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Gulf Business Machines hardware solutions power Oman Cement Company IT augmentation project

Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, 29 November 2011: Gulf Business Machines (GBM), the region's leading IT solutions and service provider, recently completed the implementation of hardware solutions to augment the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure at the Oman Cement Company . GBM has installed state-of-the-art IBM Power™ Systems servers that will support the deployment of the Company's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution.

The new infrastructure uses IBM Power™ Systems 550 servers running the IBM i Operating System (formerly known as i5/OS®). The combination will offer Oman Cement Company a highly scalable and resilient architecture with a proven reputation for exceptional business resiliency. The Company will also have the choice of running IBM AIX or Linux-based software, offering greater flexibility in the future. The chosen hardware will provide servers, storage and an integrated operating system for production and disaster recovery (DR).

"The Oman Cement Company is a strategic component of our country's drive for self reliance. As a result it is important that our supporting infrastructure is in a position to maximize efficiencies and minimize downtime and our decision to invest in boosting our IT infrastructure reflects that," said Jamal Shamis Al-Hooti, CEO, Oman Cement Company . "For a project of such critical importance, we were well aware that selecting the right solution would ensure success. Our decision to work with Gulf Business Machines was based on its extensive track record and its ability to provide top-of-the-line solutions."

"Our upgraded IT infrastructure will allow us to run our business in a more effective manner, ensuring reliability, efficiency and complete scalability of our systems," added Saleh Sultan Al-Rashdi, Manager IT, Oman Cement . "The combination of GBM's expertise and IBM's hardware and software solutions has contributed to the tremendous success of this project. As we complete this first phase we look forward to further enhancing our IT infrastructure."

Power Systems provide servers and software that are the foundation for enterprise infrastructure that can help businesses, such as Oman Cement Company , manage rapid change, reduce business risk, and meet higher service levels - all in the most cost-effective manner. In addition, Oman Cement also selected the IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for this project to be the backup solution to allow for flawless continuity of services.

"We are positive that this project will go a long way in helping the Oman Cement Company overcome challenges in demanding business environments. The infrastructure will also act as a tool to boost productivity and operational efficiency," said Olivier Mouries, Country General Manager, GBM Oman. "With our pool of knowledgeable engineers, GBM is always committed to provide best-in-class solutions and technologies to its customers and partners."

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About Gulf Business Machines (GBM)
Founded in 1990, Gulf Business Machines (GBM) is the leading IT solutions provider in the region fulfilling the IT requirements of local, regional and international organisations in the GCC.

A spin-off from IBM, GBM is the sole distributor for IBM- excluding selected IBM products and services -throughout the GCC, except for Saudi Arabia. GBM's momentum was further enhanced in 1999, when the team secured the Cisco portfolio. Today GBM holds the highest level of recognition in the region from Cisco, Gold Partner status, in addition to the Cisco Learning Partner status.

GBM offers an extensive range of IT infrastructure, IT solutions and services ranging from consulting, resource deployment and integration to after-sales support, through 1000 professional and over 20 solid strategic partnerships forged with internationally-recognised IT solution providers.

GBM was ISO 9002:1994 certified in 1999 and received in January 2010 the ISO 9001:2008 certification.

The company has offices in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah), Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. GBM also has established a presence in Pakistan, where the company now operates three offices, one each in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore as an IBM Premium Partner. The Pakistani operation also holds a Silver Partner Status from Cisco.

For more information please visit www.gbm4ibm.com

About Oman Cement
Since 1983, Oman Cement Company has symbolized Oman's drive for self-reliance in core industries. The company has given new strength to the construction industry, consolidated the nation's efforts for infrastructure development and created resources to achieve self-sufficiency. With a manufacturing facility operating on world class ISO 9001 certified quality management system and ISO 14001 for environment, our products meet global standards in performance and quality and reflect OCC's enduring commitment to customer satisfaction and a stronger foundation for tomorrow.

Further information is available at www.omancement.com

© Press Release 2011