Tech show adds vertical view

Next year's CeBit will include specialist areas focusing on open source and supply chain solutions.

The announcement is the first step in attempting to provide more vertically focused exhibition areas, according to CeBit Australia sales manager, Robert Thorne.

Local organisations including Linux Australia, Open Source Industry Australia, and the Australian Unix and Open Systems Users Group will spearhead the effort in the newly announced Open Source Parc.

This will feature a dedicated vendor demonstration area for open source-based solutions and an entire day of technical seminars.

On the supply chain side, CeBit has signed local non-profit organisation GS1 - formerly EAN - to coordinate a range of solutions providers and lead discussions around supply chain standards and technologies.

"We have done research and found that people are looking for more value-add from the shows," Thorne said. "Providing this vertical focus is a long-term strategy to keep doing that."

As previously reported in ARN, vendors such as HP, IBM, Cisco, Intel, AMD, Dell, Oracle, SAP and Symantec were absent from this year's event.

But Thorne dismissed any suggestions that an increased focus on industry bodies was a reflection of dwindling major vendor attendance.

"We don't know everything so we've always had industry bodies present to lead the way," he said. "Not everyone focuses on the top-end vendors."

While 600 vendors exhibited this year, Thorne predicted that number would reach 700 in 2006.

In addition to open source and supply chain management solutions, CeBit would also focus on wireless and R&D as emerging areas of opportunity, he said.