From fitness trackers to connected refrigerators to coffee makers, there is no end to how smart even the most inane technology can become. The Internet of Things (IoT) isn’t just changing how consumers manage their home security or order their coffee filters – it’s revolutionizing the very fabric of commerce.
However, according to Gartner, IoT is still in its early days of maturity. Gartner predicts that through 2018 there will be no one prevailing IoT ecosystem platform. This means that in the next few years there will be a proliferation of different devices, products and approaches to IoT. In fact, Cisco predicts that there will be a whopping 50 billion connected devices by 2020.
Monthly Archives: April 2016
[session] Redis Functions and Data Structures By @DaveNielsen | @CloudExpo #Cloud
Redis is not only the fastest database, but it has become the most popular among the new wave of applications running in containers. Redis speeds up just about every data interaction between your users or operational systems.
In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Dave Nielsen, Developer Relations at Redis Labs, will shares the functions and data structures used to solve everyday use cases that are driving Redis’ popularity.
Rackspace and Cloud Technology Partners announce strategic partnership
Rackspace and Cloud Technology Partners have announced a strategic partnership to deliver professional and managed services, geared around the AWS public cloud offering.
The partnership will focus on a number of areas including cloud strategy & economics, security & governance, application portfolio assessment, DevOps & automation and application modernisation, migration & development, with the aim of accelerating enterprise adoption of cloud technologies.
“We are seeing increasing demand from enterprises that are seeking help moving to AWS and Azure, and then successfully managing their environments once deployed,” said Taylor Rhodes, CEO of Rackspace. “CTP is a recognised leader in helping enterprises move to the cloud and is a natural complement to our managed services expertise. Together, we provide the market leading solution that helps enterprises accelerate their realisation of cloud benefits.”
The partnership is seemingly build on the perception an enterprises adoption of cloud technologies is slowed due to the digital transformation programmes which are needed before the benefits of the cloud can be realized. The new partnership claims this process can be accelerated through combining the expertise of both organizations into one offering; Cloud Technology Partners will offer initial integrations and ongoing optimization work, whereas Rackspace provide managed services.
“Working with Rackspace was an obvious fit based on their managed cloud leadership and our shared emphasis on supporting customers through every phase of their cloud journey,” said Chris Greendale, CEO of Cloud Technology Partners. “Our prescriptive approach to public cloud adoption has been hugely successful for enterprise customers and we are very excited at the opportunity these combined services provide for both companies.”
[session] Don’t Forget the Ops: Build Operations into Your Cloud By @BMCSoftware | @CloudExpo #Cloud
Many private cloud projects were built to deliver self-service access to development and test resources. While those clouds delivered faster access to resources, they lacked visibility, control and security needed for production deployments.
In their session at 18th Cloud Expo, Steve Anderson, Product Manager at BMC Software, and Rick Lefort, Principal Technical Marketing Consultant at BMC Software, will discuss how a cloud designed for production operations not only helps accelerate developer innovation, it also delivers the control that IT Operations needs to run a production cloud without getting in the way.
Docker security: How to monitor and patch containers in the cloud
(c)iStock.com/bugphai
Nearly a quarter of enterprises are already using Docker and an additional 35% plan to use it. Even sceptical IT executives are calling it the future. One of the first questions enterprises ask about containers is: What is the security model? What is the fallout from containerisation on your existing infrastructure security tools and processes?
The truth is that many of your current tools and processes will have to change. Often your existing tools and processes are not “aware” of containers, so you must apply creative alternatives to meet your internal security standards. The good news is that these challenges are by no means insurmountable for companies that are eager to containerise.
Monitoring & IDS
The most important impact of Docker containers on infrastructure security is that most of your existing security tools — monitoring, intrusion detection, etc. — are not natively aware of sub-virtual machine components, i.e. containers. Most monitoring tools on the market are just beginning to have a view of transient instances in public clouds, but are far behind offering functionality to monitor sub-VM entities.
In most cases, you can satisfy this requirement by installing your monitoring and IDS tools on the virtual instances that host your containers. This will mean that logs are organised by instance, not by container, task, or cluster. If IDS is required for compliance, this is currently the best way to satisfy that requirement.
Key takeaway: Consider installing monitoring and security tools on the host, not the container.
Incident forensics and response
Every security team has developed a runbook or incident response plan that outlines what actions to take in the case of an incident or attack. Integrating Docker into this response process requires a significant adjustment to existing procedures and involves educating and coordinating GRC teams, security teams, and development teams.
Traditionally, if your IDS picks up a scan with a fingerprint of a known security attack, the first step is usually to look at how traffic is flowing through an environment. Docker containers by nature force you to care less about your host and you cannot track inter-container traffic or leave a machine up to see what is in memory (there is no running memory in Docker). This could potentially make it more difficult to see the source of the alert and the potential data accessed.
The use of containers is not really understood by the broader infosec and auditor community yet, which is potential audit and financial risk. Chances are that you will have to explain Docker to your QSA — and you will have few external parties that can help you build a well-tested, auditable Docker-based system.
That said, the least risk-averse companies are already experimenting with Docker and this knowledge will trickle down into risk-averse and compliance-focused enterprises within the next year. Logicworks has already helped PCI-compliant retailers implement Docker and enterprises are very keen to try Docker in non-production or non-compliance-driven environments.
Key takeaway: Before you implement Docker on a broad scale, talk to your GRC team about the implications of containerisation for incident response and work to develop new runbooks. Or try Docker in a non-compliance-driven or non-production workload first.
Patching
In a traditional virtualised or AWS environment, security patches are installed independently of application code. The patching process can be partially automated with configuration management tools, so if you are running VMs in AWS or elsewhere, you can update the Puppet manifest or Chef recipe and “force” that configuration to all your instances from a central hub.
A Docker image has two components: the base image and the application image. To patch a containerised system, you must update the base image and then rebuild the application image. So in the case of a vulnerability like Heartbleed, if you want the ensure that the new version of SSL is on every container, you would update the base image and recreate the container in line with your typical deployment procedures. A sophisticated deployment automation process (which is likely already in place if you are containerised) would make this fairly simple.
One of the most promising features of Docker is the degree to which application dependencies are coupled with the application itself, offering the potential to patch the system when the application is updated, i.e., frequently and potentially less painfully. But somewhat counterintuitively, Docker also offers a bright line between systems and development teams: systems teams support the infrastructure, the compute clusters, and patch the virtual instances; development teams support the containers. If you are trying to get to a place where your development and systems teams work closely together and responsibilities are clear, this is an attractive feature. If you are using are a Managed Service Provider (like Logicworks), there is a clear delineation between internal and external teams’ responsibilities.
Key takeaway: To implement a patch, update the base image and then rebuild the application image. This will require systems and development teams to work closely together, and responsibilities are clear.
Almost ready for prime time
If you are eager to implement Docker and are ready to take on a certain amount of risk, then the methods described here can help you monitor and patch containerised systems. At Logicworks, this is how we manage containerised systems for enterprise clients every day.
As AWS and Azure continue to evolve their container support and more independent software vendors enter the space, expect these “canonical” Docker security methods to change rapidly. Nine months from now or even three months from now, a tool could develop that automates much of what is manual or complex in Docker security.
When enterprises are this excited about a new technology, chances are that a whole new industry will follow.
The post Docker Security: How to Monitor and Patch Containers in the Cloud appeared first on Logicworks Gathering Clouds.
Bringing Automation to the Helpdesk | @CloudExpo #Cloud
Automation and ITSM-driven insights endow help desk personnel with more knowledge and provide a single point of support for end users, regardless of their needs while still catering to their preferred method of help.
We’ll learn how automation and ITSM-driven insights endow help desk personnel with more knowledge and provide a single point of support for end users, regardless of their needs while still catering to their preferred method of help.
[session] Multi-Layer DDoS Mitigation Strategies by @WebairInc | @CloudExpo #Cloud
In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Sagi Brody, Chief Technology Officer at Webair Internet Development Inc., will focus on real world deployments of DDoS mitigation strategies in every layer of the network. He will give an overview of methods to prevent these attacks and best practices on how to provide protection in complex cloud platforms. He will also outline what we have found in our experience managing and running thousands of Linux and Unix managed service platforms and what specifically can be done to offer protection at every layer. He will offer insight and examples from both a business and technical perspective.
Ericsson restructures to prioritize cloud market segments
Swedish networking giant Ericsson accompanied its Q1 2016 numbers with a new company structure and a reshuffle of the executive leadership team, writes Telecoms.com.
The top-line numbers were pretty much flat year-on-year, as you can see from the table below, with a strong quarter for IPR and licensing revenue offset by a weak macroeconomic environment in emerging markets. Telecoms.com spoke to Ericsson CFO Jan Frykhammar to get the inside view.
“Our quarter had its challenges and strengths as always,” he said. “We have a weak macroeconomic environment in some parts of the world, mainly emerging markets. While this is nothing strange after many quarters, even years, of challenges on the macro side, driven by things like oil price and other factors, it’s tough for many of our customers to keep up their investment levels. And then we have lower mobile broadband activity in Europe at the back end of this quarter, including one big customer project that has been completed.
“So we focus on doing everything we can to take care of the things we can control. We continue to deliver on the cost and efficiency programme and we are adding additional measures related to lower volumes. So we’re adapting the company to a challenging environment.”
The restructure essentially splits the company more clearly into its core, legacy, networks business and the areas it has been openly targeting for growth, as follows:
- Business Unit (BU) Network Products, headed by Arun Bansal
- BU Network Services, headed by Fredrik Jejdling
- BU IT & Cloud Products, headed by Anders Lindblad
- BU IT & Cloud Services, headed by Jean-Philippe Poirault
- BU Media with central go-to-market model, headed by Per Borgklint
- Customer Group Industry & Society with central go-to-market model, headed by Charlotta Sund
As you can see both the legacy networks and higher growth cloud segments are sub-divided into products and services, while media seems to be semi-autonomous. The industry and society group is more of a formal sales channel to make Ericson better at targeting industries outside of its core markets, especially utilities, transport and public safety.
“The purpose of this new set-up is to get enough focus, dedicated people and accountability to drive both sales in growth areas and at the same time make sure we remain focused on our core customers,” said Frykhammar. “This business unit structure will also help the market to better follow our progress in these areas. We’ve been talking a lot about targeted areas and now the investment buckets will fall wholly into these new business units.”
The changes to the executive leadership team seem to amount to a refresh, rather than a major overhaul. “The last time we had a major global reorganisation of the company was in 2010 and our industry has undergone a lot of change in that time,” said Frykhammar. “We think this is a good opportunity to bring some new people into the leadership team.”
Frykhammar was keen to stress the ongoing challenges in the broader macroeconomic environment and that Ericsson is acutely aware of them. For a while Ericsson’s quarterlies have been about trying to create a narrative around an essentially flat growth story and the company will be hoping to be able to focus attention on solid growth numbers in the from the cloud and media business when it starts reporting along those lines in Q1 2017.
CTERA aims for converged infrastructure customers with updated cloud storage portfolio
(c)iStock.com/JackyLeung
CTERA Networks has introduced a number of updates to its cloud storage gateway portfolio to improve flexibility, efficiency and storage capacity for remote office IT environments.
The new line-up can be deployed from KVM or VMware servers, which is suited for organisations investing in virtualised or converged infrastructure IT. It also includes a virtual application configuration for enterprises to use current their remote office/branch office (ROBO) hardware, while also getting the full benefits and functionality of their CTERA cloud storage gateway.
Additionally, CTERA has re-engineered its gateway file management system, with the primary file system executed and maintained within the cloud. It selectively syncs files to branch or remote offices according to the policies defined by the user or IT administrator. The appliances work as extra storage tiers in a cloud-based file synchronisation and management system. CTERA Sync Gateways can now support up to 64 TB of local volume size, which is a fourfold rise from older models.
CTERA’s virtual and physical cloud storage gateways can function as comprehensive storage applications to replace legacy tape backup, file/NAS servers and proprietary systems with a single cloud-integrated system. The gateway is part of the Enterprise File Services Platform from CTERA, enabling organisations to protect and manage data cross applications and offices from their own virtual or private cloud.
The company’s new cloud storage portfolio aims to lower total cost of ownership with its virtual form factor, implement high-availability office file services for remote environments, and expand virtual storage volume. The portfolio also enables on-demand file and data protection service deployments using a virtual appliance, and provides a path for converged IT.
Previous research from the company, released in July last year, found that three quarters of organisations were looking at an alternative for their public file, sync and share services. Speaking to CloudTech at the time, VP strategic marketing Rani Osnat explained how both public SaaS services and enterprise-grade storage can harmonise together. “The market is growing so much there is room for both of these things,” he said. “Companies like Box will continue to grow while private deployments also grow in parallel; these things will live side by side.”
Cloud takes top spot at EMC, SAP and Intel quarterly announcements
EMC, SAP and Intel have all reported quarterly figures, with cloud taking centre stage during all announcements.
EMC demonstrated positive growth within the cloud business units, though its staple business unit, EMC Information Infrastructure saw double-digit year-on-year declines. The $67 billion merger with Dell was prominent throughout the earnings call, as the team would appear to be in the final stages of confirming the transaction.
SAP’s HANA once again dominated the company’s earnings call, demonstrating healthy growth in revenues and customer numbers over the period. The company saw positive growth worldwide, despite challenging conditions in Latin America.
Finally, Intel is seemingly succeeded in its transition programme as it reported positive growth during Q1. The company is moving away from its historical playground, setting its sights on the increasingly affluent IoT and cloud market segment.
EMC core business unit drags while cloud soars
EMC Corporation has reported its Q1 2016 results at revenues $5.5 billion a year-on-year decrease of 2%, though its VMWare and Pivotal businesses experience positive growth over the same period.
While the EMC Information Infrastructure business saw Q1 revenues decrease of 6% to $3.8 billion, the company was bolstered by 5% revenue growth from VMWare, and a 56% increase from the Pivotal business. The company highlighted healthy growth within the Pivotal cloud and big data subscription software in particular, with annual recurring revenue up over 200% year-on-year, to $116 million.
“Work forces are becoming increasingly mobile,” said Joseph Tucci, President and CEO at EMC Corporation. “There is an explosion of data from connected smart device as sensors and telemetry are being built into every imaginable product. Companies are embarking on digital transformations to exploit this ever increasing amount of data, get more connected with their customers, employees, and suppliers. In short, we feel very good about the depth and breadth of our product portfolio.”
The results continue a trend of under-performance according to analysts, as this is now the sixth straight quarter EMC has missed analyst expectations. The company’s core business also saw declines as sales for its high-end storage services dropped 14%, though the flash storage business countered these declines somewhat, growing 122% year-on-year.
“The spending environment continues to be challenging as customers focus more on transformative IT projects while also minimizing transactional spend,” said Denis Cashman, CFO at EMC Corporation. “This customer behaviour is impacting our traditional business in the near-term. However, the major trends in IT remain intact, and we are having positive discussions with customers regarding how EMC and eventually, the combination of Dell and EMC, can help them with their IT and digital transformation.”
While the management would appear to be upbeat about the progress of EMC as an individual entity, attention could not be drawn away from the $67 billion Dell merger. The company claims the integration programme has been accelerated over recent months, and a number of EMC executives have included in the new leadership team announced by Michael Dell recently. Tucci also claims the team are now only awaiting regulatory approval from China, before the transaction can be completed.
S/4HANA dominates headlines at SAP quarterlies once again.
SAP has reported positive growth in the first quarter of 2016 as the company continues its transition from an enterprise to cloud-focused organization, with S/4HANA demonstrating healthy progress.
Cloud subscriptions and support revenues grew 33% year-on-year to €678 million, and new cloud bookings grew at 23% over the quarter to €145 million. The cloud business, as well as software support revenues, accounted for 69% of the quarter’s total revenues. EMEA demonstrated solid growth over the period, accounting for an 8% increase, whereas the Americas reported a 29% increase, despite political and economic instability in Brazil creating a challenging environment.
“Our cloud results this quarter leave no doubt that this business continues on its fast-growth path,” Luka Mucic, Chief Operating & Financial Officer at SAP. “Cloud revenue came in at 33% growth this quarter, which marks the 12th quarter in a row with 30%-plus growth rate excluding acquisitions. This is at the high end of our implied guidance range and ticking well ahead of our CAGR through 2020.
“New cloud bookings saw robust growth, up 23% or up 26% at constant currencies. With our strong cloud backlog and our strong bookings performance in 2015, we are well on track to deliver on our midterm growth ambitions in the cloud.”
SAP added more than 500 S/4HANA customers, of which approximately 30% were new. The company now boasts 3,200 customers for across the world for the product. HANA Enterprise Cloud was credited with particularly strong performance from the management team, as it highlighted customers are now utilizing the cloud platform for sensitive and mission critical processes.
“Companies are running their supply chain, manufacturing, asset management, sales and distribution that all operate on a 24/7 basis on the SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud,” William McDermott, CEO at SAP. “The triple-digit growth in this business is a validation of SAP Cloud innovation and we are only getting started.”
Intel cuts 12000 jobs to focus on IoT and cloud markets
Intel has reported year-on-year growth of 7% for Q1, taking the company’s revenues to $13.7 billion. Despite the positive growth, the management team also confirmed it would be cutting 12000 jobs, equivalent to 11% of the global workforce.
The Internet of Things group reported revenue of $651 million, an increase of 22% year-on-year, Security group revenue was up 12% to $537 million and the Data Centre group reported a 9% year-on-year growth to $4 billion. The company’s historical playground, its Client Computing group which includes PCs and mobile devices, was down 14% to $7.5 billion. The Client Computing group is where the management have revealed the majority of the job cuts will come from.
“Our results over the last year demonstrate a strategy that is working and a solid foundation for growth,” said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, who is leading the company’s shift away from client computing and towards IoT and the cloud.
“The opportunity now is to accelerate this momentum and build on our strengths,” said Krzanich. “These actions drive long-term change to further establish Intel as the leader for the smart, connected world. I am confident that we’ll emerge as a more productive company with broader reach and sharper execution.”
During the call Krzanich detailed the company’s restructuring programme, in which the team aim to move away from the perception Intel is a PC company, focusing on the cloud and connected devices markets. The company claims the staff reductions will enable Intel to focus its resources on new priorities
“You take a look at it, 40% of our revenue, 60% of our margin comes from areas other than the PC right now,” said Krzanich. “It’s time to make this transition and push the company over all the way to that strategy and that strategic direction. So that’s why we wanted to do it now.”