Grazed from Forbes.  Author: Lisa Brownlee.

 Grazed from BusinessWire.  Author: PR Announcement.

XO Communications (XO) has received a 2015 Cloud Computing Backup and Disaster Recovery Award presented by TMC’s Cloud Computing Magazine for its Fixed Wireless Access service. XO Fixed Wireless Access offers last-mile and metro-area network connections that are suitable for primary and backup use. The solution supports a wide range of voice and data services for businesses at bandwidths ranging from 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps. XO Fixed Wireless Access was recognized by TMC for its use as a key network component in supporting connectivity to cloud services in the event of a disaster.

Grazed from PRNewsWire. Author: PR Announcement.

Hitachi Data Systems announced today that TMC, a global, integrated media company, has named Hitachi Content Platform Anywhere as a 2015 Cloud Computing Storage Excellence Award winner, presented by TMC’s Cloud Computing Magazine. The Cloud Storage Excellence Award recognizes companies that have introduced or improved cloud storage solutions. The award honors vendors who provide unsurpassed cloud storage, as well as storage efficiency for their customer base.

"Congratulations to Hitachi Data Systems for its ability to show maturity and expansion of the cloud storage market through innovation and product quality," said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. "We are pleased to present HCP Anywhere with a Cloud Storage Excellence Award for its commitment to advancing cloud storage solutions."…

Grazed from CloudTech. Author: James Bourne.

As global spend on cloud infrastructure continues to rocket, leading cloud providers have to up their game and invest billions of dollars in expanding their network of hyperscale data centres. That’s according to the latest data released by Synergy Research. The company notes the top four cloud providers – Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and IBM – have approximately 110 data centres located in 20 different countries.

More than $25 billion has been spent in recent merger and acquisitions related to data centres, Synergy argues, with Equinix, Digital Realty, NTT and IBM at the head of operations. IBM’s $2bn acquisition of SoftLayer in 2013, while NTT’s spree of acquisitions over the past five years includes Dimension Data ($3.2bn), Raging Wire ($0.4bn) and e-shelter ($0.5bn)…

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. A team of dedicated IT personnel were determined to keep the franchise running by salvaging and moving the Saints’ entire network to a safe zone. Led by Jeff Huffman, Director of Information Technology for New Orleans Saints, the IT team arrived at the office the day after the hurricane hit and dismantled the entire network by flashlight — carrying all servers and PCs down dark stairwells for transport to San Antonio, Texas.

Grazed from CloudTweaks. Author: Jeremy Daniel.

Global software giant Oracle laid out, in no uncertain terms, its ambition to be the dominant player in the cloud over the next ten years at its annual Oracle OpenWorld gathering late last month. CEO Mark Hurd and Oracle Founder Larry Ellison both laid out a powerful vision of the cloud and the way they see business moving in the next 10 years.

During his keynote address CEO Mark Hurd predicted that: By 2025, over 80% of all applications will be in the cloud as opposed to the modest 25% that are there today. Furthermore, he boldly stated that only two Software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers will have 80% of that market, and that “I volunteer us to be one of them”, to appreciative laughter from the packed auditorium…

Grazed from China-Briefing. Author: Jake Liddle.

For a new enterprise looking to start business in China, cloud computing means a significant reduction in startup operation costs. Where expenses are often spent on traditional IT infrastructure and its maintenance, cloud computing not only saves money and time, but can also provide flexibility and space for innovation.

It additionally makes for easier development of smaller businesses, facilitating wider availability and access to high performance computing. However, despite this multitude of benefits, there are many factors a business operator should consider when looking to utilize cloud services in China, such as the services available and the potential security risks involved…

"With our new Managed WordPress offering, our customers can profit from an additional service resulting in  lasting benefits for their businesses", says Robert Hoffmann, CEO 1&1 Internet SE. "Thanks to Managed WordPress they save time and resources previously spent on constant system updates – now they can concentrate fully on their business. 1&1 is committed to being a reliable partner and ensuring operations continue smoothly during and after every important core update." 

 Grazed from CloudTech.  Author: James Bourne.

A survey from Puppet Labs shows DevOps engineers earn “noticeably higher” salaries than the majority of other job titles.  More than half (55%) of those polled in the 2015 DevOps Salary Report earn $100,000 per year or more, according to the research. The only job role which is more likely to provide greater remuneration is architect, which includes cloud or infrastructure architect and systems architect.

“Now that organisations are learning the benefits of DevOps, we’re seeing additional salary data that reveals just how much demand there is around the world for highly qualified IT and DevOps practitioners,” said Nigel Kersten, CIO at Puppet Labs. “It’s encouraging to see these positions continue to grow, and we look forward to watching the market evolve and adapt to the growing urgency around making IT a competitive advantage.”…

 Grazed from CIO.  Author: Paul Gillin.