs. 19,995.

Faxes: Still going strong

The use of the fax machine to transmit images via telephone lines did not become common until the late 1980s, but the technology dates back to the nineteenth century. In 1843 in England, Alexander Bain (1818-1903) devised an apparatus comprising of two pens connected to two pendulums, which in turn were joined to a wire that was able to reproduce writing on an electrically conductive surface. That gave birth to the modern age fax machines, which are now used for communication of very crucial and critical business data whether it is a report or order form or even details of payments etc.

But for many years, facsimile machines remained cumbersome, expensive and difficult to operate, but in 1966 Xerox introduced the Magnafax Telecopier, a smaller, 46-pound (17 kg) facsimile machine that was easier to use and could be connected to any telephone line. Using this machine, a letter-sized document took about six minutes to transmit. In the late 1970s, Japanese companies entered the market, and soon a new generation of faster, smaller and more efficient fax machines became available. Now there are variety of fax machines available at the customer choice and there is a clear segregation between the home faxes and office faxes. These next generation office faxes themselves are multifunctional devices, performing great amount of office work and seamlessly connected even to the PC. Even though the multifunctional devices with fax function are giving tough time to the standalone fax devices, yet the innovation in technology of faxes show that this is not going to vanish in the near future.

Companies like Canon offer a full range of laser business fax machines fulfilling basic to more complex and higher volume faxing requirements. L240 is incredibly good value-buy for a stand-alone laser fax, whilst L280 (L295 - NEW) enhancing it with PC-printing capacity. L360 offers great value-for-money especially for mid-high volume users while L2000 allows for heavy-duty fax usage. The compact FAX-L220 handles all your office faxing needs fast at its 3 seconds per page Super G3 modem speed. A high memory capacity of 350 pages also ensures that the L220 will leave you more time to work with, and less worry that your faxes won't be stored if your run out of paper or ink. It works easily and efficiently. Canon's got something to show for its extensive experience in designing market-leading laser fax machines - consistently crisp, sharp and clear image quality. The L295 makes use of Canon's patented Ultra High Quality (UHQ) image processing system to deliver enhanced laser quality printouts in superior 600x600dpi resolution. And its Photo Mode captures and reproduces images accurately - down to the tiniest detail.

As we were discussing, Xerox was the inventor of the fax machines that we actually see now a days. Company has a broad range of office fax machines such as Xerox 7241, which is a feature rich thermal paper fax machine with automatic paper cutter, automatic document feeder and supports delayed transmission. It also has features like LCD display, hands free dialing and auto tel/fax switching which make usage easy and convenient. The delayed transmission feature enables you to automatically send messages at times when the long distance tariffs are lower.

Panasonic, for example, has Multi-Function Fax with PC Interface. It has features like USB and Parallel interface capabilities, allowing you to print images from, and scan images to your PC. The program is compatible with Windows 95®, 98®, 2000®, ME®, and XP®. The company also has Panasonic KX-FLB756 Flatbed, Multi-Function, Laser Fax Machine with 150 Sheets Paper Tray Capacity (LTR/LGL), Up to 36.6 kbps High Speed Fax Modem, Multifunction Operation, with PC Scan and PC Print USB/Parallel/PC Interface, OCR Software - Full Version of Read-Iris Pro 5.5 etc.

Wired is old, Wireless is hot

Wireless features among the top trends in the future office. The smart office is flexible and that flexibility of mobility is provided by the wireless technology. To ease business and enhance productivity, enterprises are now turning to the wireless technology, which is now gaining a stronger foothold in offices.

According to Prashant Naik, Product Engineer, Lanner Electronics India Ltd, the wired networks are changing into wireless and for businesses wireless technologies means new ways to stay in touch with customers, suppliers and employees. In near future wired structure or cables will be outdated. Wireless networks are now becoming widely deployed and today's 802.11 wireless technology promises to open up exciting new possibilities. Wireless network will make offices free of all wire obstacles likes cable losses, laying of cables, maintenance of cables, etc. Wireless network will give more speed and easy accessibility to users.

The shift towards WiFi began over the last one a half years with the delicensing of 802.11b being the inflection point. Intel's launch of the Centrino processor, which has integrated wireless onto the chipset gave momentum to the adoption. Now, with the proliferation of hotspots as well wireless is bound to grow faster and find wider acceptability in the enterprise. Though WiFi has brought wireless technology into the spotlight it is not the only option for wireless computing. There are options like Infrared also available. Business travellers also using a notebook's Infrared (IR) port to connect to a cellphone and use the phone as a modem to get mail or connect to a corporate VPN. Bluetooth is another wireless technology option that offices are looking at aggressively. It is a cutting-edge open specification that enables short-range wireless connections between desktop and notebook computers, handhelds, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, camera phones, printers, digital cameras, headsets, keyboards and even a computer mouse. Bluetooth wireless technology uses a globally available frequency band (2.4GHz) for worldwide compatibility

The new technology trends in wireless are towards addressing the speed and security concerns. The future of wireless lies in faster, more reliable methods of transferring data and also to a lesser extent, increased use of voice commands and audio improvements.

DLink is now working closely with Atheros to develop chipsets that will extend the range of a WLAN network and still be interoperable and compatible with traditional 802.11b and 802.11g networks. This will provide a much wider reach. Cisco is also focussing heavily on Wireless, which it proclaims to be one of the hottest technologies of the time.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) & Smart Phones

PDAs are fast becoming the technology of choice for corporates. PDAs are carving out a significant utility for themselves in corporate and government circles. Third-party software development companies are offering customised, task-based software applications that turn the PDA into a useful enterprise tool. The bulk of enterprise customers are using PDAs for collecting data on the field and Sales Force Automation (SFA). Sales departments of FMCG and insurance companies are heavy users of PDAs, as they are constantly on the move. Sales personnel can use PDAs to collect data from customers and then directly synchronise it to the CRM application on their desktop PCs when they get back from their sales calls.

PalmOne is a strong player in the corporate market. It has a range of offerings for the enterprise market, ranging from the entry-level Zire, M500 and Zire 71 to the high-end Tungsten E. The focus for PalmOne is on banking and insurance, pharma, courier agencies and FMCG companies during the year. Some of the other key players in the fray are Casio, HP's iPaq, etc. Casio has recently launched its new Pocket Viewer, PV-S1600, which has synchronisation with Microsoft Outlook 97 / 98 / 2000 / 2002. After installing the bundled PIM software on the PC one can synchronise PIM data in an instant using PC-sync. One can also synchronise a single unit PV unit with several PCs under the new MSC (Multiple Sync Capability) technology. The PV-S1600 also provides Pocket Sheet for Microsoft Excel 97 / 2000 / 2002 to give access to basic spreadsheet capabilities while on the go.

Mobile phones, with smarter and more sophisticated features to match the lifestyle of today's tough office demands, are finding their way into the pockets of professionals. Phones with large colour screens, built in camera, visually pleasing keypad designs,

wireless access, multimedia playback to name just a few smart features are on offer by various vendors. The smart phones are finding their early adopters in the top management ranks due to their prestige value. However, these phones will gradually percolate down to the middle management with the kind of functional advantages that they have to offer over the regular phones. Already entry level phones with organiser like features like appointment reminders and calendars are becoming popular with the professionals with their competitive pricing that goes easy on the pockets. These are helpful to maintain daily schedules and keep track of meetings.

According to deepak sharma, trends in Smart offices are moving towards minimising space requirements for supporting equipment, offering remote controls and remote monitoring

Here are some of the upcoming models from Nokia. The Nokia 7700 has space age design. One can explore their favorite themes and enjoy new multimedia sensations. It has a large 65k colour screen with intuitive graphic interface. One can shoot videos and stills. It also has MS Office. The Nokia 6225 CDMA is a perfect blend of the latest technology with a sleek and sophisticated design. Capture precious moments with the integrated VGA Camera and share them via MMS1. Use the WAP 2.0 browser for up-to-the-minute infotainment and you'll enjoy a more colourful and richer surfing experience. Other features to keep you on top of the game are the PC Suite3 synchronization software, integrated FM Radio and a minefield of downloadable JavaTM, 4 games and business applications to jazz up and personalize your phone.

Another smart phone from Sony Ericsson is the Z600 mobile phone for QuickShare™ imaging, messaging and gaming. The Z600 come with exchangeable front and back covers and also features an integrated camera and colour screen. The Z600 is a true QuickShare product, featuring a built-in camera, bright 65,536 colour TFD display and a range of easy-to-use imaging applications. It is also possible to exchange pictures from the Z600 directly over a Bluetooth connection, or even drag and drop pictures to a PC.

The Multi-Action keypad allows for simultaneous key-presses, to for instance move and shoot at the same time. The Z600 has easy-to-use imaging capabilities.

Some of the smart phones are also packing in the functionalities of a PDA to become smart office enablers. This has led to the emergence of converged devices - phone cum PDA. Leading the pack in this segment of the market are Nokia, Sony Ericcson and Motorola. Nokia has Communicator. Sony Ericsson has recently unveiled the P900, a multimedia smartphone. Building on P800, P900 is smaller, faster, simpler and more flexible than ever before with significant upgrades like video recording capability, 65K colour touch screen, and increased memory. Priced at Rs. 40,000, it is a high-quality camera phone, provides a good gaming experience and also provides full PDA/organiser functions. The wide range of applications available for download turn the P900 into a device that can do much more than making voice calls. Palm is also planning to announce its new product Tungsten W (a mobile with a PDA application) is being announced in H1 2004.

Another emergence in the league of smart phones is the IP phone. These are gaining ground in the offices with companies like Cisco and Avaya heavily pushing them into the office segment. It is emerging as the new age communication device and will gradually replace the conventional phone devices. This is likely to revolutionise the work and communication processes within organisations.

Office still runs on KTS/PBX

Often referred to as just KTS, a key telephone system is a premises telephone system that is best known by the phones that have buttons for calling inside an organisation and for placing calls outside through the public telephone network. A key telephone system is in the same category as a PBX (private branch exchange), except that key systems rely on the telephone company switching equipment, while PBXs rely on a central control unit located at the customer site. In other words, with a key system, the dial tone is generated at the telephone company central office.

National Panasonic is clearly the leader in the KTS business with a lion's share in the Indian KTS/PBX market. Accord, Siemenrs and some more companies also have strong presence in the KTS market here. Panasonic's range of office equipment has been designed to enable end-users to carry out their operations effortlessly. For instance, the Key Telephone Instruments (KTI) make deskwork very easy with features such as JOG-Dial for quick access to Call Directory and a host of user-friendly system features. The Panasonic Key Telephone Systems are very affordable with facilities such as call routing, automated attendant, group distribution message transfers and computer connectivity. Other features such as toll restriction also help to cut costs.

Power Protection

In today's competitive environment, businesses are becoming more service oriented and are trying to provide customers with fast and efficient service on a 24x7 basis. As customers demand 24x7 services and support, businesses can no longer afford a downtime. However, considering the state of power availability in the country, businesses are now looking at reliable power protection solutions from a strategic viewpoint. Even a minor glitch can result in major revenue losses. The demand is especially high in the IT, Telecom & BPO sectors, the high-end UPS segment is poised to reap maximum benefit. The power protection strategies of a smart office go beyond just providing protection against power outages.

According to Deepak Sharma, Managing Director, Powerware India, new trends in smart offices are moving towards minimising space requirements for supporting equipments, offering remote controls and remote monitoring. Towards that direction servers in the smart offices are being provided in racks supported by Rack Mount UPS. This trend is expected to catch up in the Indian Subcontinent in the coming months. Remote Monitoring and Control through dedicated hardware or through the Network Management System will become a definite requirement for the UPS systems. Other Control Equipment viz. Access Control Systems, Fire Alarm System also need to be monitored centrally and Remote Management Systems for UPS will have features to monitor the same. The Three Phase UPS has also seen new technologies being introduced with the transformerless design becoming a standard in the US and European markets upto 100 KVA. Powerware has been in the forefront of introducing this technology in India and this feature is expected to be a standard in India also.

A new power protection trend keeping in mind the future offices is the paralleling technology that provides complete coverage to your critical loads. Powerware's Hot Sync technology enables two or more UPSs to work in parallel so that should one module fail, the others continue carrying the load with no interruption or downtime.

Powerware 9305 UPS is specifically designed to protect computers and other critical equipment in today's centralized server rooms and industrial automation applications from the nine most common power problems. The PW 9305 can protect a variety of servers and communication devices located in a single room or limited area, which results in cost savings in power protection. It provides a typical backup time of 5-30 minutes, which is extendable upto several hours. It provides Input Voltage Range to take care of Indian power conditions. It eliminates system-level single point-of-failure with Powerware's patented paralleling technology, Hot Sync. It has one of the smallest footprint in the market to save floor space. It provides Lansafe shutdown software bundled in the Software Suite and SNMP/Web monitoring capability for the IT environment On the other hand the Powerware 9120 UPS provides maximum power quality and backup power protection in the 700 - 6000 VA range and is the ideal power management solution for networks, Web servers and telecommunications equipment. Some of the smart features are that it quickly collects information on UPS status, power usage, battery backup time, and other critical parameters with an intuitive LCD screen. It also uses the DSP Technology (Digital Signal Processing) which is highly reliable and efficient and enables faster response times of UPS to less than 1 millisecond

With reference to the modern office a product of special interest from Emerson Network Power India (ENPI) is UPStation GXT 2U. A recent launch from the company, the GXT 2U UPS offers a dual option of rack or tower mounting. A unique feature of this UPS is that it provides the flexibility in installation as a space-saving rack-mounted unit or a space-saving, free standing tower. A fine blend of aesthetics & design, the GXT 2U takes the outstanding features and unmatched reliability of ENPI's current online offerings and puts them into compact 2U size cabinets. Ideal for the 21st Century Workplace, it has a very sleek and elegant look and is designed with the features needed to protect mission-critical equipment from a variety of power problems, with built in surge suppressors. As an on-line UPS, GXT 2U includes power factor correction, internal batteries, frequency conversion capability, unlimited external battery connectability and internal automatic / manual bypass

capabilities. wireless access, multimedia playback to name just a few smart features are on offer by various vendors. The smart phones are finding their early adopters in the top management ranks due to their prestige value. However, these phones will gradually percolate down to the middle management with the kind of functional advantages that they have to offer over the regular phones. Already entry level phones with organiser like features like appointment reminders and calendars are becoming popular with the professionals with their competitive pricing that goes easy on the pockets. These are helpful to maintain daily schedules and keep track of meetings.

Here are some of the upcoming models from Nokia. The Nokia 7700 has space age design. One can explore their favorite themes and enjoy new multimedia sensations. It has a large 65k colour screen with intuitive graphic interface. One can shoot videos and stills. It also has MS Office. The Nokia 6225 CDMA is a perfect blend of the latest technology with a sleek and sophisticated design. Capture precious moments with the integrated VGA Camera and share them via MMS1. Use the WAP 2.0 browser for up-to-the-minute infotainment and you'll enjoy a more colourful and richer surfing experience. Other features to keep you on top of the game are the PC Suite3 synchronization software, integrated FM Radio and a minefield of downloadable JavaTM, 4 games and business applications to jazz up and personalize your phone.

Another smart phone from Sony Ericsson is the Z600 mobile phone for QuickShare™ imaging, messaging and gaming. The Z600 come with exchangeable front and back covers and also features an integrated camera and colour screen. The Z600 is a true QuickShare product, featuring a built-in camera, bright 65,536 colour TFD display and a range of easy-to-use imaging applications. It is also possible to exchange pictures from the Z600 directly over a Bluetooth connection, or even drag and drop pictures to a PC.

The Multi-Action keypad allows for simultaneous key-presses, to for instance move and shoot at the same time. The Z600 has easy-to-use imaging capabilities.

Some of the smart phones are also packing in the functionalities of a PDA to become smart office enablers. This has led to the emergence of converged devices - phone cum PDA. Leading the pack in this segment of the market are Nokia, Sony Ericcson and Motorola. Nokia has Communicator. Sony Ericsson has recently unveiled the P900, a multimedia smartphone. Building on P800, P900 is smaller, faster, simpler and more flexible than ever before with significant upgrades like video recording capability, 65K colour touch screen, and increased memory. Priced at Rs. 40,000, it is a high-quality camera phone, provides a good gaming experience and also provides full PDA/organiser functions. The wide range of applications available for download turn the P900 into a device that can do much more than making voice calls. Palm is also planning to announce its new product Tungsten W (a mobile with a PDA application) is being announced in H1 2004.

Another emergence in the league of smart phones is the IP phone. These are gaining ground in the offices with companies like Cisco and Avaya heavily pushing them into the office segment. It is emerging as the new age communication device and will gradually replace the conventional phone devices. This is likely to revolutionise the work and communication processes within organisations.

Office still runs on KTS/PBX

Often referred to as just KTS, a key telephone system is a premises telephone system that is best known by the phones that have buttons for calling inside an organisation and for placing calls outside through the public telephone network. A key telephone system is in the same category as a PBX (private branch exchange), except that key systems rely on the telephone company switching equipment, while PBXs rely on a central control unit located at the customer site. In other words, with a key system, the dial tone is generated at the telephone company central office.

National Panasonic is clearly the leader in the KTS business with a lion's share in the Indian KTS/PBX market. Accord, Siemenrs and some more companies also have strong presence in the KTS market here. Panasonic's range of office equipment has been designed to enable end-users to carry out their operations effortlessly. For instance, the Key Telephone Instruments (KTI) make deskwork very easy with features such as JOG-Dial for quick access to Call Directory and a host of user-friendly system features. The Panasonic Key Telephone Systems are very affordable with facilities such as call routing, automated attendant, group distribution message transfers and computer connectivity. Other features such as toll restriction also help to cut costs.

Power Protection

In today's competitive environment, businesses are becoming more service oriented and are trying to provide customers with fast and efficient service on a 24x7 basis. As customers demand 24x7 services and support, businesses can no longer afford a downtime. However, considering the state of power availability in the country, businesses are now looking at reliable power protection solutions from a strategic viewpoint. Even a minor glitch can result in major revenue losses. The demand is especially high in the IT, Telecom & BPO sectors, the high-end UPS segment is poised to reap maximum benefit. The power protection strategies of a smart office go beyond just providing protection against power outages.

According to Deepak Sharma, Managing Director, Powerware India, new trends in smart offices are moving towards minimising space requirements for supporting equipments, offering remote controls and remote monitoring. Towards that direction servers in the smart offices are being provided in racks supported by Rack Mount UPS. This trend is expected to catch up in the Indian Subcontinent in the coming months. Remote Monitoring and Control through dedicated hardware or through the Network Management System will become a definite requirement for the UPS systems. Other Control Equipment viz. Access Control Systems, Fire Alarm System also need to be monitored centrally and Remote Management Systems for UPS will have features to monitor the same. The Three Phase UPS has also seen new technologies being introduced with the transformerless design becoming a standard in the US and European markets upto 100 KVA. Powerware has been in the forefront of introducing this technology in India and this feature is expected to be a standard in India also.

A new power protection trend keeping in mind the future offices is the paralleling technology that provides complete coverage to your critical loads. Powerware's Hot Sync technology enables two or more UPSs to work in parallel so that should one module fail, the others continue carrying the load with no interruption or downtime.

Powerware 9305 UPS is specifically designed to protect computers and other critical equipment in today's centralized server rooms and industrial automation applications from the nine most common power problems. The PW 9305 can protect a variety of servers and communication devices located in a single room or limited area, which results in cost savings in power protection. It provides a typical backup time of 5-30 minutes, which is extendable upto several hours. It provides Input Voltage Range to take care of Indian power conditions. It eliminates system-level single point-of-failure with Powerware's patented paralleling technology, Hot Sync. It has one of the smallest footprint in the market to save floor space. It provides Lansafe shutdown software bundled in the Software Suite and SNMP/Web monitoring capability for the IT environment On the other hand the Powerware 9120 UPS provides maximum power quality and backup power protection in the 700 - 6000 VA range and is the ideal power management solution for networks, Web servers and telecommunications equipment. Some of the smart features are that it quickly collects information on UPS status, power usage, battery backup time, and other critical parameters with an intuitive LCD screen. It also uses the DSP Technology (Digital Signal Processing) which is highly reliable and efficient and enables faster response times of UPS to less than 1 millisecond

With reference to the modern office a product of special interest from Emerson Network Power India (ENPI) is UPStation GXT 2U. A recent launch from the company, the GXT 2U UPS offers a dual option of rack or tower mounting. A unique feature of this UPS is that it provides the flexibility in installation as a space-saving rack-mounted unit or a space-saving, free standing tower. A fine blend of aesthetics & design, the GXT 2U takes the outstanding features and unmatched reliability of ENPI's current online offerings and puts them into compact 2U size cabinets. Ideal for the 21st Century Workplace, it has a very sleek and elegant look and is designed with the features needed to protect mission-critical equipment from a variety of power problems, with built in surge suppressors. As an on-line UPS, GXT 2U includes power factor correction, internal batteries, frequency conversion capability, unlimited external battery connectability and internal automatic / manual bypass capabilities.