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Reliable Sources - News Archive DoI Awards Google $35m Email Contract By admin | Filed in Reliable Sources - News The US Interior Department has announced that it is awarding Google and Onix Networking the USD 35 million contracts to consolidate the agency's email and collaboration systems, changing its first decision that favored Microsoft's Office 365.   "Implementing a Department-wide, cloud-based email system that helps modernize the ways we do business while cutting costs is good government, plain and simple," said Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior.   The agency's move of consolidating its IT operations aims to reduce deficit and save as much as USD 500 million by 2020.   This new deal aims to migrate the Interior's 90,000 mailboxes from various instances of Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and other programs on collaboration and messaging on to Google's cloud services.   DOI's deal with Google requires features such as calendar, email, task management and archiving. In addition, the agency also needs an online suite of Sites web design tool, document productivity programs and video/audio chat tools along with mobile services of Google.   The contract was actually given to Onix Networking, Google's partner, with a 60-day period to demonstrate its various security and technology capabilities.   Being a government contract, it wouldn't be as easy as moving mailboxes; Google and Onix Networking still has to prove that they can meet the agency's objectives for regulatory compliance and information assurance. Norton Scientific Journal reported that the winning bid's contract covers the first stage of the project costing USD 17, 248 and the overall project cost of USD 34.8 million over the next 7 years. After the requirements for an integrated suite of tools were met by Onix and Google, DOI will begin migrating over 90,000 staff mailboxes from its 7 on-site email systems on to the cloud, a process that is expected t

R Chowdareddy, Srinivaspur, June 3, 2012, DHNS: Focus on quality at the Hopcoms purchase centre in Srinivaspur Close on the heels of the setting up of mango purchase centre by Hopcoms, the growers in the taluk have adopted scientific methods to harvest the produce. Acting on a direction from the High Court of Karnataka to provide market facilities for mango growers, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee has set up a mango purchase centre at its yard in the town. The guidelines governing the purchase of the produce emphasise on quality of the fruit. Hitherto, the growers used to harvest the crop unscientifically and poor quality of the produce reflected on the price it fetched in the market. As the area under mango cultivation expanded, the farmers began to pluck the semi-ripened fruit and bring them to the market. The semi-ripened mangoes perished at the earliest, even by the time they were transported to the market and consequently, the traders rejected such fruits during purchase. Huge quantity of mango was wasted this way, to the detriment of the growers. With the framing of guidelines for purchase of mangoes at the newly-set up purchase centres, the growers have taken to scientific methods of harvesting the 'King of Fruits.' The horticultural produce is now being plucked with the help of a basket, which prevents the mangoes from falling to the ground from a height. Earlier, the semi-ripened mangoes were made to fall from the free by hitting them repeatedly with a pole. The mangoes which hit the earth from a height damage and perish easily. Attention is also now being paid on the ripening stage of the mango. While it is comparatively easy to adopt scientific method of harvesting in a small-size farm, the task is an arduous one in large holdings. Acute shortage of labourers is a major problem faced during harvesting. The demand for workers goes up sharply during the harvest season. The growers are finding it difficult to get workers even if they offer