Author: David

Last time, we covered the network benefits of WAN Virtualization. Here, we look at how WAN Virtualization delivers benefits “beyond the WAN” to the security and computing sides of the enterprise IT shop.

While the benefits of WAN Virtualization for the Enterprise WAN itself – far greater bandwidth, far lower monthly costs, greater reliability and application performance predictability, sacrifice-free centralization of network complexity and reduced troubleshooting costs – are quite substantial on their own, and in the shorter term alone justify its deployment, when combined with colocation and the other key technologies of the Next-generation Enterprise WAN (NEW) architecture, the benefits for security and computing are ultimately potentially even greater, if for no other reason than that most every enterprise IT shop spends far more on computing plus security than it does on the network itself…

EMC has bought cloud storage start-up Syncplicity, which, as one might suspect from its name, does one-click file syncing and sharing as well as real-time backup.

Users are supposed to be able to access, manage and share files across PCs, Macs, mobile platforms and file servers like SharePoint, corporate networks and cloud applications like Google Docs and SalesForce without moving a file.

The enterprise can delete files from user accounts or revoke access, offering a way for companies to deal with the BYOD wave.

EMC means to develop an enterprise version of the stuff tied to Documentum and other repositories like SharePoint spiffed up with corporate governance. It also means to retain Syncplicity’s free and Dropbox-like consumer model and aim it at units inside the enterprise and SMBs…

StraTech, a brand of Midas Medici Group Holdings, Inc. and a national provider of data center services, IT consulting, infrastructure, and support services, announced that StraTech CTO Steve Bulmer and Senior Solutions Architect David Lando will present an interactive workshop, “Perceptions and Directions in Cloud Computing” at CIO Forum and Executive IT Summit May 30-31 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Cloud computing is presenting opportunities for many businesses to optimize key services,” said StraTech CTO Steve Bulmer. “However, there are many perceived barriers to adopting cloud technologies — from security and manageability to availability and resilience. This forum will facilitate the opportunity for practicing IT professionals to discuss how far we’ve come in the last year to address these challenges and where we’re headed.”…

Cloudcor announces RiverMeadow Software, technology leader in virtualization and cloud onboarding software, as a Premier Partner for the fourth Annual Cloud Slam’12 Conference and expo, taking place Wednesday May 30 – June 1, 2012 in San Francisco and broadcast virtually globally.

RiverMeadow will showcase enCloud — a virtualization and onboarding software, which is the key to cloud self-service onboarding, enabling the migration of enterprise servers and live workloads, as is, from physical, virtual and cloud environments to-and-between clouds.

The enCloud software, delivered via licensed software or SaaS model, provides a platform for rapid customer onboarding to the cloud and dramatically reduces the cost and complexity associated with traditional cloud migrations. In support of hybrid public-private clouds, enCloud supports round-trip moves back to any cloud stack…

Datacentre infrastructure firm Nutanix has set up a European presence to bring its SAN-less datacentre platform to enterprise customers across Europe, promising to provide better performance in cloud computing and virtualised environments at a reduced cost.

The Nutanix Complete Cluster platform is based around the notion of simplifying storage by using direct attached storage (DAS) connected to each server node in a datacentre, rather than connecting servers to a centralised pool via a storage area network (SAN).

The company is relatively new, coming out of stealth mode only last year, but has now gained a European presence, plus pan-European distribution via SDG, and Kelway as an enterprise reseller in the UK…

Disaster recovery plans are an essential element for any organization, and mobile security services are taking an increasingly prominent place in those plans, according to a survey from network operator AT&T, which found six out of 10 (60 percent) invest in mobile security services, with the majority (69 percent) indicating potential security breaches as the most pressing concern.

Maintaining mobility and wireless capabilities, though inherently complex, has become increasingly important to businesses, with 67 percent of executives surveyed indicating they have included wireless network capabilities as part of their business continuity plans, and 52 percent of IT executives surveyed anticipated the spending for mobile security services to increase.

The survey also indicated companies have had their business continuity plans fully tested in the past year, according to 63 percent of respondents, and the vast majority (87 percent) have already implemented the necessary arrangements for communicating with key executives during a natural disaster. Businesses are also preparing for the possibility of a “virtual event” such as a potential security breach, with 67 percent of respondents indicating their business continuity plans include such a scenario…

After six days of deliberating, a federal jury Wednesday cleared Google and Android of infringing two Java-related patents now held by Oracle.

The jury was then dismissed for good since it won’t be figuring out any damages Google might owe Oracle for treading on its copyrights. It may take another jury to decide if Android made so-called "fair use" of the IP. This one couldn’t, causing Google to move for a mistrial.

Oracle wants significant damages connected with what Google’s making on Android.

Google issued a statement saying, "Today’s jury verdict that Android does not infringe Oracle’s patents was a victory not just for Google but the entire Android ecosystem."…

Dell’s new Desktop Virtualization capabilities combined by Dell’s leadership position in Server, Storage and Networking solutions successfully positions the company as true end-to-end IT vendor.

Dell today announced it has completed its acquisition of Wyse Technology, the global leader in cloud client computing. The combination of Wyse’s capabilities with Dell’s existing desktop virtualization offerings position the company as the leader in the desktop virtualization, enabling it to offer true end-to-end IT solutions for customers and partners.

Dell has made significant strategic investments over the past three years to expand its enterprise technology and services capabilities. The Dell Wyse portfolio with current Dell desktop virtualization offerings, leading data center products such as servers and storage, and Dell’s services division, provides customers and partners with a single vendor that can match the full range of their cloud computing and desktop virtualization needs…

It’s clear how public cloud computing is used today by larger enterprises: It’s a storage system here, an API providing data there, and cloud-delivered app dev testing somewhere else. However, what’s almost never apparent is how these providers should be managed to the right level of operational efficiency.

Why? Because those charged with managing the internal resources typically found in data centers don’t — or refuse to — work with public cloud providers. Thus, organizations using pubic cloud resources are either managing them catch as catch can or not at all.

The downside of this is evident: A cloud-delivered storage system goes offline, causing internal application failures, and there are no procedures or technologies in place to correct the problem in time to avoid damaging the business. Or a customer facing a cloud-based Web application is under attack, and other than hoping the customer is in a forgiving mood, you’re screwed…