Category Archives: VMware vSphere

LogRhythm Partners with VMware to Automate Regulatory Compliance in Virtualized Environments

LogRhythm today announced that it has partnered with VMware to contribute to its newly introduced VMware Compliance Reference Architectures, a set of resources including solution guides and design architectures intended to simplify compliance for business-critical applications in the cloud era. As part of this initiative, LogRhythm has published the LogRhythm Solution Guide for Payment Card Industry (PCI), an addendum to the VMware Solution Guide for PCI. The LogRhythm solution addendum is a QSA-reviewed guide that outlines how the company’s SIEM 2.0 platform complements existing VMware security capabilities to help customers assure PCI compliance when virtualizing mission-critical business applications with VMware vSphere®.

“Security and compliance are top concerns for organizations seeking to virtualize critical business systems such as PCI payment processing,” said Parag Patel, vice president, Global Strategic Alliances, VMware. “We’re committed to helping customers address these concerns on their journey to the cloud, and partners like LogRhythm extend our native security capabilities to make this possible. Through our solution guides, VMware and LogRhythm are delivering a validated roadmap that details how organizations can achieve PCI compliance in virtualized environments.”

LogRhythm’s SIEM 2.0 platform delivers the visibility and insight needed to detect, defend against and respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, efficiently meet compliance requirements, and proactively respond to operational challenges. The company provides out-of-the box compliance solutions that enable organizations to meet their requirements for log data collection, review, archive, reporting, and alerting under mandates such as PCI, HIPAA, NERC-CIP, GLBA, Sarbanes Oxley, GPG 13, and other regulatory regimes. LogRhythm’s PCI compliance package features specific investigations, alarms and reports designed to meet PCI reporting requirements, and directly addresses or augments at least 80 individual PCI controls. With fully integrated file integrity monitoring, advanced multi-tenant support, robust reporting, and rapid search and drill-down capabilities, LogRhythm is an ideal solution for addressing PCI compliance requirements in virtual environments. LogRhythm can ensure that sensitive data, such as credit card account information, is not inappropriately accessed by shared virtual resources or unauthorized individuals. LogRhythm is field-proven in numerous deployments where the solution is being used to automate and assure regulatory compliance in virtual environments.

“We’re very pleased to have been selected by VMware to help address the compliance requirements of customers moving their critical systems to virtual and private cloud environments,” said Matt Winter, vice president corporate and business development at LogRhythm. “LogRhythm has a significant track record helping customers meet their regulatory compliance obligations in virtual, physical and hybrid environments. Our compliance capabilities dovetail well with VMware’s native security offerings to create a robust and comprehensive solution. With the VMware Solution Guide for PCI and LogRhythm’s addendum solution guide, organizations can have confidence that there is a detailed, validated path to maintaining PCI compliance in virtualized environments.”

The LogRhythm Solution Guide for PCI has been reviewed by Coalfire, an independent Qualified Security Assessor specializing in IT audit, risk assessment and compliance management, and is available for download on the LogRhythm website and VMware Solution Exchange.


Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere available for download From 6fusion.

Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere allows users to meter resource consumption in any VMware vSphere 4.1 or 5.0 environment providing  insight into resource consumption – for free right from the VMware console. In addition, new functionality was added to the latest version of Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere based on feedback from beta customers, including:

  • Enhanced reporting capabilities such as viewing individual and summary
    VM profile reports
  • Usability and navigation enhancements such as sorting and managing
    profiles by Name, Free and Pro
  • The ability to upgrade from the Free to the Pro version of Cloud
    Resource Meter directly within the tool

Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere joins the existing family of 6fusion Cloud Resource Meter products, including Cloud Resource Meter for Linux and Cloud Resource Meter for Windows. You can see a demo of Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere at 1PM ET on Wednesday, August 1st – register here.

“Cloud Resource Meter provides us a powerful and simple way to centralize and aggregate our customers usage information for billing and reporting of our Cloud Continuity services,” said Omar Torres, Director of Virtualization & Cloud Solutions at Veristor. “Through the secure, web-based console we are able to accurately track our customers usage without having to invest in and run our own metering infrastructure. This brings us a number of valuable efficiencies to how we operate and service our cloud customers.”

“6fusion believes metering IT consumption across heterogeneous environments is fundamental to optimizing any IT infrastructure,” said John Cowan, Co-Founder and CEO of 6fusion. “Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere gives organizations unprecedented insights into how their IT resources are actually being used, who is using those resources, and they can improve the business value they are delivering.”

Cloud Resource Meter is available in two models – Free and Pro. Cloud Resource Meter Free provides the ability to meter and view the last 28 days of data directly in the vSphere interface or in the 6fusion UC6 Console. The Pro version provides the full capabilities of the tool, including unlimited metering, expanded reporting capabilities, technical support as well as the ability to access 6fusion’s enhanced analytics tools.


SpringBoard V5.5 Makes the Cloud More Efficient for Project Managers

LoadSpring Solutions, a provider of Project Management (PM) hosting and software, is introducing a new version of their SpringBoard cloud portal.

SpringBoard is a user-friendly control console that enables easy access to PM software and information that is hosted within LoadSpring’s cloud infrastructure. It connects project teams through any computer or mobile device worldwide.

The new SpringBoard 5.5 retains the same familiar look and feel as previous versions, but with improved tools and features that afford more functionality, speed and efficiency.

Launched on July 9th, these improvements will deliver broader enterprise access and greater data control, while helping users get more done in less time and with less effort.

According to Eric Leighton, LoadSpring’s founder and CEO, “Our enhanced control console will serve as a gateway to software resources and core LoadSpring services,” adding that, “The new features will further allow our enterprise-level customers to be more productive and efficient. SpringBoard 5.5 will even link users to our new LoadSpring Academy, transforming the way people are trained to maximize their use of new software.”

The upgraded portal is part of LoadSpring’s continuing pursuit of refinements that improve the customer experience and help them realize a quicker return on investment faster.

SpringBoard 5.5 is based on strengths that users value most in previous versions, such as:

  • Easy application and data access, anywhere, on any device
  • Software deployment in days, not weeks or months
  • Simple user scaling, both up and down
  • Fast global application upgrades and version changes
  • Safe, effortless migration of large amounts of data
  • Trouble-free, corporate-wide ID management
  • Disaster recovery with more Data Rescue options than ever
  • Enterprise-level security, support and service

 


Mellanox Releases InfiniBand Driver for VMware vSphere

Image representing Mellanox Technologies as de...Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., a supplier of high-performance, end-to-end interconnect solutions for data center servers and storage systems, today announced the availability of InfiniBand driver support for VMware vSphere® 5, providing IT end-users the compelling choice of deploying field proven InfiniBand-based interconnect in virtualized data center and cloud environments. Running with Mellanox’s industry-leading ConnectX®-3 FDR 56Gb/s InfiniBand adapter cards and SwitchX® FDR 56Gb/s InfiniBand switches, the InfiniBand software driver for VMware vSphere 5 helps bring high throughput and low latency to virtualized IT deployments.

The InfiniBand driver for VMware vSphere 5 along with features like VMware VMDirect Path I/O, vMotion® and VMware High Availability (HA), leverage InfiniBand’s advanced built-in reliability and performance capabilities to help bring high performance and cost-effective solutions to IT end-users.

“Virtualization is proven to be the most effective technology to drive lower data center total cost of ownership and improve the cost-effectiveness of cloud computing SLA,” said David Barzilai, vice president of marketing at Mellanox Technologies. “Mellanox’s InfiniBand driver leverages the advanced data center virtualization and high availability features of VMware vSphere 5 to help bring new cost-effective system architectures for the next generation of flexible, reliable IT services.”

 


6fusion Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere Now in Public Beta

Image representing 6fusion as depicted in Crun...

6fusion, a provider of utility metered public, private, and hybrid cloud infrastructure management solutions, today announced that Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere has achieved public beta and is now available for sign up. Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere allows users to meter resource consumption in any VMware vSphere 4.1 or 5.0 environment providing unparalleled insight into resource consumption – all for free and all right from the VMware Console. Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere product joins the existing family of Cloud Resource Meter for Windows, and Cloud Resource Meter for Linux already available from 6fusion.

“Utility metering with the Cloud Resource Meter gives us the ability to profile our environment in a way we never have before,” said Graham Brown, Director, Business Technology Consulting, Gyrocom, “which gives us accurate data to make informed decisions on workload allocation and deployment.”

Using 6fusion’s unique Workload Allocation Cube technology with a connection to the UC6 Cloud Management Platform, Cloud Resource Meter provides an industry standard unit of measurement allowing you to meter resource consumption across physical, virtual, and cloud infrastructure. This standardized approach to metering allows IT departments to improve ROI analysis, optimize resource consumption, build the business case to migrate to cloud, or simply improve IT distribution processes.

“Universal metering is foundational to any utility,” said John Cowan, 6fusion Co-founder and CEO. “Cloud Resource Meter for VMware vSphere allows any VMware user in the world to quantify their cloud requirements and determine the best location to run those workloads going forward – maximizing efficiency of IT spend and ROI.“

Cloud Resource Meter is available in two models – Free and Pro. Cloud Resource Meter Free provides the ability to meter and view the last 28 days of data directly in the vSphere interface or in the 6fusion UC6 Console. The Pro version provides the full capabilities of the tool, including unlimited metering, expanded reporting capabilities, technical support as well as the ability to access 6fusion’s enhanced analytics tools.

To learn more about Cloud Resource Meter or to sign up for access to the beta product, visit www.6fusion.com/products/cloudresourcemeter, or stop by booth 618 at Citrix Synergy in San Francisco or booth 311 at Interop Las Vegas.


Teradici APEX 2800 Server Offload Card Now Supporting VMware View 5.1, vSphere

Image representing Teradici as depicted in Cru...

Teradici, the developer of the PC-over-IP (PCoIP) protocol that enables a true PC experience for desktop virtualization, today announced the compatibility of the APEX 2800 server offload card with the latest release of VMware View 5.1, continuing full compatibility with all current VMware View and VMware vSphere releases.

“As organizations of all sizes accelerate their journey to cloud, and adopt desktop virtualization, businesses are looking for solutions that can provide a rich, flexible and secure experience for end-users,” said Vittorio Viarengo, vice president, End-User Computing, VMware. “VMware cloud infrastructure is built to support active end-user demands and we welcome products that can provide exceptional benefits for VMware Viewenvironments. The Teradici APEX 2800 server offload card is an important tool for IT managers trying to reclaim CPU cycles while leveraging their existing virtual desktop infrastructure.”

The Teradici PCoIP server offload card dynamically offloads the most active 64 displays on the server, improving the consolidation ratio by up to 2x and reducing the cost per virtual desktop. The card also helps reduce the CPU buffer put aside in View deployments for “just-in-case” graphic peaks. The card can easily be enabled in VMware View Administrator.

“Teradici has a commitment to ensure full compatibility for all its products in the growing PCoIP and VMware End-User Computing ecosystem, so we’re happy to support VMware View™ 5.1 and VMware vSphere® with the APEX 2800,” said Trent Punnett, vice president of marketing, Teradici. “As the developer of the industry’s only server offload card designed to maximize the benefits of VMware View PCoIP deployments, we are dedicated to ongoing development of the APEX 2800 to ensure the best end-user experience for virtual desktop deployments.

The Teradici APEX 2800 PCoIP server offload card is available through distributors worldwide, as well as from HP and Dell websites as a peripheral at the list price of $1,995 in the US. For more information, please visit www.teradici.com/APEX.


Infinitely Virtual Announces VMWare vCloud Director Capability, Giving IT Pros Greater Control and Flexibility in Managing Applications

Infinitely Virtual, a provider of virtual server cloud computing services for businesses, today announced it has added VMWare’s vCloud Director to its hosting platform, giving IT managers more “self-service” options when needing to quickly reconfigure networking resources, move data between different clouds, or change virtual applications.

Integrated with Infinitely Virtual’s upgrade to VMWare’s vSphere5, VMware vCloud Director saves IT managers time and money by giving them more autonomy and control over important aspects of their virtual infrastructure.

“We recognize that IT managers want the scalability and relative low investment cost of employing cloud-hosted services,” said Adam Stern, Infinitely Virtual founder and CEO. “At the same time, we know they sometimes want the ability to make quick changes to applications or to migrate workloads between different clouds without having to go to the cloud service provider.

“Adding VMWare’s vCloud Director continues Infinitely Virtual’s mission to deliver the most flexible, cost-effective cloud-hosting services to our customers,” Stern said. “We host and manage the secure, cloud platform while our IT customers have increased autonomy to make application and networking changes as they wish. It’s a smart division of labor that advances our goal of enabling clients to use their virtual infrastructure as a growth engine.”

Customers deploying vCloud Director benefit from an exceptionally user-friendly interface that provides end-users with the tools to foster a self-service networking and creative cloud environment. The product saves IT professionals precious time, which they can then devote to other business-critical tasks.

Infinitely Virtual’s vCloud Director integration offers these advantages:

  • Gives IT professionals the ability to self-manage virtual applications
    (vApps) without the assistance of the cloud service provider,
    facilitating quick changes, or changes on short notice due to current
    business needs
  • Allows IT to upload vApps into a catalog which can be used at a later
    date, without involving the cloud service provider
  • Enables greater control in moving and distributing workloads between
    different clouds
  • Cuts network configuration time down to a matter of minutes, using
    automated features
  • Provides the ability to power up or power down at will – without the
    need to contact the cloud service provider every time
  • Manages the end-user’s own firewalls and allows them to change ports
    without requiring any workload from the cloud service provider
  • Facilitates changes in security due to changing department needs –
    changes that can be made on the fly.

“Businesses that move resources and retool network configurations on a regular basis will find vCloud Director to be exceptionally well designed for that purpose,” said Stern.