With an increasing number of organizations automating their business processes, there has been a growing need for these companies to test the efficiency of their software and IT systems. More than often, they prefer to engage the services of an independent testing and quality management company, to get an unbiased appraisal. As an entrepreneur, I realized the potential of the testing market and set up AppLabs in 2001, to capture the exciting and tremendous business opportunity that ‘testing’ provided. And since then, AppLabs has been growing significantly.

Performance issues are traditionally difficult to identify prior to live operation of a new system but, when detected after launch, often involve costly remedial work. By using advanced testing services and tools, one can undertake realistic proving of the new systems in the development stages and provide important feedback to ensure problems are rectified at an earlier stage.

AppLabs provided a detailed improvement roadmap, and recommended for, implementing a process to ensure adherence to a new Release Management Process; implementing the use of code coverage tools and objective based integration testing for delivering quality software to the validation teams; and identifying appropriate tests for automation.

There is a strong need for performance measurement framework that can prevent the above potential mishaps. A Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) is an essential part of any test-outsourcing project. ‘5P’ performance measurement framework is introduced to establish accountability on both the sides (Client and Vendor), jointly manage and achieve a win-win situation.

Even in the wake of the credit crunch, as the world braces itself in anticipation of a global economic slowdown, India, it would seem, is sitting pretty. Lauded as being one of the BRIC nations, the name of the group of nations set to become the next G8, India has enjoyed exponential economic growth in the last eight years.

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is all about Architectural paradigm (pattern/model), variety of heterogeneous systems (dissimilar), different locations and owners, and web services. SOA helps reduces expensive integration, allows for more asset reuse, increases business agility and most importantly reduces business risk.

The present economic downturn and the alarming global warming have mandated the consumers to choose companies with a greener image, intending to address both the issues.

Algorithms are used to detect trading opportunities within the market. It is, ‘placing a buy or sell order of a defined quantity into a quantitative model that automatically generates the timing and size of orders based on the goals specified by the parameters and constraints of an algorithm”.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are amongst the most strategic decisions that are taken in the corporate world. The directors of companies that engage in the M&A arena must ensure that they take all practical steps to ensure that shareholder value is at least preserved, and are ideally enhanced by the M&A process.

BASEL II is a very comprehensive and complex document, which will have a large impact on systems in many cases. The new Accord will enable some firms to use their own internal risk-management methodology to calculate the capital they require as opposed to a prescribed regulatory calculation.