Keynote address: A Microsoft Perspective

Mark Cartwright, Head of Business Critical Computing, Microsoft

Management and security are key issues facing IT organisations and this brief presentation outlines how Microsoft is addressing these challenges, with particular reference to its Dynamic Systems Initiative.

Mark has spent 17 of his 21 years in IT working on VME. Starting as VME Systems Programmer he went on to become a Technical Support Manager and IT Director.  He was CTO for an internet hosting company before joining Microsoft UK where for the last 2 years he has been Head of Business Critical Computing.  He is a Founder member of the Microsoft Data Center Advisory Committee (1999)

Strategy Update  Neil Stevenson, Director, Core Services Division, Fujitsu Services

Neil Stevenson will be discussing and clarifying Fujitsu's VME strategy and roadmap. He will also be unveiling a number of new initiatives and developments that will be of significant interest to the VME customer base.

Neil Stevenson is a director of Fujitsu Services, Core Services Division, employing approximately 8,000 staff. His responsibilities include the supply of all infrastructure hardware, software and associated services. This includes the design, development and supply of VME servers and software. He is a non-executive director of Kainos, a software and services company specialising in eCRM and Meridio Holdings Ltd., a software company specialising in document and records management. Based in Manchester, he is a member of the North West Business Leadership Team.

Fujitsu Services Product and Services Update   John Popplewell, Distinguished Engineer, Fujitsu Services

The annual Conference session giving detail on evolving products and services.

John Popplewell is a senior architect working for Fujitsu Services’ High Performance unit in Manchester. He has many years of resolving VME performance problems at customer sites. He is a veteran of previous AXIS conferences.

TCP/IP in OVME4 and Beyond  Derek Harrison, Fujitsu Services

This presentation covers what was done, why it was done, how to do it and how to fix it if it goes wrong.

Derek Harrison is a VME Comms Specialist, and has been for the last 15-20 years, covering ICLC03, X25, OSI Protocols and now TCP/IP. In addition he supports the VME Comms Client 2000+ product and is also generally aware of Ethernet Switch technology. He is one of the few people in the company to have access to and make use of network and line monitors to perform end-to-end investigations of problems involving those protocols.

Practical experience of OpenVME  Ian Spence, Northern Rock plc

Northern Rock has been a Fujitsu customer since 1968. It has used VME as its Corporate Operating System since 1983. Today, Northern Rock remains committed to a platform that has taken it forward for over the last 20 years. Ian will speak about the Northern Rock mainframe infrastructure, recent upgrades to OpenVME 5, and the even more recent installation of two Nova 310-2000.

Ian Spence has worked at Northern Rock since 1983. Progressing from the position of Technical Analyst in Mainframe Technical Support to Senior Manager in charge of "Mainframe and Storage Management". He has contributed to many hardware and software installations and in 2001 was responsible for the establishment of Northern Rock's own disaster recovery centre.

Storage at the Crossroads Martin Warren , Business Manager, Automated Tape Solutions, StorageTek

Buying more enterprise is not economically sustainable – a situation which requires a new perspective on utilising the entire storage hierarchy to protect data according to its value and importance to the business. The presentation will also address current tactics to handle growth and complexity.

Martin Warren has extensive knowledge of the business landscape of the Client Server and Enterprise storage markets gained during many years working in the Storage industry.

Introduction to the Earth Centre

A representative from the Earth Centre will provide an outline of features of the Tour at the end of Conference.

VME Top Ten – most effective features and functions
Alan Frost, Miracle GA and Harold Cloutt, Chairman of AXiS

This will be both a serious and light-hearted assessment of what are considered to be the ten most valuable functions and features of VME.

Alan Frost is an experienced IT professional with a solid background in manufacturing and logistics systems. He has considerable experience in the management and marketing of software and systems organisations. His strong entrepreneurial talents are reflected in his current position as Chief Executive of the Miracle Group of Companies. His ability to create and develop successful software organisations has led him to become non-executive director of a number of IT companies. Previously he held senior positions at Panther Systems, Dennis Specialist Vehicles, Babcocks and American Express.

Harold Cloutt has a vast experience of VME having gained early exposure to VME/B at the 2900 architecture in the late 70's at DOE, Hastings. In recent years he has become an independent consultant involved with key projects at British Gas as it evolved into Centrica. He has for several years been involved with the management of AXiS through service on the Executive Committee, convenor of the Applications Development Focus Group, and more recently as our tireless Chairman. And in between times he indulges his interest in bee-keeping.

Competition Prizegiving

There will be at least one Competition based on the Conference and Exhibition with a significant prize to be awarded.

Guided Tour of the Earth Centre

A Tour by the Earth Centre ‘train’ which will last about 20 minutes to show the key features and activities of the Earth Centre.

Tuesday (27th April) Afternoon Events

Workshop: Web Services : Improving Accessibility
Lis Angle, RNIB Consultant

Lis Angle is both experienced in auditing websites for accessibility and in providing advice on how to design accessible sites. She has also given talks and run workshop sessions on accessibility to a range of audiences, most recently in a regional series of half day seminars on web accessibility run in conjunction with AbilityNet UK and Standard Life.

Workshop: Open Source
Malcolm Yates, SUSE Linux

Now a part of Novell, SUSE drove Linux into many markets, delivered new technology to customers around the world. Running on multiple hardware platforms, SUSE Linux has grown to be the leading Linux environment for business use.  If you know nothing of Linux and Open Source, then within the hour you will see why Linux is growing faster than any other operating environment.

Malcolm Yates has been with SUSE Linux for over four years, and before that was in the team that really started Linux on IBM's Netfinity Servers.

VME Masterclass
Margaret Leigh, Derek Harrison and John Popplewell, Fujitsu Services

It is a few years since the AXiS conference held a Masterclass. We are privileged to have three experts are on hand to discuss issues and answer your questions.

Margaret Leigh joined ICL in 1986 with fifteen years experience in designing and implementing applications software. Over the next 10 years, she was involved in the validation of most of the hardware and software products released by HPS, becoming the validation strategist for the Product Validation & Release group. She is now one of the Systems Architects responsible for the technical coherence of all products and services associated with OpenVME