Grazed from GigaOM. Author: Barb Darrow.

NetApp is working with Fusion-io to make server-side flash a resource for storing “hot” data. The company said its Flash Accel software can boost application performance up to 90 percent in some cases.

NetApp, a leading maker of storage appliances, now wants to manage third-party storage, including server-side flash from Fusion-io. And that’s what it’s doing with its new Flash Accel software.

This is just the latest push by storage makers to reach out beyond their own islands of data center hardware to manage and administer third party products in a more holistic fashion…

Grazed from ZDNet. Author: Joe McKendrick.

There’s a lot of concern, much of justified, about the fate of IT jobs as cloud computing gains traction.At one extreme, some analysts predict much of IT will move outside the organization.

But maybe cloud means more opportunities than it takes away.

Evolven’s Syed Raza and Martin Perlin did a great job pulling together the top ways cloud computing is changing IT employment opportunities. Pulling information and analysis from various sites (including some from yours truly), Raza and Perlin paint of picture of great opportunity — not decline — for IT as clouds become the de facto form of enterprise computing…

Grazed from WestLaw Insider. Author: Daniel Garrie.

So what is cloud computing? Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of hosting and other services over the Internet. Instead of storing data locally, the data and data applications are stored remotely, with access to the data provided via the Internet (the “cloud” in “cloud computing”).

Whatever the specific form, the singular characteristic of cloud computing is separation of the computer hardware from the service. The major advantage of a cloud computing solution is its elasticity- the consumer is charged by use, can make as little or as much use of the service as desired, and need not purchase, maintain, or upgrade any computer hardware…

Grazed from WestLaw Insider. Author: Daniel Garrie.

In my last post, we began exploring the landscape of cloud computing and several considerations that attorneys should be aware of before putting data in the cloud. In this second post in the series we will look specifically at choosing a data hosting provider, implementation, and security.

Many hosting services exist, so it is important to take the time to compare the services and security offered by each. By turning hosting duties over to a third-party, you lose control over the security of your data, as some or all of those security and protection duties devolve to the hosting company. Not all “clouds” are the same, and you should understand the security parameters and limitations of your particular cloud. This is a time when it is important to read the fine print before hitting the “Accept” button…

Grazed from WestSide Lawyer. Author: Daniel Garrie.

In the last blog post, I discussed the importance of research when choosing a data hosting provider, the potential difficulties of implementation, and cloud-computing security. In this post I will explore the implications of unsearchable cloud-based data on litigation and the worst case scenario – the unexpected exodus of your cloud operator.

Cloud-based operations have many benefits, including ease of accessibility and sharing. However, when it comes time to produce relevant information in the cloud, it is important that counsel understand that the information that sits in the cloud is not all necessarily searchable. In some instances the cloud lacks the necessary search component required to search and retrieve that data. For example, the information may be stored in a unique format proprietary to the client that is not recognized by the cloud. This in turn means that a client may find it impossible to readily access that information…

Grazed from WestLaw Insider. Author: Daniel Garrie.

In the last installment, I discussed the implications of unsearchable cloud-based data on litigation and the unexpected disappearance of your cloud operator. In this final installment on the cloud, I will discuss the privilege issues, hidden costs, and data formatting problems that may present themselves when using the cloud.

Cloud-based systems present novel privilege issues. All privileges are founded on restricted access. Should privileged information be shared with a third-party, the privilege vanishes. Usually, privilege is readily maintained because a company’s sensitive information remains in-house in the company, until it is shared with outside counsel to whom the privilege still applies as part of the litigation…

Grazed from The Lowell Sun. Author: Norm Morin.

Password security is a big issue with cloud computing.

Mat Honan, "Gadget Lab" columnist for Wired magazine, found out the hard way that cloud computing has some issues that should be considered before you put trust in the cloud. If you would like to read Mat’s detailed account of the situation, check out http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/

Mat had been depending upon the cloud to preserve and manage his data. Everything was fine until hackers decided to play with his digital presence. If Mat was only digital, he would have been completely erased…

Grazed from GigaOM. Author: Barb Darrow.

Coraid built its business with fast-and-simple ATA-over-Ethernet storage which doesn’t require expensive infrastructure upgrades. Now it’s diving into software-configurable storage with EtherCloud which incorporates Yunteq cloud orchestration technology the company acquired last year.

The race is on to make every part of the data center — from switches to storage arrays — software configurable. That’s the rationale behind Coraid’s new EtherCloud storage platform.

For EtherCloud, Coraid is using Yunteq orchestration technology acquired last October to make its storage more flexible and adaptable to changing needs…

Grazed from PRWeb. Author: PR Announcement.

TraceLink Inc., helping businesses securely supply every global market opportunity on-time and in-full, announced today that the company has won two Silver awards in the 2012 International Business Awards. Judged on customer success, market impact and technological innovation, TraceLink received the following awards: • Best New Product or Service of the Year – Software: TraceLink Business Cloud • Most Innovative Company of the Year in Canada and the U.S.A.: TraceLink Inc. TraceLink and its cloud-based application platform were selected from a group of over 3,200 nominations received from more than 50 countries.

“TraceLink enables Life Sciences companies and other businesses to maximize revenue growth from global markets and cost savings from global outsourcing through better visibility, collaboration and oversight across all supply, production and distribution relationships,” said Shabbir Dahod, President and CEO of TraceLink. “We are honored to be recognized for the customer value we have created by providing the visibility, information access and cross-functional, cross-company collaboration needed to ensure supply, capacity, quality and compliance across the global pharmaceutical supply chain.”…

Grazed from InfoWorld. Author: David Linthicum.

As InfoWorld’s Ted Samson reported last week, Rackspace has released Rackspace Private Cloud Software, which is the same complete version of Essex OpenStack the company runs in its own hosted private clouds. This move was designed to get Rackspace more traction in the cloud computing market, targeting the greater-than-expected spending on private clouds by enterprises.

Rackspace’s latest release reminded me of what’s been happening steadily in cloud computing over the last few years. While we keep discussing public clouds, almost like it’s a religion, enterprise IT continues to gravitate toward private clouds in a big way. Not surprisingly, traditional on-premise vendors like Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and IBM have responded in kind. But so too have the "traditional" cloud vendors, such as Rackspace and, with its Eucalyptus partnership, Amazon Web Services…