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News, Services

Ellucian and Amazon Web Services Expanding Relationship

Ellucian has expanded its relationship  with Amazon Web Services, as many of Ellucian’s higher education solutions are offered on a cloud enabled platform. In the future, Ellucian plans to utilize the Amazon Web Services Cloud to power some of its services, allowing the more than 2,400 colleges and universities Ellucian serves to have access to cloud services. This will increase the both the accessibility of cloud solutions and the efficiency in which these are offered.

Jeff Ray, president and CEO at Ellucian, has commented “Cloud technology is essential to delivering an exciting new modern student experience for our institutions to deliver on student success. We are investing heavily in our strategic collaboration with AWS, a leading cloud infrastructure provider, to deliver a superior user experience for faculty, staff, and more than 18 million students within Ellucian’s growing higher education community.”

AWS cloud

The collaboration between the two companies allows colleges and universities to move securely to the cloud at their discretion. Many services, such as Ellucian Mobile and Ellucian Pilot, are cloud ready. Some services like Colleague by Ellucian can be hosted on the Amazon Web Service platform today through a Software as a Service platform (SaaS) by the end of 2016.

Teresa Carlson, Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services, has stated: “Institutions across the world will benefit from Ellucian’s cloud-first strategy that combines their higher education product portfolio with the agility, flexibility and scale of the AWS Cloud. This will give educational institutions access to critical data and analytics that influence teaching decisions and enable successful learning outcomes campus-wide.”

The cloud has begun to transform education, healthcare, security; where will it go next?

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News, Services

Oracle Acquires StackEngine

Oracle has recently acquired StackEngine, a Texas based startup that creates tools that aid in utilization of Docker containers. All StackEngine employees will work in Oracle’s Public Cloud unit. Terms of the deal were not released.

Docker containers popularity has increased in the past year, and the trends are looking to continue. The addition of Docker containers allows Oracle to compete with cloud giants that support Docker containers like Amazon Web Services.  Docker containers join Oracle’s extensive cloud portfolio, which includes Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). Safra Catz, Oracle co-CEO, has stated that SaaS and PaaS grew sixty eight percent this quarter, following a seventy percent growth from the previous quarter. Oracle sales grew approximately thirty percent year to year, to $652 million.

StackEngine describes its Container Application Center as a path for businesses to be able to “transition from the costs and inefficiencies of virtualization to the flexibility, mobility and freedom of containerization.” Many StackEngine employees have previously worked at CopperEgg, an Austin based startup acquired in 2013 by Idera. CopperEgg specialized in keeping track of the efficiency of applications run through the cloud.

Oracle plans to construct a next generation technology campus in Austin, Texas that focuses on cloud computing. The employee base in Austin is expected to grow by fifty percent over a span of a few years. A majority of the jobs at this Austin location will be related to the cloud. Oracle will follow its tradition of hiring young college graduates and those just starting their careers.

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News, Services

IBM Takes Control of Some AT&T Services

IBM has taken control of AT&T’s managed application and managed hosting services unit, as it plans align AT&T’s assets with its IBM Cloud Portfolio. The aim is to aid customers in network and cloud integration with IT environments. This deal benefits IBM by providing the company with access to equipment and area in the AT&T data centers that support the applications and managed hosting operations that IBM has taken control of.

Philip Guido, IBM general manager of Global Technology Services for North America, has commented, “Today’s announcement represents an expansion of our strategic relationship with AT&T and continuing collaboration to deliver new innovative solutions. Working with AT&T, we will deliver a robust set of IBM Cloud and managed services that can continuously evolve to meet clients’ business objectives.”

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This is a huge change for AT&T, which has handled its managed applications and hosting services until this IBM takeover. AT&T will still provide services such as security and mobility. AT&T employees that serve in the sectors adopted by IBM will continue their current jobs at IBM. Financial details were not disclosed by IBM.

Jon Summers, senior vice president of AT&T Mobile and Business Solutions, has stated, “AT&T and IBM have worked together for nearly 20 years. This is a natural expansion of our relationship, and it demonstrates our continued commitment to serve customers based on our respective strengths and capabilities.”

IBM and AT&T have had other relations pertaining to cloud solutions; the two companies announced in October their intent to provide a scalable, mobile cloud solution that protects corporate data and applications.

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News, Services

IBM Acquires Clearleap

On Tuesday, December 8th, IBM announced its acquisition of Clearleap, Inc., a cloud based video service provider.

Robert LeBlanc, senior vice president of IBM Cloud “Clearleap joins IBM at a tipping point in the industry when visual information and visual communication are not just important to consumers, but are exploding across every industry. This comes together for a client when any content can be delivered quickly and economically to any device in the most natural way.”

Clearleap has gained the attention of prominent brands within the media and entertainment industry, such as HBO, BBC, and the NFL. The Clearleap video platform works to provide customers from around the world with a scalable, secure and open cloud-based solution in video asset management and multi-screen video processing.

ClearIBM

Clearleap comes with open API framework which allows business to make their videos into applications. This open framework gives users access to third-party applications.
Clearleap video services provides 24/7 assistance and technical support. IBM intends to offer the Clearleap API’s on its Bluemix. This will aid in the efficiency of the video offering process.

Clearleap, centered in Georgia, has numerous centers around the world in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

The price for which IBM purchased Clearleap was not disclosed.

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News, Services

Presidio Acquires Sequoia

Recently, Presidio, a managed service provider, has bought Sequoia Worldwide, a consulting, integration, and devices firm, for an undisclosed amount.

Sequoia specializes in private and hybrid cloud implementations, so it will operate as the Cloud Business Unit under Sequoia Cloud Solutions, a Presidio company. Presidio will use Sequoia’s expertise to expand its cloud computing sector.

Bob Cagnazzi, CEO of Presidio, commented in a statement: “The acquisition of Sequoia continues our leadership in advising, architecting and implementing solutions that enable our customers to derive maximum value from their cloud investments. Sequoia’s cloud expertise enhances Presidio’s capability to advise customers on the optimal way to leverage both private and public cloud resources to develop the optimal hybrid model that will deliver scalable, secure, high performing service delivery models for our clients.”

Presidio managed cloud Icon UPDATED

While Presidio said it will utilize Sequoia’s experience with cloud technologies from companies such as Cisco, Microsoft, and OpenStack, it all stated it will utilize Sequoia’s knowledge of cloud management and brokerage technology to help customers manage public cloud services.

Presidio is not the only one benefiting from this deal; Sequoia will have access to resource through Presidio. The symbiotic relationship between the two companies allows them to establish an innovative cloud solutions practice and catalyze cloud adoption. Steve Hanney, co-founder and managing partner of Sequoia, has said, “We are very excited about the opportunity to be part of Presidio. The addition of Sequoia will help Presidio drive innovation and improve business outcomes of its customers and business partners through innovative cloud services that accelerate time to market and create a competitive advantage.”

About Presidio

Presidio aims to provide an individualized cloud for different business models. It utilizes hybrid cloud services to accelerate the business benefits available through the cloud. Presidio’s partners include VMWare, Cisco, and EMC.

About Sequoia

Established in 1972, Sequoia has established an extensive cloud portfolio, making it extremely valuable to a company such as Presidio. According to the company website, it has partnered with the founders of companies that now have an aggregate, public market value of over $1.4 trillion since 1972.

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News

Blue Coat Systems Acquires Elastica

Blue Coat Systems as recently announced its agreement to acquire Elastica , Inc. for $280 million.

Because of the unprecedented rate with which cloud applications have been adopted, there is also an unprecedented necessity for increased security and protection for such applications. Due to the mixed use of cloud and on premise applications, Blue Coat Systems has found it difficult to efficiently manage its security. With the addition of Elastica, Blue Coat  will be able to offer a global security platform with across the board data level security. This will make Blue Coat the only company to deliver the requirements that resulted from post-infrastructure. By combining the talents of Blue Coat with Elastica’s Cloud Access Security and Analytics, Blue Coat will  provide a solution to the problems associated with cloud security requirements. Elastica’s CloudSOC provides tools such as threat scoring powered by machine learning, user and end-point behavior modeling, natural language-based cloud DLP, and analysis with remediation in a cloud application SOC. Elastica delivers such tools through its CASB gateway and API controls for cloud security management and enforcement.

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Greg Clark, Blue Coat CEO, has commented: “This acquisition gives Blue Coat customers access to Elastica’s CloudSOC, which brings an unprecedented level of elegance and innovation to something that is rapidly becoming a complex challenge for organizations to solve. As we evaluated many CASB players, it was clear that Elastica’s technologies represent the future of the CASB space. Segmented CASB players have survived through their dependency upon existing on-premise infrastructure. As the industry’s leading web security platform, it is natural for Blue Coat to be the first to deliver an extended spectrum of CASB capabilities while also delivering them with our cloud protection solutions.”

Mike Fey, Blue Coat president and COO, also added, ““Our customers cannot tolerate a world where the performance and security of cloud applications are spread across a tangled web of solutions leaving them powerless to manage the threat and deliver the SLA which their users have come to expect. Corporations are facing a dissolving perimeter. The traditional infrastructure-centric way of protecting users cannot support the cloud age. We have made it our mission to solve this challenge by delivering an entire solution from the cloud, specifically built for the cloud.”

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Microsoft, News, Services

Microsoft Plans to Expand into Germany with Help from T-Systems

Microsoft has recently paired with a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, T-Systems, in offering Azure cloud services to Germany. This announcement comes after news of major expansion into the United Kingdom. Two data centers will be located in Magdeburg and Frankfurt. They will start delivering Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics CRM Online to Germany during the second half of 2016.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has commented “Our new datacenter regions in Germany, operated in partnership with Deutsche Telekom, will not only spur local innovation and growth, but offer customers choice and trust in how their data is handled and where it is stored.” T –System will have control of customer access stored on cloud servers. In order for Microsoft to access information stored on the servers, it will have to obtain permission from either customers or T-Systems. Once permission is granted, T-Systems will supervise the activity.  Alex Stüger, area vice president for Microsoft Germany, has stated that: “this will help us meet growing demand for Microsoft cloud services in Germany, and across Europe, by providing an innovative, scalable and consistent cloud computing platform combined with a German data trustee model.”

T-systems

In addition to Stüger’s comments,  CEO of Deutsche Telekom, Timotheus Höttges, has stated, “Microsoft is pioneering a new, unique solution for customers in Germany and Europe. Now, customers who want local control of their data combined with Microsoft’s cloud services have a new option, and I anticipate it will be rapidly adopted.”

The company is also investing in cloud security. The centers will contain features such as biometric scanning, smart cards and other physical access controls while data will be protected by cure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) encryption based on German certificates and multifactor authentication. To ensure data stays within Germany, a private network will be utilized to share data between regions. Doug Hauger, general manager of Microsoft National Cloud Programs has recently written in a blog post, “”These new regions will adhere to the same service and quality standards of all Microsoft Cloud regions. In addition, the services will feature the same industry-leading levels of security, privacy and control, compliance, and transparency that define the Microsoft trusted cloud. Microsoft is committed to innovating to meet the needs of its customers, and understands that customers and partners will only choose technology they trust.”

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News

Ovum Cloud Security

Tim Jennings, an Ovum analyst, has declared that although there are many fears surrounding the security of the cloud, the increasing number of data breaches is more likely to influence enterprise transition to the cloud. This trend exemplifies the increasing level of maturity of the cloud environment. Jennings commented in a blog,” “Given that data security and privacy concerns have been an inhibitor during the early stages of cloud adoption, it is somewhat ironic that the continued spate of high-profile customer data breaches is likely to push more enterprises toward cloud services. One can envisage, therefore, pointed conversations within boardrooms as CIOs and chief security officers are questioned about the likelihood of their organizations being the next to suffer reputational damage through the exposure of customer data. Many organizations will conclude that using the expertise of a third party is a more reliable approach than depending on in-house resources.”

To a certain extent, some degree of vulnerability will always be prevalent. Jennings added, “Many have been like rabbits caught in the headlights, seemingly having little insight into the root cause of the failure, the extent of the consequences, or the actions required for remediation.”

Outsourcing to modern cloud providers appears to be the logical move. Cloud providers have invested large amounts of money into the security sector, covering areas from the physical security of a center to encryption of customer data and advanced security intelligence.

While it is unrealistic for large companies to replicate this sophisticated cloud environments created by experts, adopting a public cloud environment is not always safer. “It may be that enterprises prefer to use either an on premise or virtual private cloud, while still taking advantage of a specialist provider’s management and security capabilities. Nor does it mean that the responsibility for security and customer data passes away from the enterprise—even though the delivery of these capabilities is in the hands of the third party, governance and control must be retained in-house.”

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News, Services

Accenture Acquires Cloud Sherpas

Cloud Sherpas, an Atlanta based global technology service provider, has recently been purchased by Accenture. Cloud Sherpas provides cloud based services to companies that wish to both manage their customer relations and make their IT processes more efficient. Since its origination in 2008, Cloud Sherpas has seen rapid growth, with its current 1,100 employees across the world in countries such as Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Accenture bought Cloud Sherpas so that it could strengthen the company and become a leading provider of cloud based services to clients that want cloud based solutions. The purchase allows for the combination of each companies skill set: Accenture’s powerful cloud strategy and technology consulting and Cloud Sherpas’ cloud implementation, integration, and management services.

accenture

Cloud Sherpas’ employees will join the newly developed Accenture Cloud First Applications sector. This new team will continue to provide Sherpas’ cloud services to companies such as Google, NetSuite, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and  Workday. Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s Chief Technology Officer has commented: “The addition of Cloud Sherpas to the Accenture Cloud First Applications team reinforces our position as a leading global provider of enterprise cloud services. We welcome the extremely talented Cloud Sherpas specialists to Accenture, where together we are even better positioned to help clients move their businesses to the cloud and achieve significant business results faster than ever before.”

Details pertaining to the amount paid for Cloud Sherpas were not disclosed.

About Accenture:

Accenture plc is a multinational management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company. Founded in 1989, Accenture focuses on making investments in areas such as training, acquisitions, emerging technology, and offerings and assets.  Its headquarters are currently located in Chicago.

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News, Services

Datalounges Utilizing SUSE OpenStack

SUSE has recently announced Datalounges., an enterprise cloud service provider that utilizes SUSE OpenStack Cloud to provide a cloud service environment for companies of a myriad  of sizes. SUSE OpenStack Cloud is Datalounges platform for delivering enterprise cloud services as well as support services.  Kai Kankaala, board adviser, Sales, at Datalounges, stated,” SUSE OpenStack Cloud gives our customers the power to do anything they want. We are seeing rapid growth in customers building their own revenue-generating services on our platform. They focus on their business opportunity, and we provide the robust cloud service that underpins it.”

Because Datalounges has focused on fully supported infrastructures instead of individual servers, the company has grown rapidly.  Customers have the power to choose anything from a self-managed to a fully managed solution. SUSE Manager is being utilized to give customers end-to-end coverage for the fully managed  environment. Datalounges is currently in the process of developing its own tool based on OpenStack Ceilometer for managing and automating virtual infrastructure.

open suse

Kankaala later commented, “SUSE OpenStack Cloud has been our cloud services platform from day one. We also tested pure OpenStack and the Red Hat variant. The SUSE option was superior in terms of pricing, the enterprise-level support and built-in automation features. We want to be the best OpenStack cloud computing service provider in Finland. That’s why we partnered with SUSE.”

Mark Smith, senior marketing manager of cloud solutions at SUSE, has commented, “Datalounges’ success with SUSE OpenStack Cloud is a clear example of OpenStack’s maturation as the leading open source solution for private cloud. Many businesses are seeking greater agility, speed and flexibility to create new, innovative projects to fuel business growth. That’s where SUSE OpenStack Cloud ties in, providing customers with a pain-free private cloud experience with built-in high-availability in a production-ready solution.”

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