I recently participated in a panel discussion, titled: “Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) endgame – commoditizing the data center” at the GigaOM Structure 2012 Conference. While software is definitely defining the use of IaaS through Platform as a Service (PaaS), the underlying need for IaaS does not go away. In my opinion, the current pace of infrastructure and data center build out cannot be maintained, leading to a future need of resource sharing in this space.
Resource sharing includes everything that contributes to a data center, especially the physical infrastructure. Several Software as a Service (SaaS) providers, especially in the collaboration space, innovatively optimize their infrastructure to serve their specialized purpose. Facebook, for example, has open sourced their hardware design through Open Compute. Skype, as you know, routes calls and video through their users’ bandwidth, reducing the need for back-end infrastructure.
What considerations must a CIO make when moving to the cloud?
We have to face facts: cloud uptake is on the rise.
Indeed, deployments are set to double by 2015, and up to 200,000 UK jobs will be created by cloud computing technologies between 2011 and 2015.
CIOs therefore have to accept that cloud is here, and here to stay. So what considerations must a CIO make when moving to the cloud, even if he is entirely unwilling to do so?!
Below, I have outlined some tips for any CIO who is either looking to move to the cloud, or indeed, is being pushed into making the move by his CFO or CEO…
Do I understand what cloud is and what it can do for my business?
As cloud computing adoption grows, so does the hype surrounding it. Everyone’s talking about the benefits that can be achieved by moving to the cloud, but does the CIO truly understand what …
Citrix Enhances ShareFile Cloud Data Sharing for iPad
Citrix today released major updates to its ShareFile app for iPad, designed to provide a collaborative work experience on the go. Today’s advancements enhance the company’s popular file sharing service with new IT control capabilities to ensure the security of company data when accessed from a mobile device and productivity features for users. ShareFile for iPad is available immediately for download from the App Store.
“The needs of our customers are at the forefront of every design choice that we make,” said Jesse Lipson, VP and GM, Data Sharing, Citrix. “Our customers – from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies – live mobile workstyles and expect it to be easy to store and share their files and content from anywhere. ShareFile for iPad provides a powerful user experience while meeting IT’s mandate for security.”
What Is New
- Intelligent device security policies: New “poison pill” option
enables IT to set data expiration policies, plus multiple preferences
settings allow IT to decide whether files can be opened in third-party
applications or saved offline. - Enterprise Active Directory integration: ShareFile for iPad
connects to Active Directory and SAML enterprise identities for a more
seamless and secure user experience. - Improved auditing and reporting: Enhanced capabilities help IT
to track and log user activity. - Offline access: Advanced options allow users to save files
locally for offline access and editing. - Quickoffice integration: Integration with Quickoffice enables
users to edit Microsoft Office documents and save them back to
ShareFile. - Easy access to multiple accounts: Redesigned interface makes it
simple to view multiple ShareFile accounts and folders, providing
users with easy access to all of their data.
Citrix Enhances ShareFile Cloud Data Sharing for iPad
Citrix today released major updates to its ShareFile app for iPad, designed to provide a collaborative work experience on the go. Today’s advancements enhance the company’s popular file sharing service with new IT control capabilities to ensure the security of company data when accessed from a mobile device and productivity features for users. ShareFile for iPad is available immediately for download from the App Store.
“The needs of our customers are at the forefront of every design choice that we make,” said Jesse Lipson, VP and GM, Data Sharing, Citrix. “Our customers – from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies – live mobile workstyles and expect it to be easy to store and share their files and content from anywhere. ShareFile for iPad provides a powerful user experience while meeting IT’s mandate for security.”
What Is New
- Intelligent device security policies: New “poison pill” option
enables IT to set data expiration policies, plus multiple preferences
settings allow IT to decide whether files can be opened in third-party
applications or saved offline. - Enterprise Active Directory integration: ShareFile for iPad
connects to Active Directory and SAML enterprise identities for a more
seamless and secure user experience. - Improved auditing and reporting: Enhanced capabilities help IT
to track and log user activity. - Offline access: Advanced options allow users to save files
locally for offline access and editing. - Quickoffice integration: Integration with Quickoffice enables
users to edit Microsoft Office documents and save them back to
ShareFile. - Easy access to multiple accounts: Redesigned interface makes it
simple to view multiple ShareFile accounts and folders, providing
users with easy access to all of their data.
Cloud Expo Silicon Valley | Cloud Computing Adoption: Where Are We Really?
Hear about findings from hundreds of one-on-one interviews with IT decision makers from Global 2000 companies and how the IT Infrastructure is evolving toward the use of internal and external cloud architectures. The findings will span TheInfoPro’s research of the storage, servers, networking, information security and cloud computing markets and will highlight internal and external cloud intentions, server and storage virtualization, software as a service (SaaS) and security, among others.
In his session at the 11th International Cloud Expo, Sean Hackett, Managing Director, Cloud Computing at TheInfoPro, will expose the core developments responsible for modern architectures that have allowed enterprises to better serve the business units they support through speed, and flexibility, as well as lower the costs associated with IT infrastructure.
Active Network Launches StarCite Meeting Locator Strategic Meetings Management Technology
Active Network, Inc., a provider of cloud-based activity and participant management solutions, today launched Meeting Locator – an intelligent, easy-to-use tool that helps meeting planners and travel managers make well-researched and informed decisions when choosing destinations for any business event. Now available as part of the company’s StarCite strategic meetings management (SMM) platform, Meeting Locator quickly delivers advice based on global data from the industry’s leading travel and meeting spend platforms.
Active Network has partnered with business travel management leader Carson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) to eliminate the tedious and expensive guesswork from the meeting planning process. Instead of spending hours researching airfare, destinations, hotel room rates and more, meeting planners simply enter the dates of their meeting and the attendees’ departure cities into the Meeting Locator tool. Meeting Locator is integrated within the StarCite Spend Management software and employs information from CWT’s vast travel database to find cost-effective and environmentally friendly destinations, along with their associated costs.
“Traditional approaches to determining meeting locations are inefficient and laborious,” said JR Sherman, SVP of Business Solutions at Active Network. “With increasing scrutiny on spend management and compliance with travel policy requirements, it’s paramount that corporate meeting planners have the best technology at their fingertips. Meeting Locator gives them the robust, integrated, intelligence they need to help make sound business decisions backed by global data from the industry’s leading travel and meeting spend platforms.”
Meeting Locator optimizes its recommendations based on hundreds of thousands of variables, including historical airfare and room rates, carbon emissions and the cost and availability of telepresence for those unable to attend in-person. The powerful tool can easily identify meeting destinations that meet corporate goals for budget or environmental compliance. By leveraging global travel and lodging data, and support for more than 100 currencies, it can help meeting planners organize events anywhere in the world. Furthermore, Meeting Locator is conveniently integrated within the StarCite Spend Management workflow and approval process to help accelerate decision-making.
According to Christopher Dwyer, senior research analyst of Aberdeen Research, “Nine percent of the average organization’s total budget is spent on corporate meetings and events. With this figure expected to increase by nearly 20 percent over the next two years (and with more and more organizations perceiving this function as having strategic value), companies across the globe must enhance their existing meetings management programs with next-generation strategies, approaches and solutions.”
Meeting Locator is available immediately to existing worldwide customers using the StarCite SMM platform. StarCite customers can contact their global account manager to get started with the Meeting Locator tool. Prospective customers can contact Joshua.Templeton@activenetwork.com to discuss their overall corporate event management needs and learn how the StarCite SMM platform and tools can help them save time and money while gaining greater insight and efficiencies. Sherman added, “We believe Meeting Locator offers significant benefits to the corporate events industry and are already planning additional capabilities for release later this year. Early adopters will have an opportunity to help influence and shape our next-generation tool based on their evolving needs.” More information on Meeting Locator can be found here.
Active Network is helping the events industry move beyond a focus on meetings logistics and spend management to one that includes community engagement, which helps enable organizations to build value with their customers and employees. The company’s Business Solutions power customers of all sizes—including small and medium-sized businesses, enterprise corporations, associations, tradeshows and expos—with a single technology suite for their entire event management needs. The Business Solutions technology suite includes Conference™ for large flagship conferences, RegOnline™ for attendee management solutions, StarCite® SMM for strategic meetings management and event expense management, and the StarCite Supplier Marketplace to connect events with suppliers. For more information on Active Network Business Solutions please visit www.activeevents.com.
Active Network Launches StarCite Meeting Locator Strategic Meetings Management Technology
Active Network, Inc., a provider of cloud-based activity and participant management solutions, today launched Meeting Locator – an intelligent, easy-to-use tool that helps meeting planners and travel managers make well-researched and informed decisions when choosing destinations for any business event. Now available as part of the company’s StarCite strategic meetings management (SMM) platform, Meeting Locator quickly delivers advice based on global data from the industry’s leading travel and meeting spend platforms.
Active Network has partnered with business travel management leader Carson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) to eliminate the tedious and expensive guesswork from the meeting planning process. Instead of spending hours researching airfare, destinations, hotel room rates and more, meeting planners simply enter the dates of their meeting and the attendees’ departure cities into the Meeting Locator tool. Meeting Locator is integrated within the StarCite Spend Management software and employs information from CWT’s vast travel database to find cost-effective and environmentally friendly destinations, along with their associated costs.
“Traditional approaches to determining meeting locations are inefficient and laborious,” said JR Sherman, SVP of Business Solutions at Active Network. “With increasing scrutiny on spend management and compliance with travel policy requirements, it’s paramount that corporate meeting planners have the best technology at their fingertips. Meeting Locator gives them the robust, integrated, intelligence they need to help make sound business decisions backed by global data from the industry’s leading travel and meeting spend platforms.”
Meeting Locator optimizes its recommendations based on hundreds of thousands of variables, including historical airfare and room rates, carbon emissions and the cost and availability of telepresence for those unable to attend in-person. The powerful tool can easily identify meeting destinations that meet corporate goals for budget or environmental compliance. By leveraging global travel and lodging data, and support for more than 100 currencies, it can help meeting planners organize events anywhere in the world. Furthermore, Meeting Locator is conveniently integrated within the StarCite Spend Management workflow and approval process to help accelerate decision-making.
According to Christopher Dwyer, senior research analyst of Aberdeen Research, “Nine percent of the average organization’s total budget is spent on corporate meetings and events. With this figure expected to increase by nearly 20 percent over the next two years (and with more and more organizations perceiving this function as having strategic value), companies across the globe must enhance their existing meetings management programs with next-generation strategies, approaches and solutions.”
Meeting Locator is available immediately to existing worldwide customers using the StarCite SMM platform. StarCite customers can contact their global account manager to get started with the Meeting Locator tool. Prospective customers can contact Joshua.Templeton@activenetwork.com to discuss their overall corporate event management needs and learn how the StarCite SMM platform and tools can help them save time and money while gaining greater insight and efficiencies. Sherman added, “We believe Meeting Locator offers significant benefits to the corporate events industry and are already planning additional capabilities for release later this year. Early adopters will have an opportunity to help influence and shape our next-generation tool based on their evolving needs.” More information on Meeting Locator can be found here.
Active Network is helping the events industry move beyond a focus on meetings logistics and spend management to one that includes community engagement, which helps enable organizations to build value with their customers and employees. The company’s Business Solutions power customers of all sizes—including small and medium-sized businesses, enterprise corporations, associations, tradeshows and expos—with a single technology suite for their entire event management needs. The Business Solutions technology suite includes Conference™ for large flagship conferences, RegOnline™ for attendee management solutions, StarCite® SMM for strategic meetings management and event expense management, and the StarCite Supplier Marketplace to connect events with suppliers. For more information on Active Network Business Solutions please visit www.activeevents.com.
Cloud Datagenius Goes Live with Custom Data Applications Without Programming
Last month we reported that Cloud Datagenius would launch by the end of the month, with technology aiming to bring relational database web apps to non-programmers.
The product is live, with a 14 day free trial (no credit card). Plans start at $49 per month.
More info available at www.clouddatagenius.com.
Cloud Datagenius Goes Live with Custom Data Applications Without Programming
Last month we reported that Cloud Datagenius would launch by the end of the month, with technology aiming to bring relational database web apps to non-programmers.
The product is live, with a 14 day free trial (no credit card). Plans start at $49 per month.
More info available at www.clouddatagenius.com.
Ten Things I’ve Learned About Cloud Security
This is not a Top 10 list – it is a list of 10 things I’ve learned along the way. Top 10 lists imply some sort of universal knowledge of the “top” things possible in a given field. Top 10 attractive women, top 10 guitar players, top 10 whatever, they all have one thing in common: They are all ten things the author thinks are the best. I don’t really like to think I know everything so this list is in no particular order. This particular list is on cloud security and, well, it is a big topic that interests me greatly and there is no way I can cover it all in a blog post. As a result I will be doing a presentation around this topic in a few places, including BSides Cleveland.
Anyway, cloud security is tough for a lot of reasons, not least of which is because you, like me, probably only understand the basics of what you interface with in the cloud – the controls the cloud provider allows you to see. This lack of depth of management introduces many security related challenges.