Cloud.com Expands Service Provider Footprint

Private cloud software startup Cloud.com (formerly VMOps) appears to be doing alright for itself, especially when it comes to selling its software to service-provider customers. Yesterday, it announced that both Tata Communications and Logicworks have selected Cloud.com’s CloudStack software as the foundation of their Infrastructure-as-a-Service offerings, joining Iceland-based Greenqloud and Korea-based KT among the company’s list of service-provider customers. Although a number of recent surveys indicate large enterprises are very interested in private clouds, it’s still service providers that seem to be buying the most software, at least from internal IaaS vendors such as Cloud.com.

As I wrote in November, service providers are driving cloud computing sales for software providers ranging from Cloud.com to VMware (vmw) to Adaptive Computing. The products all serve different purposes in terms of the types of cloud capabilities and features they enable, but they all also serve the ultimate purpose of letting existing hosting providers evolve their current lineup of offerings to include cloud computing. For Cloud.com’s part, it also is heavily involved with OpenStack and plans to integrate OpenStack components into its own product as they mature. That’s a wise idea not only because it helps Cloud.com become part of a potentially large OpenStack footprint, but also because founding members Rackspace and NASA know a thing or two about operating at a large scale, which means Cloud.com’s service-provider business could grow even more as the company absorbs OpenStack code.

Of course, when talking about large businesses and cutting-edge technologies like cloud computing, there’s always the possibility they’re just not talking, which might mean service providers aren’t really the only ones buying cloud software. Service providers don’t mind talking about their cloud plans because publicity means business, but many companies that think their IT gives them a competitive edge are loath to divulge any details, even whether they’re using it at all. I’m not entirely sure this is the case — or that large businesses buying cloud software wouldn’t rather buy it from known entities such as Dell, IBM or HP, at any rate — but it’s worth considering when assessing the true size of the private cloud market. Regardless, however, it doesn’t change the fact that service providers are buying, and that vendors, including Cloud.com, are reaping the rewards.