Symyx Launches Hosted Informatics Software

Symyx Technologies, Inc. has announced the launch of hosted informatics software to researchers working in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemical industries and academia. The new hosted offerings, to be accessed via a software-as-a-service business model, will combine Symyx software with data archiving capabilities in a secure, state-of-the-art data hosting and communications facility.

The hosted informatics environment will enable more R&D organisations to benefit from scientific software by reducing the requirements for information technology (IT) infrastructure and resources, lowering total cost of ownership and accelerating ELN deployment.

Initially, Symyx Notebook is being made available as a hosted electronic lab notebook (ELN) service enabling medicinal chemists, synthetic chemists and biologists to manage, explore, share and reuse experimental information and intellectual property (IP). Using a hosted ELN service, R&D organisations can deploy and leverage the electronic notebook quickly and efficiently without added IT infrastructure and resources while collaborating more effectively with partners in today's information-driven R&D environment.

"In response to customer needs and market and economic pressures, Symyx will offer a range of hosted software solutions to drive R&D innovation and productivity," said Dr. Trevor Heritage, president of Symyx's software business unit. "In a time of tight budgets and increased outsourcing, we're working closely with customers to build a secure, hosted informatics hub that satisfies IP capture requirements, improves collaboration and reduces costs. Symyx's hosted ELN service is an important milestone in the evolution of an informatics environment that enables more scientists across the globe to benefit from research software previously not supportable within their organisations."

In developing the hosted ELN service, Symyx is leveraging the company's extensive operational experience with the DiscoveryGate® content platform. DiscoveryGate has been delivering hosted scientific information from millions of publications to hundreds of companies worldwide for over seven years. This unique software hosting experience positions Symyx to manage compound registration, inventory, work request and ELN systems successfully in a secure hosted environment.

The hosted informatics infrastructure provided by Symyx will be supported by Switch Communications Group L.L.C., an industry-leading information storage and protection specialist. Switch provides highly secure, mission-critical interconnectivity and disaster-avoidance colocation services within S+S redundant, 100 percent guaranteed reliable, Tier 4+-designed facilities. The secure Switch facility where Symyx will host the ELN service is compliant with SAS 70, Type II auditing standards and specifications supporting industry-standard disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Third-party offsite data backup, archiving and recovery services will also be provided.

The standard hosted ELN service includes all installation, configuration, software and hardware maintenance and data back-ups for a fixed yearly fee.