Category Archives: News & Analysis

Azure, Docker, Hyper-V, Infrastructure as a Service, nano server, News & Analysis, Vendor, Windows Server

Microsoft unveils Hyper-V containers, nano servers

Microsoft has unveiled Hyper-V containers and nano servers

Microsoft has unveiled Hyper-V containers and nano servers

Microsoft has unveiled a number of updates to Windows Server including Hyper-V containers, which are essentially Docker containers embedded in Hyper-V VMs, and nano servers, a slimmed down Windows server image.

Microsoft said Hyper-V containers are ideal for users that want virtualisation-grade isolation, but still want to run their workloads within Docker containers in a Windows ecosystem.

“Through this new first-of-its-kind offering, Hyper-V Containers will ensure code running in one container remains isolated and cannot impact the host operating system or other containers running on the same host,” explained Mike Neil, general manager for Windows Server, Microsoft in a recent blog post.

“In addition, applications developed for Windows Server Containers can be deployed as a Hyper-V Container without modification, providing greater flexibility for operators who need to choose degrees of density, agility, and isolation in a multi-platform, multi-application environment.”

Windows Server Containers will be enabled in the next release of Windows Server, which is due to be demoed in the coming weeks, and makes good on Microsoft’s commitment to make the Windows Server ecosystem (including Azure) Docker-friendly.

The company also unveiled what it’s calling nano servers, a “purpose-built OS” that is essentially a stripped down Windows Server image optimised for cloud and container workloads. They can be deployed onto bare metal, and because Microsoft removed tons of code it boots up and runs more quickly.

“To achieve these benefits, we removed the GUI stack, 32 bit support (WOW64), MSI and a number of default Server Core components. There is no local logon or Remote Desktop support. All management is performed remotely via WMI and PowerShell. We are also adding Windows Server Roles and Features using Features on Demand and DISM. We are improving remote manageability via PowerShell with Desired State Configuration as well as remote file transfer, remote script authoring and remote debugging.  We are working on a set of new Web-based management tools to replace local inbox management tools,” the company explained.

“Because Nano Server is a refactored version of Windows Server it will be API-compatible with other versions of Windows Server within the subset of components it includes. Visual Studio is fully supported with Nano Server, including remote debugging functionality and notifications when APIs reference unsupported Nano Server components.”

The move is a sign Microsoft is keen to keep its on-premise and cloud platform ahead of the technology curve, and is likely to appeal to .NET developers who are attracted to some of the benefits of containers while wanting to stay firmly within a Windows world in terms of the tools and code used. Still, the company said it is working with Chef to ensure nano servers work well with their DevOps tools.

Analytics, cloud security, Funding, Machine learning, News & Analysis, Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), Palerra, Wing Venture Capital and Engineering Capital

Cloud security vendor Palerra scores $17m

Palerra is among a number of cloud security startup combining predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms to bolster cloud security

Palerra is among a number of cloud security startups combining predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms in clever ways

Cloud security vendor Palerra has secured $17m in series B funding, a move the company said would help accelerate sales and marketing efforts around its predictive analytics and threat detection services.

Palerra’s flagship service, Loric, combines threat detection and predictive analytics in order to provide automatic incident response and remediation for malicious traffic flowing to a range of cloud services and platforms.

Over the past few years we’ve seen a flurry of cloud security startups emerge, which all deploy analytics and machine learning algorithms to cleverly detect perceived and actual threats and respond in real-time, so it would seem enterprises are starting to become spoilt with choice.

The $17m round was led by August Capital, with participation from current investors Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), Wing Venture Capital and Engineering Capital, and brings the total amount secured by the firm to $25m.

The funds will be used to bolster sales and marketing efforts at the firm.

“The dramatic rise in adoption of cloud services by today’s enterprises against the backdrop of our generation’s most potent cyber threats has necessitated a new approach. LORIC was designed to meet these threats head on and this new round underscores our commitment to deliver the most powerful cloud security solution in the industry,” said Rohit Gupta, founder and chief executive officer of Palerra.

“As the perimeter disintegrates into a set of federated cloud-based and on-premises infrastructures, effective monitoring becomes almost impossible, unless security controls are embedded in these heterogeneous environments. This will require enterprises to reconsider and possibly redesign their security architecture and corresponding security controls by placing those controls in the cloud,” Gupta added.

Chris Battlers, Citrix, cloud based collaboration, Don Schiavone, Grasshopper, M&A, News & Analysis

Citrix buys Grasshopper to strengthen cloud-based comms

Citrix is buying Grasshopper to bolster its cloud-based comms offerings for SMEs

Citrix is buying Grasshopper to bolster its cloud-based collaboration offerings for SMEs

Citrix has acquired Grasshopper Group, a provider of cloud-based communications services, for an undisclosed sum.

Grasshopper offers a cloud-based corporate communications suite that allows firms to set up corporate phone directories with toll-free numbers, voicemail and all. Users can add departments and employee extensions, and incoming calls can be forwarded to mobile or home phone lines or skype accounts.

The company’s pitch is that it can offer companies – particularly those that work across multiple offices without any particular HQ – the ability to stand up a corporate coms telephony system without having to invest in a PBX box or any other expensive legacy kit typically involved with such an endeavour.

Citrix said it Grasshopper will help the company expand its cloud-based collaboration offerings for SMEs.

“With the acquisition we expand the breadth of our communication and collaboration solutions for small businesses, including GoToMeeting, GoToTraining, GoToWebinar, ShareFile and OpenVoice,” said Chris Battlers, vice president of Citrix.

Don Schiavone, chief operating officer of Grasshopper said: “Our team shares the same vision and culture as Citrix, making Citrix the perfect home as we accelerate Grasshopper’s growth. This transaction will allow Grasshopper to align itself with a well-respected leader in collaboration solutions for small businesses.”

The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of this year, and comes the same week Citrix’s virtualisation rival VMware announced the launch of an integrated collaboration suite.

Chua Sock Koong, M&A, News & Analysis, Robert McCullen, Singtel, Telco Cloud, Trustwave

Singtel buys Trustwave in managed security play

Singtel has acquired Trustwave, a cloud and managed security services provider

Singtel has acquired Trustwave, a cloud and managed security services provider

Singtel is to acquire IT security firm Trustwave in a move that will see the latter operate as the cybersecurity division of the Singaporean telecoms incumbent.

The deal will see Singtel acquire a 98 per cent stake in the American security services firm, which has an $850m equity value. Singtel said it paid around $810m for the company.

Following the acquisition more than 1,200 Trustwave employees will join Singtel to form a standalone cybersecurity services business unit.

Trustwave said it had three million business subscribers pre-acquisition and five security operations centres (in the US and Poland).

In canned remarks Trustwave chairman, chief executive and president Robert McCullen said: “This strategic partnership creates an unparalleled opportunity to combine Singtel’s robust information and communications solutions with Trustwave’s industry-leading security technologies and managed services platform to deliver cutting-edge solutions that will enhance our customer experience.”

“Singtel is the perfect partner for us as we continue to help businesses fight cybercrime, protect data and reduce security risk, and the Trustwave team is thrilled to become a part of such a prestigious and innovative organization,” McCullen said.

Singtel said the move will allow it to build a stronger presence in the American and European cloud services markets as it combines its existing enterprise IT assets it already leverages in the Asia Pacific region.

Chua Sock Koong, Singtel Group chief executive said: “We aspire to be a global player in cyber security.  We have established a strong security business in the region, both organically and through strategic partnerships with global technology leaders.”

“Our extensive customer reach and strong suite of ICT services, together with Trustwave’s deep cyber security capabilities, will create a powerful combination and allow Singtel to capture global opportunities in the cyber security space,” Koong said.

The acquisition will see Singtel move into an area that seems to be constantly on the up – cyberattacks like DDoS and man-in-the-middle attacks are becoming more frequent and cheaper to procure on the black market according to nearly every report out there, and other IT-focused telcos (i.e. Verizon) making moves to broaden their enterprise services to include cloud security and managed security services. According to Gartner the managed security industry is estimated to generate approximately $24bn by 2018, up almost 75 per cent from $14bn in 2014.

Cliqr, Foundation Capital, Gaurav Manglik, Google Ventures, News & Analysis, TransLink Capital, Vendor

Hyrbid cloud management vendor CliQr scores $20m from Polaris Partners, Google

CliQr has raised $20m in its third round of funding, which the vendor said will be used to bolster its international expansion

CliQr has raised $20m in its third round of funding, which the vendor said will be used to bolster its international expansion

CliQr, a provider of hybrid cloud management services, has secured $20m in series C funding in an investment round led by Polaris Partners with participation from Foundation Capital, Google Ventures and TransLink Capital.

It can be tricky managing workloads that sit on diverse public and private cloud platforms, within one pane of glass, and even more difficult making sure those workloads port over to different cloud platforms that are distributed to varying degrees.

That’s the space CliQr fills with its flagship software offering, Cloud Centre; the company says its offering is based on proprietary “app-centric” technologies that enable hybrid cloud workload lifecycle management without having to do any scripting or tweaking under the hood of the migrated apps.

The latest funding round, which brings the total amount secured by the company since its founding to $38m, will be used to bolster CliQr’s expansion globally.

“CliQr built its technology and reputation by listening to customers about their requirements for the cloud,” said Gaurav Manglik, chief executive officer and co-founder of CliQr.

“To meet our customers’ needs, we are delivering on our vision for unshackling applications from the complexity of ever-changing hybrid cloud environments. Our approach is validated by a strong product platform, enterprise customers, worldwide partners and top-tier investors. We’re ready to put this new investment to work by helping us expand globally to meet skyrocketing demand for our platform,” Manglik said.

Alibaba, ARM, Datacentre, Infrastructure as a Service, Lakshmi Mandyam, Linaro, News & Analysis, server, Shuanlin Liu

Alibaba throws its weight behind ARM architecture standards

Alibaba is joining the Linaro Group, an organisation which aims to eliminate software fragmentation within ARM-based environments

Alibaba is joining the Linaro Enterprise Group, an organisation which aims to eliminate software fragmentation within ARM-based environments

Chinese e-commerce and cloud giant Alibaba announced it has joined the Linaro Enterprise Group (LEG), a group of over 200 engineers working on consolidating and optimising open source software for the ARM architecture.

Linaro runs a number of different ARM-based initiatives  aimed at cultivating software standards for ARM chips for networking, mobile platforms, servers and the connected home. It mainly targets upstream development but also aims to coordinate work that helps reduce “costly low level fragmentation.”

More recently the organisation launched a working group focused specifically on developing software standards for ARMv8-A 64-bit silicon, architecture a number of server vendors and ODMs have started adopting in their portfolios in a bid to test the ARM-based cloud server market.

Alibaba, which operates six cloud datacentres – mostly in China – and recently expanded to the US, said it will collaborate with a range of companies within LEG to optimise the ARMv8-A software platforms.

“Alibaba Group’s infrastructure carries the world’s largest e-commerce ecosystem, in addition to China’s leading cloud services,” said Shuanlin Liu, chief architect of Alibaba Infrastructure Service.

“We need the best technical solutions as we step into the DT (data technology) era. Hence, we’re investing heavily in the innovation of a wide range of technologies, including the ARM architecture. We will continue to work closely with partners to accelerate the development and growth of the ecosystem,” Liu said.

Alibaba said the move may help it deliver cloud services that have been workload-optimised right down to the chip, and help lower the TCO; lower energy usage and higher density are two leading characteristics driving interest in ARM for cloud datacentres. But due in part to x86′s dominance in the datacentre there is a conspicuous lack of ARM-based software standards and workloads, which is what LEG

“As one of the world’s largest cloud operators, Alibaba is continually pushing technology boundaries to efficiently deploy new services at a massive scale,” said Lakshmi Mandyam, director, server systems and ecosystems, ARM. “Their collaboration with the ARM ecosystem will accelerate and expand open source software choices for companies wishing to deploy ARMv8-A based servers. We welcome Alibaba’s participation in Linaro and the new dimension it will bring to an already vibrant community.”

The past couple of years have seen a number of large cloud service providers flirt with the prospect of switching to ARM architecture within their datacentres, most notably Amazon. The latest move signals Alibaba is interested in moving in that direction, or at least  signal to vendors it’s willing to do so, but it may be a while before we see the cloud giant roll out the ARM-based servers within its datacentres.

Cisco, Converged Infrastructure, Nebula, News & Analysis, Open Source, OpenStack, Private Cloud, Vendor

Converged OpenStack cloud pioneer Nebula closes its doors

Nebula, an OpenStack pioneer, is closing its doors

Nebula, an OpenStack pioneer, is closing its doors

Converged infrastructure vendor Nebula, one of the first companies to pioneer integrated OpenStack-based private cloud hardware, announced it will close its doors this week.

A notice posted by the Nebula management team on its website says the company had no choice but to cease operations after exhaustively searching for alternative arrangements that would allow the company to keep operating.

“When we started this journey four years ago, we set out to usher in a new era of cloud computing by curating and productizing OpenStack for the enterprise. We are incredibly proud of the role we had in establishing Nebula as the leading enterprise cloud computing platform. At the same time, we are deeply disappointed that the market will likely take another several years to mature. As a venture backed start up, we did not have the resources to wait.”

“Nebula private clouds deployed at customer sites will continue to operate normally, however support will no longer be available. Nebula is based on OpenStack and is compatible with OpenStack products from vendors including Red Hat, IBM, HP and others, providing customers with a number of choices moving forward.”

One of the original players behind the OpenStack codebase, Nebula offered Nebula Cosmos, a fast and secure deployment, management, and monitoring tool for enterprise-grade OpenStack private clouds, and converged infrastructure solutions based on x86 servers running OpenStack- the Nebula One.

Nearly five years after the creation of OpenStack the market is clearly still in its early stages despite loads of vendor hype and a flurry of acquisitions in this space. Indeed, the first challenge for independents like Nebula is their ability to gain critical mass and maintain operations – at least before being acquired by firms like Cisco, Red Hat, HP and other IT vendors that have snapped OpenStack startups in recent years in a bid to grow their portfolios based on the open source platform; the second is, of course, competing with the Ciscos, Red Hats and HPs of the world, which is no small feat.

Cisco, Dante Malagrinò, Embrane, Hilton Romanski, M&A, network function virtualisation, Networks, News & Analysis, NFV, Virtualisation

Cisco to buy Embrane in NFV automation play

Cisco is consolidating its NFV portfolio with an increasing focus on automation

Cisco is consolidating its NFV portfolio with an increasing focus on automation

Networking giant Cisco announced its intent to acquire network function virtualisation (NFV) and Cisco tech specialist Embrane for an undisclosed sum this week, a move intended to bolster the company’s networking automation capabilities.

“With agility and automation as persistent drivers for IT teams, the need to simplify application deployment and build the cloud is crucial for the datacentre,” explained Cisco’s corporate development lead Hilton Romanski.

“As we continue to drive virtualization and automation, the unique skillset and talent of the Embrane team will allow us to move more quickly to meet customer demands. Together with Cisco’s engineering expertise, the Embrane team will help to expand our strategy of offering freedom of choice to our customers through the Nexus product portfolio and enhance the capabilities of Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI),” he said, adding that the purchase also builds on previous commitments to open standards, open APIs, and playing nicely in multi-vendor environments.

Beyond complimenting Cisco’s ACI efforts, Dante Malagrinò, one of the founders of Embrane and its chief product officer said the move will help further the company’s goal of driving software-hardware integration in the networking space, and offer Embrane an attractive level of scale few vendors playing in this space have.

“Joining Cisco gives us the opportunity to continue our journey and participate in one of the most significant shifts in the history of networking:  leading the industry to better serve application needs through integrated software-hardware models,” he explained.

“The networking DNA of Cisco and Embrane together drives our common vision for an Application Centric Infrastructure.  We both believe that innovation must be evolutionary and enable IT organizations to transition to their future state on their own terms – and with their own timelines.  It’s about coexistence of hardware with software and of new with legacy in a way that streamlines and simplifies operations.”

Cisco is quickly working to consolidate its NFV offerings, and more recently its OpenStack services, as the vendor continues to target cloud service providers and telcos looking to revamp their datacentres. In March it was revealed Cisco struck a big deal with T-Systems, Deutsche Telekom’s enterprise-focused subsidiary, that will see the German incumbent roll out Cisco’s OpenStack-based infrastructure in datacentre in Biere, near Magdeburg, as well as a virtual hotspot service for SMEs.

Evan Grim, Josh Alexander, Microsoft, multifactor authentication, News & Analysis, PingIdentity, RSA, Salesforce, Toopher

Salesforce buys mobile authentication startup

MFA is becoming more prominent among enterprises

MFA is becoming more prominent among enterprises

Salesforce has acquired Toopher, a Texas-based mobile authentication startup, for an undisclosed sum.

The company, which offers multifactor authentication (MFA) for mobile platforms, was acquired by the CRM giant less than a month after it secured $200k in new investment.

“Today it is with great excitement that we can unveil our ability to super-charge our superpower—because we are being acquired by Salesforce,” the company’s founders Josh Alexander and Evan Grim wrote in a statement on the Toopher website.

“While we will no longer sell our current products, we are thrilled to join Salesforce, where we’ll work on delivering the Toopher vision on a much larger scale as part of the world’s #1 Cloud Platform. We can’t imagine a better team, technology and set of values with which to align.”

Toopher said it will continue to support existing customers.

Salesforce is aligning itself with a number of enterprise IT vendors including Microsoft, PingIdentity and RSA, which have over the past few years moved to acquire MFA vendors in order to bolster the security posture of their offerings.

Given the rise in MFA adoption among enterprises (a recent SafeNet survey suggests 37 per cent of organisations used MFA in 2014, up from 30 per cent the previous year), the performance improvements associated with tight technical integration between MFA and the services they protect, and the fact these enterprises are becoming more and more mobile, it’s not surprising to see some vendors swoop in to acquire the technology outright.

Alex Freedland, Cloud Foundry, News & Analysis, Open Source, OpenStack, Platform as a service, Sam Ramji

Mirantis joins Cloud Foundry to improve OpenStack PaaS integration

Mirantis has joined Cloud Foundry in a move aimed at improving integration between Cloud Foundry and OpenStack

Mirantis has joined Cloud Foundry in a move aimed at improving integration between Cloud Foundry and OpenStack

Pure-play OpenStack vendor Mirantis is joining the Cloud Foundry Foundation in a bid to help drive integration between the two open source platforms.

OpenStack has gained strong momentum in recent years with vendors like HP and IBM building fully fledged portfolios based on the technology; according to 451 Research OpenStack revenue will hit $3.3bn by 2018.

And as far as open source platform-as-a-service projects go, Cloud Foundry seems to have gained the lion’s share of vendor buy-in.

“As the pure-play OpenStack company, Mirantis is focused on making OpenStack the best way to build a private cloud and enable software development,” said Alex Freedland, Mirantis co-founder and chairman.

“Part of that vision is making it as simple as possible to deploy and manage technologies higher ‘up the stack’ – like Cloud Foundry, which has become a very popular PaaS for developer productivity on top of OpenStack. We believe that OpenStack serves the market best by supporting the most popular PaaS solutions and giving enterprise customers maximum choice, rather than prescribing a specific PaaS.”

Sam Ramji, chief executive officer of Cloud Foundry said: “Mirantis and the OpenStack community are doing important work at the infrastructure level of the stack. We’re looking forward to their contributions to optimise OpenStack and Cloud Foundry and empower developers to build their applications for the cloud – quickly and easily.”

In October last year Mirantis secured $100m in series B investment, which has no doubt put the company in a strong position to double down on industry partnerships.