As Microsoft rolls out its Windows Azure and SQL Azure public cloud services in January 2010, the first implementers will likely include those building greenfield Web 2.0-type apps as well those who develop and test software looking for capacity on demand. But for cloud computing to take hold in the enterprise for business-critical applications, Microsoft knows it must extend Windows Azure to integrate securely and seamlessly with internally hosted systems.
Hence, the next phase of Windows Azure will enable enterprises to build private and enable hybrid clouds with a new set of deliverables that will evolve throughout 2010 and likely into the following years.
Read Full Article Here:
http://visualstudiomagazine.com/articles/2009/12/17/microsoft-private-cloud-formation.aspx
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
7 Criteria for Evaluating a Move to the Cloud
It can be difficult for solution providers to fully understand how cloud-based applications and services will work within their clients' office environments. Vendors often declare that every solution is suitable for cloud technology, and industry experts are divided on whether the cloud is the best thing since sliced bread or a technology that's not yet ready for prime time.
Scott Ryan, CEO and co-founder of Asankya, a cloud acceleration service provider for Internet-based applications based in Atlanta, helps clear up the confusion with seven criteria for better understanding the technology's value. "These simple criteria," he says, "are a guide to companies that are evaluating a move to the cloud but have been reticent to act due to the noise coming from vendors and analysts across the industry."
1. Throughput. Today's dynamic, collaborative applications are placing heavy strains on the network. It is important to find a way to address throughput limitations and variability. The biggest issues facing Internet application throughput are protocol inefficiencies, delay, network congestion, and middle-mile bottlenecks. Using an Application Delivery Network that can solve these issues will ensure that performance is good for all users, not just the ones near to where the application is hosted.
Read Full Artichle Here:
http://www.systembuilderpro.com/article/15484/7-Criteria-for-Evaluating-a-Move-to-the-Cloud/
Scott Ryan, CEO and co-founder of Asankya, a cloud acceleration service provider for Internet-based applications based in Atlanta, helps clear up the confusion with seven criteria for better understanding the technology's value. "These simple criteria," he says, "are a guide to companies that are evaluating a move to the cloud but have been reticent to act due to the noise coming from vendors and analysts across the industry."
1. Throughput. Today's dynamic, collaborative applications are placing heavy strains on the network. It is important to find a way to address throughput limitations and variability. The biggest issues facing Internet application throughput are protocol inefficiencies, delay, network congestion, and middle-mile bottlenecks. Using an Application Delivery Network that can solve these issues will ensure that performance is good for all users, not just the ones near to where the application is hosted.
Read Full Artichle Here:
http://www.systembuilderpro.com/article/15484/7-Criteria-for-Evaluating-a-Move-to-the-Cloud/
Monday, December 14, 2009
Rackspace Intros First Channel Program For Hosted, Cloud Services
It took 10 years, but Rackspace Hosting has finally unveiled its first formal channel program to its 2,000-plus hosted service solution provider partners, with a similar program for those who partner on cloud services expected next month.
Rackspace traditionally offered partners compensation for referring customers to its dedicated hosted infrastructure service or for helping Rackspace get new business, but that is changing under the new program, said Robert Fuller, vice president of worldwide channels for the San Antonio, Calif.-based hosting provider.
Fuller, who joined Rackspace about six months ago after running his own channel consulting business and handling channels for AMD (NYSE:AMD), said the company's first official channel program resulted from conversations with partners who said they wanted a simple but formal program with a global reach, clear compensation rules, a training component, and easy-to access support and collateral.
Read Full Article Here:
http://www.crn.com/managed-services/222001775;jsessionid=14YWL0KSUJVUTQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN?cid=nl_crn
Rackspace traditionally offered partners compensation for referring customers to its dedicated hosted infrastructure service or for helping Rackspace get new business, but that is changing under the new program, said Robert Fuller, vice president of worldwide channels for the San Antonio, Calif.-based hosting provider.
Fuller, who joined Rackspace about six months ago after running his own channel consulting business and handling channels for AMD (NYSE:AMD), said the company's first official channel program resulted from conversations with partners who said they wanted a simple but formal program with a global reach, clear compensation rules, a training component, and easy-to access support and collateral.
Read Full Article Here:
http://www.crn.com/managed-services/222001775;jsessionid=14YWL0KSUJVUTQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN?cid=nl_crn
Symantec's Flagship Storage, Security Apps Now On Amazon EC2
Symantec (NSDQ:SYMC) is turning its flagship storage and security technologies into cloud-based subscriptions for users of the Amazon (NSDQ:AMZN) EC2 offering.
Symantec this week made its Veritas Storage Foundation Basic and its Endpoint Protection applications available on a subscription basis to customers who use the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), said John Magee, vice president of marketing for the vendor.
Veritas Storage Foundation Basic provides centralized multihost storage management, online configuration and administration, and data migration tools.
Read Full Article Here:
http://www.crn.com/storage/222001760;jsessionid=14YWL0KSUJVUTQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN?cid=nl_crn
Symantec this week made its Veritas Storage Foundation Basic and its Endpoint Protection applications available on a subscription basis to customers who use the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), said John Magee, vice president of marketing for the vendor.
Veritas Storage Foundation Basic provides centralized multihost storage management, online configuration and administration, and data migration tools.
Read Full Article Here:
http://www.crn.com/storage/222001760;jsessionid=14YWL0KSUJVUTQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN?cid=nl_crn
Friday, December 11, 2009
Hackers find a home in Amazon's EC2 cloud
Security researchers have spotted the Zeus botnet running an unauthorized command and control center on Amazon's EC2 cloud computing infrastructure.
This marks the first time Amazon Web Services' cloud infrastructure has been used for this type of illegal activity, according to Don DeBolt, director of threat research with HCL Technologies, a contractor that does security research for CA. The hackers didn't do this with Amazon's permission, however. They got onto Amazon's infrastructure by first hacking into a Web site that was hosted on Amazon's servers and then secretly installing their command and control infrastructure.
Read Full Article Here:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/hackers-find-home-in-amazons-ec2-cloud-742
This marks the first time Amazon Web Services' cloud infrastructure has been used for this type of illegal activity, according to Don DeBolt, director of threat research with HCL Technologies, a contractor that does security research for CA. The hackers didn't do this with Amazon's permission, however. They got onto Amazon's infrastructure by first hacking into a Web site that was hosted on Amazon's servers and then secretly installing their command and control infrastructure.
Read Full Article Here:
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/hackers-find-home-in-amazons-ec2-cloud-742
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Reselling Rackspace Cloud Servers
Yesterday my colleague, Mike Mozey, posted a great article on reselling hosting services using the Rackspace Cloud Sites platform. Since then we have received several inquiries about reselling our Cloud Servers platform so I thought I’d post some thoughts on this subject.
Cloud Servers does not yet have built-in reseller functionality in our control panel and it may be some time before we see something similar to Cloud Sites implemented. This leaves you with a few different options:
1.You can leverage the robust Cloud Servers API and develop your own front-end control panel for communicating with our services programmatically. This would allow your customers to login to a custom interface (you would have to build) for your specific brand and perform the same functions you would in the Rackspace Cloud control panel. This option would require intensive development work, but you could essentially put your own face on top of the Cloud Servers infrastructure and have your own management portal for each customer.
Read Full Article Here:
http://chadkeck.com/2009/11/reselling-rackspace-cloud-servers/
Cloud Servers does not yet have built-in reseller functionality in our control panel and it may be some time before we see something similar to Cloud Sites implemented. This leaves you with a few different options:
1.You can leverage the robust Cloud Servers API and develop your own front-end control panel for communicating with our services programmatically. This would allow your customers to login to a custom interface (you would have to build) for your specific brand and perform the same functions you would in the Rackspace Cloud control panel. This option would require intensive development work, but you could essentially put your own face on top of the Cloud Servers infrastructure and have your own management portal for each customer.
Read Full Article Here:
http://chadkeck.com/2009/11/reselling-rackspace-cloud-servers/
Google touts progress with Apps, takes shot at Microsoft
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- A Google Inc. executive said Wednesday that the company's Apps software has won over 20 million users across "a few million businesses," as it looks ahead to an impending revamp of rival technology from Microsoft Corp.
Speaking at the Barclays Capital Global Technology Conference, Matthew Glotzbach, director of product management for Google Enterprise, said that Google Apps -- which includes document and spreadsheet tools, as well as the Gmail service -- now has moved "out of that early-adopter phase," when "our one big customer" was biotech giant Genentech Inc.
Read Full Article Here
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-bears-down-on-microsoft-applications-2009-12-09
Speaking at the Barclays Capital Global Technology Conference, Matthew Glotzbach, director of product management for Google Enterprise, said that Google Apps -- which includes document and spreadsheet tools, as well as the Gmail service -- now has moved "out of that early-adopter phase," when "our one big customer" was biotech giant Genentech Inc.
Read Full Article Here
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-bears-down-on-microsoft-applications-2009-12-09
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)