RackForce announced today that it now offers enterprise grade backup service for its hosted server customers by utilizing IBM Tivoli Storage Manager in line with Storage Area Networks and LTO4 tape systems.

RackForce’s General Manager Randall Robinson explained, “Hosting infrastructure providers are in the business of providing reliability but our industry has not typically provided backup solutions capable of supporting the fast growing online web sites and applications. We knew we could not stay status quo on this and decided after much research and planning that the award winning Tivoli backup solution was the answer.”

Many enterprise products like IBM Tivoli have traditionally not been available to the small to medium size business. Now that larger hosting infrastructure providers have the economies of scale to attract vendors like IBM they can provide the technology as a service and make it affordable for everyone. Now solutions providers, ISVs and hosting companies can provide first class backup for their customers.

“Tivoli is a system administrator’s dream. With the RackForce implementation our reseller customers will be able to store up to 14 versions per month of backup to RackForce’s SAN and LTO4 tape systems. They will have access to a Graphical User Interface and will be able to customize which data is backed up. Even live databases can be backed up and long-term data archived. This is exactly what today’s online business needs to keep constantly changing data safe and secure,” stated James Bothe, System Administrator for RackForce.

RackForce will begin providing its Tivoli backup service on its 5000, 5100, 5300 and 5350 Server models with Windows or Linux Operating Systems and DDS Windows Virtual Private Servers. It will be affordably priced on a monthly flat rate plus overages. For more information please go to the below website.

About RackForce Networks Inc.

RackForce is one of the fastest growing Hosting Service Providers in North America. From its three data centers the company provides 24/7 dedicated servers, virtual private servers and collocation services to a growing world-wide customer base. Due to its unique location in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada it has access to redundant hydro power feeds, a well educated employee pool and excellent world-class carrier networks.

Vancouver BC, October 10, 2007 —

The BC Technology Industry Association, the largest technology association representing 2100 member companies across BC, today announced that Pascal Spothelfer has been appointed as the new President and CEO.

Pascal, who was born and raised in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 1994, has held a number of senior management roles across several industries both in Europe and Canada. Most recently, he was President and CEO at Spectrum Signal Processing, a Vancouver-based provider of advanced wireless communication systems which was recently purchased by Vecima Networks.

Prior to Spectrum, Pascal was the Senior Vice-President, Strategic Development at Teekay Shipping (Canada) Ltd and from 1994 to 1998, served as the Chief Operating Officer and later President and CEO of NovAtel Inc., a high tech company specialized in global positioning systems. Before moving to Canada Pascal was involved first as a management consultant with The Boston Consulting Group and then as a member of the executive team in the turnaround of Jenoptik AG in Germany.

"Pascal brings to BCTIA a great combination of broad senior management experience, strategic thinking and intellectual horsepower to help the TIA drive an agenda aimed at building a stronger, more dynamic and more robust technology industry in British Columbia. Pascal’s experience as a tech industry CEO in BC also gives him a deep understanding of the demands faced by technology businesses across the province and will allow him to be a very effective advocate for our industry," said Jonathan Wilkinson, Chair of the BCTIA Board of Directors.

Pascal Spothelfer holds a Master of Law and a PhD in law from the University of Basel, Switzerland and a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in Fontainebleau in France.

Pascal joins the BCTIA on November 13th, replacing outgoing President and CEO, Rob Cruickshank.Â

In conjunction with National Technology Week Nov 5-9th, KAST and The Greater Trail Skills Centre are pleased to announce the KOOTENAY CONTRAPTION CONTEST.

Open to grades 5-12

If you looked into the future at 2030 what do see, what do you think we will need?

Design a new technology “thing a ma jig”, “what ya ma call it” or “widjit” and win cool prizes.

Your contraption must:
• Do something
• Solve a problem
• Address a need

All submissions must include a description and operating instructions; however it does NOT have to actually work.

This is a conception design contest and submissions can be via:
• Computer graphics
• Video
• Photos
• Drawings

Submissions should include:
1 page description (text) of your contraption as well as all drawings, photos,
Name, Age, School

Guidelines:
kastportal.ca/kast/fileadmin/kast/Events/kootenay-contraption-contest-guidelines.pdf

Entry Form:
kastportal.ca/kast/fileadmin/kast/Events/entry-form.pdf

Contest Deadline: Oct 29, winners announced Nov 9th

Please forward submissions via email or snail mail to:

Kootenay Association for Science & Technology
Box 119
Rossland, BC V0G 1Y0 or
Email: info@kast.com

The objective of the ICSD Program is to support excellence in research, technology development and commercialization projects of interest to both parties. Supported projects are expected to:

benefit both British Columbia and China;

build productive alliances between British Columbian and Chinese researchers, technology developers, companies and organizations;

provide mutual access to strategically-focussed, leading-edge research, technology development and commercialization opportunities; and

draw on the complementary strengths of British Columbia and China to the mutual benefit of both jurisdictions.
Complete details of the ICSD Program including the program guidelines and application form may be found on the BC Innovation Council's website (click here).

Details of the Chinese portion of the ICSD Program may be found on the People's Republic of China's Ministry of Science and Technology website at www.most.cn.

For further information contact:
Office of International Partnerships
BC Innovation Council
(604) 438-2752
1-800-665-7222 (Toll Free)

OIP@bcinnovationcouncil.com

Over $33 million is being made available to our community as well as all other BC communities affected by the widespread pine beetle infestation. And yes, the Kootenays have been affected.

Western Economic Diversification Canada is helping the government invest the money for projects that support economic growth, job creation and future sustainability through a program called Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI).

Interested parties first fill out an Expression of Interest, which will be ranked according to assessment criteria. CFDC of Central Kootenay will provide outreach and information on CEDI and the application process, including coaching and mentoring for those in our region needing assistance with the Expression of Interest.

Community Futures Central Kootenay helps pine beetle impacted communities access funding.

Local organizations and entrepreneurs with questions about the federal government’s Mountain Pine Beetle Program – Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI) can now turn to Community Futures Central Kootenay for answers.

Western Economic Diversification Canada has launched a Request for Expressions of Interest, the first stage of the application process for CEDI. The deadline for initial Expressions of Interest is October 19, 2007.

The Community Economic Diversification Initiative is an important component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program. It is a two-year federal contribution program aimed at helping to diversify the economic foundation of forest-dependent communities and contribute to their long-term stability.

“We are very excited about this new initiative,” said Paul Wiest, General Manager of Community Futures Central Kootenay. “We hope it can help address the economic challenges that are arising due to the impact of the mountain pine beetle.”

Western Economic Diversification Canada will deliver the initiative on behalf of the federal government. Working with Community Futures Development Corporations of BC and other key stakeholders, the Department will invest over $33 million in projects that support economic growth, job creation and future sustainability of communities adversely affected by the widespread beetle infestation.

Community Futures Central Kootenay will provide outreach and information on CEDI and the application process including coaching and mentoring for those clients in our region who require assistance with their Expression of Interest.

The Request for Expressions of Interest is the first stage of the CEDI application process. Western Economic Diversification Canada will review each Expression of Interest and rank it according to pre-established assessment criteria. For more information on eligibility, application deadlines and how to submit an Expression of Interest, please review the completion guide available at: www.wd.gc.ca

For more information on eligibility, application deadlines and how to submit an Expression of Interest, contact Lisa Cannady at CFDC Central Kootenay at 250-352-1933 x113.

The deadline for initial Expressions of Interest is October 19, 2007.

Please accept this request for your assistance and participation in the 2007 TechTalentBC Labour Requirements Study. TechTalentBC is an initiative of the British Columbia Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) in partnership with VIATeC, the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC), the Province of British Columbia, Western Economic Diversification Canada, and several other regional and sector-specific industry associations.

By better understanding the technical skills required by BC companies, the BCTIA, ourselves, and our other industry partners can better guide government and academia on the types of talent we need to grow, attract and retain in BC.

Please click link below to take the survey or cut and paste the following link into your web browser to complete the study.

For your convenience, a paper copy of the survey can be downloaded from www.bctia.org/TechTalentBC and the completed survey faxed to 1-888-869-8963.

The study will take approximately 10 minutes to complete (less for smaller companies and sole entrepreneurs). We ask that you please complete the survey by Friday, Oct 12, 2007.

This study is intended to be completed by a senior individual with knowledge of your company's existing headcount, labour mix, and future labour requirements. If you are not the correct person in your organization, we ask that you please direct this project to their attention.

The study follows the successful 2006 study that identified the need for over 9000 skilled knowledge workers over the past year. Beyond the skilled labour requirements, the 2007 study will also seek to better understand a number of labour-related business practices including:

Academic Engagement
Local and international recruitment activities
Use of non-traditional labour forces
Training

PRIVACY AND SECURITY
All information collected will be strictly confidential and not used for any purposes other than reporting aggregate labour trend statistics. Specific company data will not be shared publicly or with industry partners or stakeholders. A report summarizing the aggregate results is expected to be released to the public in early November.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this valuable initiative, please visit www.bctia.org/Techtalentbc or contact Cindy Pearson at the BCTIA at cpearson@bctia.org or 604-602-5234.

Thank you for your assistance in helping to build a strong knowledge-based economy in BC.

Links:
www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=784913

MEDIA RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2007

BRITISH COLUMBIA – Matthew Watson, CEO of BC Innovation Council, is pleased to announce Eric Cormier of Nelson and Danielle Lalonde of Trail, as winners of the annual Paul and Helen Trussell Science & Technology Scholarships. Valued at $20,000, winners receive $5,000 per year for the last two undergraduate years of study and $5,000 per year for the first two graduate years of study. To be eligible, students must be entering their penultimate (second to last) undergraduate year of a science program at a British Columbia or Alberta university or university-college.

"Congratulations to Eric and Danielle for their outstanding achievements," said Mr. Watson, CEO, BC Innovation Council. "Their accomplishments exemplify the tremendous potential that rests in young British Columbians across our province. It is critical that we continue to support programs like the Trussell Scholarship to encourage the development of a vibrant knowledge-based economy in British Columbia."

"The Trussell scholarship will allow me to pursue my academic goals at the post graduate level," said Mr. Cormier who developed an insatiable curiosity for why things happen at an early age. "I am fascinated by the applications of mathematics to solve real life problems and I look forward to pursuing a career in this discipline. This scholarship will allow me to develop the understanding and creativity necessary to make a strong contribution to applied research." Mr. Cormier is an Honours student at UVIC and plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Mathematics and Engineering.

"Even as a child, I knew that I wanted to have a career in the sciences," said Ms. Lalonde, who at UBC, discovered a strong passion for vertebrate biology and ecology, prompting ideas of a future career as a biologist/ecologist. "I hope to work as a conservation ecologist in British Columbia, to ensure the place that has taught me so much about biology can do the same for others in the future."

The Trussell Science Student Endowment Fund was established with an endowment of $100,000 from Dr. and Mrs. Trussell, with matched funding from the Province of British Columbia and a contribution from the Vancouver Foundation. Administered by BC Innovation Council, the scholarship was created to support promising students studying natural or applied sciences who are from the Kootenay-Boundary area of British Columbia. The scholarship will assist students in pursuing careers necessary for British Columbia and Canada to remain competitive in the global high-technology sector.

BRITISH COLUMBIA – Mr. Hector MacKay-Dunn, QC, Chair of BC Innovation Council, is pleased to announce five outstanding British Columbians as winners of the 2007 BC Innovation Council Awards.

"BC Innovation Council is pleased to honour these outstanding individuals for their significant contributions toward making British Columbia a world-leader in research and innovation. I congratulate these innovation forerunners as they serve to inspire and promote excellence to all British Columbians," said Mr. MacKay-Dunn.

"Congratulations to the winners of the 2007 BC Innovation Council Awards," said Mr. Matthew Watson, CEO, BC Innovation Council. "The accomplishments of these exceptional innovation leaders demonstrate the amazing successes being realized within British Columbia's knowledge based economy."

The winners will be formally recognized at the 2007 BC Innovation Council Awards Dinner on Monday, October 22nd at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

THE 2007 AWARD WINNERS ARE:

BC SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner, Dr. Julio Montaner, Professor of Medicine and Chair of AIDS Research at UBC; Director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Director of the HIV/AIDS Research Program at St. Paul's Hospital, has revolutionized the care for patients with HIV/AIDS in British Columbia and throughout the world. His numerous important discoveries concerning drug therapy have significantly altered the model of management for the disease. BC Innovation Council awards Dr. Montaner the 2007 BC Science & Technology Champion of the Year Award for his leadership in HIV/AIDS clinical work and research, both nationally and internationally.

This award recognizes a BC resident who has made an outstanding contribution towards the promotion and development of British Columbia science or technology.

CHAIRMAN'S AWARD FOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Throughout his 30 year career, winner, Dr. Michael Isaacson, Dean of Applied Science and Professor of Civil Engineering at UBC, has been active in teaching, research, university administration and professional service. For his continued contributions to the advancement of British Columbia's scientific and engineering communities, BC Innovation Council awards Dr. Isaacson the 2007 Chairman's Award for Career Achievement.

This award recognizes an individual who has made an important and sustained contribution to innovative science or technology throughout his or her career.

EVE SAVORY AWARD FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Winner, Mr. Bryan Tisdall, President and CEO of Science World, has made an important contribution to science and technology education in British Columbia by exposing children to science and technology at an early, impressionable age. BC Innovation Council awards Mr. Tisdall the 2007 Eve Savory Award for Science Communication for promoting public interest in science and technology by presenting science in a fun and creative way.

This award recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional achievement in describing or organizing activities that explain the potential innovation impact of science and technology to the public.

FRONTIERS IN RESEARCH AWARD
With his innovative PC-TRIADD: The Prostate Centre's Translational Initiative for Accelerated Discovery and Development, winner,
Dr. Martin Gleave, Director of the Prostate Centre at VGH, has successfully created a program which translates advances in molecular biology into knowledge and tools with clinical utility for the treatment of prostate cancer. For his enormous strides in the fight against prostate cancer, BC Innovation Council awards Dr. Gleave the 2007 Frontiers in Research Award.

This award recognizes an individual or small team whose innovative research contributions have led to major new advances in scientific or technological knowledge.

YOUNG INNOVATOR AWARD
Winner, Dr. Dugan O'Neil, Assistant Professor of Physics at SFU, has brought worldwide attention to British Columbia through his leadership of SFU's high-energy particle physics research group that recently detected an elusive subatomic particle which has been sought for over a decade: the single top quark. For breaking new ground in the field of particle physics, BC Innovation Council awards Dr. O'Neil the 2007 Young Innovator Award.

This award recognizes an individual the age of 35 and under who has made a significant contribution to developing innovative science or technology, and has played a main role in the development of a new innovation or research breakthrough.

Widely considered to be at the top of their fields, the winners of these prestigious awards are selected by prominent representatives from industry and academia by way of a comprehensive nomination and decision process.

Tickets to the Awards Dinner may be purchased online at www.bcinnovationcouncil.com/awards/tickets.php or by calling (604) 438-2752.

Nora Young is a writer, broadcaster with a special interest intechnology, trends, and emerging culture. Her work is found ontelevision, in print, on the web, and on public radio. You can hearNora's columns on CBC Radio afternoon shows, on TV on CBC Newsworld,and in her Podcast, The Sniffer, with Cathi Bond. Nora is currentlycreating a documentary series on robots for CBC Radio's IDEAS, and isdeveloping a new series on technology and culture for CBC Radio.

You can catch Nora Wednesdays at 11:30 on CBC.

Castlegar: Selkirk College

Selkirk College President Marilyn Luscombe and MP for BC Southern Interior Alex Atamanenko jointly announced approval of funding of up to $158,487.76 for the creation of a new program in Renewable Energy Technology within the School of Renewable Resources at Selkirk College. The funding is provided as a contribution through the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education, which is administered by Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

Much of the money is earmarked for Canadian students, to offset the cost of traveling to partner schools in North America to complete part of their studies at one of five other participating post-secondary institutions.

Two post-secondary institutions from each country '” Mexico, the United States and Canada '” have formed an international consortium that will apply for funding through the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education. In response to an annual call for proposals, the partners in each country will be expected to submit a jointly prepared project proposal to their respective country'™s funding agencies for approval by an international joint committee with representation from each of the three countries'™ governments.

Selkirk College is the Canadian lead partner in the consortium to establish a North American Renewable Energy Technology program. The other partners are the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles in Gaspé, Québec, the Universidad Tecnólogica de Tabasco and the Universidad Tecnologica de Tulancingo in Mexico, Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California, and Turtle Mountain Community College in Belcourt, North Dakota. Selkirk College selected its partners based on their programs, geographic location, cultural diversity, unique renewable energy resources and their interest this project.

President Marilyn Luscombe said that there are layers of value to this funding. "Most important are the benefits to Selkirk College students. Selkirk students will have an opportunity to travel across North America and study at a time when internationalization is being acknowledged as essential to career success. Furthermore, many studies point to the demand for skilled people to work in the rapidly emerging renewable energy sector. Selkirk College plans to take a leadership role in providing that training. Within Selkirk College's value statements are commitments to lead and to demonstrate environmental responsibility. Moreover, with our improved understanding of global climatic change, a shift to renewable energy systems is fundamental. Finally, Selkirk College's greatest strength is its human resources, and there are a number of talented, knowledgeable faculty and support staff committed to and capable of ensuring the success of this project."

MP for BC Southern Interior Alex Atamanenko repeated his praise for Selkirk College and its tenacity in pursuing support through the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education. "This is an exceptionally prestigious opportunity, and it represents North American recognition of Selkirk College's vision and environmental leadership. Renewable energy gives a competitive advantage to our local industry, creates employment and adds value to the Canadian economy. It's exciting to imagine what the future holds locally, nationally and internationally, in terms of geothermal systems, solar thermal heating, solar photovoltaic electricity, small hydro development and wind and tidal energy. This is the approach that will make the earth a healthier, safer place for us, our children and our grandchildren. Renewable energy is where Canada's jobs of tomorrow will be found. I'm delighted that Selkirk College is leading," said Atamanenko.
First published on 12/4/2006