Best Of Interop 2011 FinalistsBest Of Interop 2011 Finalists

For more than a decade, one of the highlights of the Interop show in Las Vegas has been Best of Interop. This annual competition shines a light on the very best that IT vendors have to offer and recognizes the progress and ingenuity of the companies that make IT systems run.

The Best of Interop winners will be announced on Tuesday, May 10 during Interop Las Vegas, happening May 8-12, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

"The Best of Interop Awards celebrate the spirit of innovation in the business technology market. Each finalist has demonstrated their commitment to the industry through their advancements in leading-edge technologies," said Art Wittmann, vice president and director, information Analytics. "We applaud all participating companies and are excited to announce the Best of Interop winners onsite at Interop Las Vegas."

The eight category areas that Best of Interop finalists were selected for include:

-- Cloud Computing & Virtualization

-- Collaboration

-- Data Center & Storage

-- Infrastructure

-- Network Management, Monitoring, and Testing

-- Performance Optimization

-- Security

-- Wireless & Mobility

In addition to these eight specific category areas, there will be two special awards chosen: an overall "Best of Interop" and "Best Startup Company."

To be eligible for Best of Interop, products must have been announced on or after January 1, 2011, be available for purchase by September 1, 2011, and available for public viewing at Interop 2011 Las Vegas. In addition to naming a product "Best of Interop," the judging teams will choose a winner in various categories.

For the latest news and commentary from the show, go to the Interop Special Report.