Cloud News: February 22, 2012

		Infrastructure as a Service Industry Leaders and Market Growth Trends Enterprises no longer need to buy expensive support equipment, and can rely on service providers for storage, hardware, servers, networking, maintenance and regular upgrades. IaaS models enable clients to access services on demand and pay for them as per use. It also requires and encourages innovation and efficiency on the part of the service provider. To know about the big names in the IaaS market and the future of cloud infrastructure solutions, read this article at CloudTweaks.

		US cloud computing report slams Brazil, India, China A cloud report was released by the Business Software Alliance, representing major firms in the US software industry. The report criticized Brazil, China and India for formulating policies which may stunt the growth and future of cloud computing. Brazil, India and China ranked lowest in the results of a cloud survey of 24 countries. They scored low in various fields that judged the government’s cloud policies, and the effectiveness of policies in free trade, security, data privacy and cybercrime. To know more about the report’s findings and the need for more coordinated cloud laws the world over, read this article at the The Economic Times.

		Feds need to put the fizz in FISMA While nearly every cloud service provider is aiming for compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA), FedRAMP the federal cloud program, does not look ready to approve the certifications before a few more months. FISMA aimed to formulate a framework for the safeguarding of government data and operations from threats, and for categorizing these threats into three levels. The levels, low, moderate and high were based on possible impact of a security breach. Cloud providers mostly seek to be designated as “FISMA moderate” in order to secure government cloud business. To know more about the FISMA claims by companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others, read this post at the Gigaom blog.

		Implementing SaaS In Education In The United States The United States’ government has often attracted a lot of flak from critics for not being able to raise the standard of education in the nation. While improving teaching staff and other facilities is important, having effective systems and databases in place also affects academic operations. High performance systems enable teachers and administrators to enhance their efficiency. It thus a good sign that educational institutions across the U.S are looking to embrace innovation and use SaaS in their systems. To know more about how SaaS innovations like Google Apps are becoming increasingly popular and necessary in educational institutions, read this CloudTweaks article.

		Is Your Cloud Project Ready to Be Agile? Ever since the advent of the Agile Manifesto, it has proven its benefits and encouraged practices like testing based development, user-centric design, iterations, clean code and cloud computing, among others. However not all IT organization can effectively adopt Agile technology and optimize its advantages. There are plenty of difficulties involved in Agile that make it tricky. This article outlines a series of benchmarks by which organizations can judge their Agile-worthiness. To know more about how to make an effective transition to Agile, read this PCWorld article .

		Cloud Computing Is Still In Its Adolescence While cloud computing offers numerous benefits, adopting public cloud services other than SaaS is a long process. InformationWeek Reports has been conducting annual cloud surveys over the past five years to track various enterprises’ plans for cloud computing. Though the percentage of IT organizations employing cloud services has grown considerably, the rate of growth is not as fast or the adoption as certain as say, virtualization. IT organizations still question the core value of the cloud, and the need for application, which slows down the adoption process. To know more about the rate of cloud adoption, and why the cloud is still in nascent stages, read this article at Information Week.

Cloud News: February 21, 2012

		Cloud Computing: More Secure And More Expensive The general perception is that the negative aspects of the cloud are security risks and loss of control, while its benefits lie in cost effectiveness and easy deployment. However KPMG presented figures of actual cost reductions in the cloud by Australian enterprises, which suggest otherwise. This analysis, presented at the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) Cloud Summit, shows that savings from cloud systems are not as significant as presumed, and the risks associated with it are overstated. Detailed information about the cloud and effective implementation is the right way to optimize returns from the cloud, irrespective of the general perceptions about cloud technology. To know more about this new perspective on the pros and cons in the cloud, read thisarticle .

		Government launches G-Cloud store with 257 cloud computing suppliers The U.S government's cloud program, called the G-Cloud, referred to as CloudStore, is now operational and brings 257 suppliers providing cloud services to the public sector market. Major providers like Google, Capgemini, HP, EMC, Microsoft, SAP and IBM are a part of CloudStore. CloudStore enables renting and cloud services as per demand in the public sector, and offers an alternative to procurement contracts. G-Cloud aims to make the cloud market more competitive thus spurring providers to provide better and more economical solutions. To know more about CloudStore and what it brings to the government cloud market, read this article .

		Dell Cloud-Based Medical Archive to Simplify Image Management/Sharing for Siemens Dell is all set to launch its new healthcare solution at the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society 2012 Annual Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas. This solution will include Unified Clinical Archiving (UCA) and Mobile Clinical Computing (MCC), and seeks to cater to the recent demand for mobile solutions easy and secure access to medical data. After acquiring InSite One in December 2010, Dell has been working on this clinical archiving solution that enables clinicians to share and recover data, and cost effective storage options. Dell is entering into an alliance with Siemens to introduce Dell's UCA solution and cloud-hosting services to the market. To know more about the Dell Cloud Clinical Archive, read this article .

		Francis Maude leads all-star speaker line-up at the Cloud Computing World Forum 2012 This year's Cloud Computing World Forum on June 12 and 13 will see numerous experts and important personalities from the U.K government converging to talk about the cloud. Prominent among them will be Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude, one of Europe's cloud visionaries. The government's recent cloud initiatives, like G-Cloud and online CloudStore, and upcoming cloud procurements on the federal IT agenda, will be in the limelight. To know more about the cloud-centric discussions on the cards at the Cloud Computing World Forum, read this article.

		Casino Cloud Built by Gaming Firm International Game Technology (IGT) is using CA Technologies' AppLogic cloud to offer cloud software built specifically for the casino. The IGT cloud will provide casinos with an inexpensive, fast and efficient way of conducting and monitoring their gaming operations. To know more about the benefits of IGT's cloud offering and the use of CA's AppLogic platform in the effort, read this article at PCWorld.

		Swedish Collective Aims to Clean up the Cloud Sweden's cold climate, available green energy and reliable electric facility have made it a very desirable datacenter location in Europe. Major IT enterprises like Facebook are announcing the creation of datacenters in Sweden, as Greenpeace gives Sweden the thumbs up as for providing supplies of clean hydroelectric power. Ten major Swedish regions are uniting in an effort to bring in more investors in datacenters, as global cloud providers wake up to the viability of Sweden as a datacenter location. To know what makes Sweden a clean and environment friendly location for cloud servers, read this CloudTweaks article .

Cloud News: February 20, 2012

		Private Cloud Haters - The Game Is On Like Donkey Kong Critics have predicted the downfall of the private cloud, ever since the advent of the public cloud. Companies were abandoning on-premise computing and turning to public cloud providers for innovation and savings. The private cloud with its supposed lack of flexibility, agility, and actual cost-effectiveness, was an undesirable storage and hosting option. Social media gaming company Zynga, is presently singing a different tune. In a huge turnaround, a majority of Zynga’s users have been pulled back from the public cloud, and are now hosted in their private cloud, called Z Cloud. The firm says that this move gives them more control and efficiency. To know more about Zynga’s move and the reasoning behind it, read this article at Cloud Commons.com.

		UnitedHealth unveils cloud computing platform to help doctors, hospitals improve care Optum, a part of the UnitedHealth Group, has come up with a cloud service that enables doctors to share patient information using the Internet. This means that doctors can access updates or information about patients from anywhere, including mobile devices. They can also share records and discuss cases with other doctors or experts more efficiently. Optum’s cloud application provides health care providers with a means of tracking patients, being updated about their visits and other information, and offering more co-ordinated and organized care overall. To know more about the advantages of using cloud based applications in healthcare, read this article at The Washington Post.

		SpiderOak takes on Amazon S3 in archival storage SpiderOak is releasing its Nimbus.io cloud storage service, which claims to provide a cheaper alternative to Amazon’s services for consumers and enterprises. SpiderOak believes that Amazon’s charges are too high for storing cold data, where only safety is required, not speed. The Nimbus.io service costs 0.06 dollars per GB, which includes data transport and storage as opposed to Amazon’s S3 cloud storage which charges almost double the amount. To know more about Nimbus.io and the competition that Amazon faces from SpiderOak , read this post at the Gigaom blog.

		Apache Embraces Cloud With Deltacloud Approval The Apache Software Foundation is expanding its list of open-source projects to include cloud services. On February 16, 2012, the firm moved its Deltacloud project, procured from RedHat, from incubation stage to top-level status. Deltacloud offers application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable interaction with multiple cloud service providers. This move by Apache means that DeltaCloud will now operate under Apache guidelines with the complete backing of the nonprofit organization. To know more about how Apache’s decision reflects the spirit of innovation and community of open cloud infrastructure, read thisarticle.

		IT spending set to rise in Middle East The amount of spending on information technology in the Middle East has been rising in the recent past and this trend seems likely to continue. Given the increasing revenue from mobile devices and the huge enterprise investments in data storage, IT spending in the Middle East will definitely overtake spending in developed markets. The future lies in technology and emerging markets, and spending patterns reflect that. To know more about the benefits and challenges of cloud investments in the Middle East, read this article.

		How to break down the OpEx vs. CapEx cloud computing debate The different opinions about the economic benefits offered by the cloud are generally centered on the concepts of OpEx and CapEx, and the conflict between the two. But in reality, underlying this debate is another major and more prominent conflict. This conflict is regarding the dynamic among IT infrastructure, owned assets and operations groups. The question arises, will operations groups work with assets owned the bigger organization, or will they operate assets owned by external providers? To find out how differences between funding models could be more crucial to cloud economics than OpEx and CapEx, read this IT World article.

Cloud News: February 17, 2012

		Cloud computing will create new business models in 2012 Analyst firm Frost & Sullivan predicts that the year 2012 will see recent cloud trends coming together to formulate innovative business models for Australian enterprises. The firms cloud vision for the future has three aspects; mainstream acceptance of cloud, advancement of mobile computing backed by cloud growth and the widespread integration of social media in business operations. These advancements will result in new IT business models, as IT business operations respond to ICT developments. To know more about the imminent cloud-based changes in IT, read this article.

		Security Questions To Ask Your Cloud Service Provider Making a transition to the cloud involves substantial risks. Cloud adopters need to be aware of the possible threats in the cloud and the reliability of service providers, while choosing a cloud service. There are certain factors subscribers must keep in mind to optimize the service and minimize risk. These include ensuring transparency, monitoring cloud access, checking cloud security and regulatory compliance and evaluating long-term assurance from the provider. To know more about the ways to manage risks in the cloud, read this article atCloudTweaksA.

		TechAmerica Foundation: Governments need to get into the cloud The TechAmerica Foundation's State and Local Government Cloud Commission recently published a report called "The Cloud Imperative “. This report outlines cloud related best practices for state and local governments. Government officials like California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed talked about the report and highlighted the advantages of the cloud at Microsoft's Silicon Valley office. Both the officials emphasized the need to embrace the cloud in order to benefit from it as the private sector has. To know about the guidelines TechAmerica report set out for federal agencies adopting the cloud read this ITWorld article.

		Why is IT so bad at cloud computing? In spite of the numerous advantages and innovation that cloud computing offers, many users still hesitate to adopt the cloud, plagued by doubts and anxieties, most of which are security related. According to a report from Symantec, security was the biggest obstacle to cloud adoption, with concerns over security high as well as varied. Issues include confusion about cloud concepts and implementation, lack of awareness about using and securing external clouds, inadequate knowledge about extent of services offered by providers, and insufficient monitoring of cloud data. To know more about the security concerns challenging the rise of cloud computing in IT, read this article.

		Government Moves Toward Cloud Computing 'Perfect Storm' Amidst escalating budgets and increasing technological advancements, the U.S government is formulating a strategy that focuses on speeding up widespread cloud adoption in the near future. The conditions are now perfect to accelerate a cloud drive, and push for the necessary policy reforms. The new breed of CIOs and federal IT leaders can work well in this milieu to develop and implement the FedRAMP initiative, the government’s pioneering cloud program based on a “cloud first” policy. To know about FedRAMP and the widespread shift to cloud in the government, read this article at PCWorld.

		Red Hat Extends Cloud Offerings For Amazon Web Services As a part of its efforts to encourage open and interoperable cloud computing, Red Hat is extending its cloud solution Red Hat Enterprise MRG Grid for Amazon Web Services (AWS). Red Hat Cloud Access allows users to benefit from both their Red Hat subscriptions and hosted public clouds, as they shift data between the two. Moreover, Red Hat’s Deltacloud API has now been qualified as a full open-source project by the Apache Software Foundation, while Swisscom IT Services becomes certified a Red Hat cloud partner. To know more about how these initiatives and collaborations will enable Red Hat to help enterprises with open cloud technologies, read this CRN.com article.

Cloud News: February 16, 2012

		Zynga Makes Dramatic Shift From Public Cloud In an effort to enhance performance and reliability of its social games network, Zynga has moved the majority of its active users to its private cloud. These users were earlier hosted on Amazon Web Services. Zynga believes that its private cloud infrastructure, zCloud, can run better than AWS, and enable them to fine tune their own network. To know more about Zynga’s decision to move to a private cloud, and the features of zCloud, read this article at PCWorld.

		'Linux for cloud' floats anti-Amazon cloud taster An increasing number of enterprises and users store data on Amazon's EC2 service. With Amazon’s S3 storage becoming easier to use and less costly, that number will only rise in the future. Meanwhile developers prefer Amazon’s services as it allows testing and development of apps at minimal costs, using open programming languages, tools and databases. Any OpenStack Projects looking to compete with Amazon in the cloud application market have their task cut out for them. OpenStack is looking to lure developers away from Amazon with TryStack, which allows testing of OpenStack downloading or installing on internal servers. To know more about TryStack and the possible challenges it might face in the market, read this article.

		Multitenancy & Cloud Computing Platforms: Four Big Problems Multitenancy on cloud platforms could turn out to be harmful for enterprises and their developers. When numerous users can use a single instance of software simultaneously, it is referred to as multitenancy. This provides greater efficiency and scalability than old server hosting models, and reduces costs for hosters or vendors, and prices for customers. However multitenant services come with their own set of disadvantages. These include inflexibility, lack of security, reduction in computing power, and possible investment expenses. To learn more about the possible pitfalls of using multitenant cloud platforms, read this post at the ZDNet blog.

		Atos, EMC and VMware to form an open cloud computing strategic alliance Atos, EMC Corporation and VMware are going to collaborate on a project for open cloud computing. Atos also has plans to launch new company, Canopy, which will offer a rapidly delivered, cost effective cloud solutions and services that help customers benefit from the cloud. Atos’s new offerings will be based on high-end technology from EMC and VMware. The strategic alliance will also see EMC and VMware making investments to encourage innovation and adoption of Canopy's cloud solutions. To know more about this cloud-based alliance, and its intended benefits, read this article.

		Parallels Summit 2012: SMBs Remain Hungry for Cloud Computing Results of research conducted by Parallels were unveiled recently at the company’s partner summit in Orlando. The findings indicate that small businesses are at the forefront of the movement to accept and employ cloud computing. The number of SMBs using paid cloud applications will only increase in the near future. If the challenges of meeting the diverse server needs of large numbers of SMBs can be solved effectively, it can generate billions of dollars’ worth of cloud based business and revenue. To know more about the opportunities in providing cloud services for SMBs, read this article.

		Insight Enterprises Launches Total Cloud Solution Insight Enterprises recently released its first cloud offering, called InsightCloud Solution Center. This offering will provide security, messaging, collaboration, and infrastructure solutions as well as management features for messaging workloads. InsightCloud is targeted at commercial and public-sector companies, and aims to provide a platform for education, management and purchase of cloud solutions. To know more about what the Solution Center has to offer to customers of the cloud, read this article at CRN.com.

Cloud News: February 15, 2012

		AFORE Joins the Cloud Commons Ecosystem and Will Offer Security Solutions in the Cloud Commons Marketplace Prominent cloud security and management provider AFORE Solutions revealed that it soon will be a part of the CA Technologies sponsored Cloud Commons ecosystem. AFORE’s CloudLink security software is now available on CA’s AppLogic cloud platform. This enables AFORE to offer CA’s customers and partners CloudLink security and management solutions and services through the Cloud Commons Marketplace. Cloud Commons provides a collaborative environment for cloud developers, buyers and vendors and an online cloud marketplace. To know more about CloudLink software in Cloud Commons, read this article.

		Multiple Cloud Formations Require New Security Approaches As multiple cloud formations become common and hacking practices become more advanced, it is necessary to have reliable, multi-level user authentication in place while deploying cloud services. Traditional ways of authenticating access to systems and services is not adequate, especially for systems that deal in sensitive data. Making passwords difficult to crack, frequently changing passwords, formulating and abiding by specific protocols and rules are some of the ways to secure safety of cloud data. To know more about the security approaches needed to keep up with the changing times, read this article at eWeek.

		Can The US Government Assuage Cloud Privacy Concerns? As security concerns escalate in post-911 America, cloud computing gets affected by the shifting dynamics between state surveillance and individual privacy. American cloud vendors are facing criticism from competitors who cite them to be less desirable business options due to exposure of data to government scrutiny. The ramifications of the U.S Patriot Act, and the anxieties related to the conflict of U.S laws with individual interest have negatively affected American cloud firms. In an attempt to turn things around, the U.S government is looking to address these doubts and anxieties. To know more about how U.S government is trying to find balance a between their security concerns and privacy protection, read this article at CloudTweaks.

		AGIMO issues Cloud guides for government departments The Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) released a best practices guide for federal agencies and departments that help them deal with legalities, security issues and finances in the cloud. Creating cloud best practice guidance had been on AGIMO’s agenda since last year when they released draft versions of the Cloud guides. Plans are afoot to provide additional guidance to agencies regarding other areas cloud computing such as governance of community clouds and business management or procurement. To know more about the guide an the issues covered in it, read this CIO.com article.

		UptimeCloud Eliminates AWS Cloud Bill Surprises On February 13 2012, Uptime Software revealed its new online service that predicts the monthly cloud bill for cloud users before the month is over. This could help reduce the stress associated with sudden rises in costs as end-users self-provision on an unexpected scale. Cloud computing allows users to use resources easily and as per requirement. Unexpected expansions, downloading or moving of datasets cause overhead charges in IT operations. This often takes companies by surprise and leads to budget crises. UptimeCloud software can help firms avoid such shocks by providing monitoring services and early estimation of cloud bills. To know more about UptimeCloud, and how it makes cloud budgeting easier, read this article at Information Week.

Cloud News: February 14, 2012

		Google "Drive" Could Step on Cloud Partners' Toes Google is poised to launch a new cloud storage service that could overshadow its partner’s products and services. The storage service being referred to as Google “Drive” looks to consolidate and expand its Google’s cloud storage capabilities. The new, enhanced storage solution could offer stiff competition to other cloud storage providers, some of whom like Box are Google partners. To know more about Google Drive, and the possible effects of its arrival on Google’s relationships with its cloud partners, read this article at PCWorld.

		Cloud Success Stories In Spotlight At Cloud Connect The 2012 Cloud Connect conference and expo in Santa Clara will focus on organizational challenges involved in big data and cloud applications, and discussions about advanced cloud use. Experts from major firms including American Airlines and Cisco, will be speaking on topics like cloud economics, data centers, cloud applications, networking and ways to optimize cloud usage. To find out how effective implementations of cloud computing could be highlighted at this year’s Cloud Connect, read this article at Information Week.

		Don’t Cloud The Business Issues In order to have effective relations with cloud service providers, it is essential to have clearly defined roles, terms of service and responsibilities. Speculation and guesswork must be done away with in order to avoid misunderstandings and errors that harm business. Effective management of cloud services, and awareness of accountability and agreements is necessary to optimize cloud deployments. To know more about effective monitoring and reporting of cloud services, read this article.

		Cloud Computing Can Drive Business Innovation IBM business strategists believe that cloud computing need to be prioritized by not just IT departments but also by organizational management. The cloud is capable of effecting positive changes not only in technology but also with regard to business models. Businesses as a whole should be incorporating cloud's capabilities into their strategy. Restructuring business models on the basis of cloud development could pave the way to innovation and expansion. To know more about how businesses can harness the power of disruptive cloud technology for their benefit, read this article at Information Week.

		Cloud computing centre has potential to save Government 50% of IT costs A cloud computing innovation center called Cloud4Gov, is being set up by EMC in Ireland. This project is being backed by Cisco, VMware, VCE and IDA Ireland and could save up to 50% in government IT costs. This cloud platform will help reduce IT costs and infrastructural difficulties, while allowing companies to develop, test and showcase software. Cloud4Gov can enhance cloud innovation and strategy in Ireland, thus strengthening nation’s presence in the cloud arena. To know more about the Cloud4Gov initiative, read this article.

Cloud News: February 13, 2012

		Forget public cloud or private cloud, it's all about hyper-hybrid As cloud computing gains ground, IT organizations have a wide variety of cloud options to choose from including private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, and on-premise installations. In order to optimize cloud adoption, companies must choose cloud offerings judiciously. It looks like enterprise requirements can be effectively met by hybrid clouds, which comprise a minimum of one public cloud and one private cloud. Hybrid clouds allow deployment of multiple applications and services on cloud platforms and the linking of multiple clouds to a core or to each other. To know how employing hybrid cloud can help integration and orchestration in organizations, read this ITWorld article.

		Acer cloud-enabled smartphone takes home iF award Acer recently received the International Forum (iF) design award for its first smartphone to provide cloud technology, the CloudMobile handset. The automatically synchronizes data and files between mobile phones, personal computers and tablet devices. The CloudMobile handset will be launched at the Mobile World Congress exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, at the end of February. CloudMobile will provide AcerCloud technology to automatically synchronize data between mobile phones, personal computers and tablets. To know more about Acer’s CloudMobile and its benefits, read this article.

		Kleiner Perkins Considering New Fund for Cloud-Computing Services Startups Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the company that backed Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) and Groupon Inc., is setting up a new fund targeting startups that offer enterprise cloud services. Kleiner Perkins is investing heavily in the global cloud computing market, looking to tap into consumer’s preference for cloud services. The speed, flexibility and cost-effectiveness that the cloud offers drives companies to adopt cloud technology, and Kleiner Perkins sees great potential in this trend. To know more about Kleiner Perkins’ investment in cloud startups, read this article.

		Taiwan has cloud computing potential, analyst says Barry Chen, president of global virtualization and cloud infrastructure services at VMware believes that the Taiwanese government should make an effort to enhance the nation’s cloud industry. The government should collaborate with companies to create platforms that offer integrated services through the cloud. Cloud technology can help the nation’s markets and also address the needs of the people and the public sector. To know why Taiwan should use its geographical and infrastructural advantages to leverage the development of cloud technology, read this article.

		O'Brien: What Dropbox can teach us about cloud computing The increasing use of multiple computing devices made it a requirement to be able to move files between users or gadget. Dropbox addressed this issue and made the movement of files and data a lot less cumbersome. As storage, connectivity, mobility and collaboration became easier, more users began seeking services like Dropbox. To learn more about the rise of the cloud to its current status, through journey of Dropbox, read this article.

Cloud News: February 10, 2012

		Oracle buying Taleo for $1.9 billion, cloud war brews Oracle Corp is purchasing Taleo Corp which creates Web-based software for personnel recruitment, in deal worth around $1.9 billion. Oracle’s huge investment reflects the ongoing bid by large tech firms to secure a superior position in the cloud market. This move by Oracle was predominantly in response to SAP AG's planned acquisition of SuccessFactors, and they are not the only IT firms which are battling it out on the cloud scene. To find out how the growing revenues in and popularity of cloud computing is prompting major companies to invest heavily in the cloud, read this article.

		Cloudscaling to offer OpenStack private cloud platform Cloudscaling looks all set to launch its first ever product offering, an OpenStack-based platform for enterprises that will enable them to create private cloud infrastructures. Cloudscaling OCS includes Open Cloud OS which is created on open-source software for building clouds, and comprises management and security features, as well as hardware configurations. To know more about Cloudscaling’s OpenStack based private cloud platform, read this article at Computer World.

		IBM sees big potential for cloud based recovery services in India Companies in the highly demanding banking and telecom sector cannot spare any downtime at all. The need for constant productivity, and the pressure of regulatory actions, is driving Indian firms to adopt cloud based disaster recovery plans. IBM is looking to tap into the market for cloud backup in India with its SmartCloud Virtualized Server Recovery service. To know more about the cloud can help cater to the demand for effective disaster recovery solutions read this article at Information Week.

		FBI declares cloud vendors must meet CJIS security rules On February 7 2012, the FBI reasserted its compliance requirement for cloud products sold to U.S. law enforcement agencies. All cloud offerings sold to such agencies must abide by FBI's Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) security requirements. Vendors may find it difficult to comply with these requirements, but the FBI is not relaxing its stance. While the FBI is embracing innovation and advancements in technology, it will not do so at the cost of endangering sensitive data. To know more about the FBI’s cautious approach to information sharing and the cloud, read this Computer World article.

		HP moves load testing software to the cloud HP is launching a load testing solution called LoadRunner in the Cloud, which offers a performance validation tool in a flexible SaaS format. LoadRunner in the Cloud application’s functionality will be that of the firm’s traditional LoadRunner application performance validation tool. However this variation an support numerous simultaneous users and eliminates the high cost of implementation. Presenting the application in a cloud format makes delivers speedier and more specific results. To know more about load testing in a SaaS format and HP’s brand new offering, read this article atComputer World.

Cloud News: February 9, 2012

		GSA Details Federal Cloud Security Program On 7 February 2012, The General Services Administration (GSA) publicly provided details about the federal government's new standardized program for testing the security of cloud services, called FedRAMP. FedRAMP standardizes methods for authorizing cloud services that are to be used by federal agencies. FedRAMP's security standards are also applicable to the monitoring of these services, to make sure they abide by federal cybersecurity standards. To know more about the FedRAMP authorization process, read this Information Week article.

		Interior Department Tries Again With Cloud Email The U.S Department of the Interior is starting over in its attempt to push for a common cloud-based email and collaboration platform for over 80,000 employees. The Department is again on the lookout for a cloud provider, after having dropped Microsoft as an option last September. The Interior Department seeks to use cloud computing to modernize their business, reduce costs and improve productivity. To know more about the Department's renewed efforts to award a contract to a reliable and effective service provider, read this article at Information Week.

		Will your cloud be HIPAA compliant? Regulatory compliance issues can affect the use of cloud computing in medical services. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires vendors dealing with medical data, to ensure security of that data. Datacenters must abide by rigid standards in order to be HIPAA certified. Cloud service providers may find it difficult to deliver services to medical businesses, as all datacenters with access to patient data will have to be HIPAA certified. Given the limited number of HIPAA certified cloud providers, medical services needing cloud technology for handing patient data, will not be left with much of a choice. To know more about the HIPAA guidelines for the cloud, and how it affects the medical industry, read this article at the ZDNet blog.

		VMware Brings Partners Auto Provisioning Of Cloud Services On February 8 2012, VMWare launched its new VMware vCloud Integration Manager, with the aim of enabling service providers to automate their clouds on VMware vCloud Director. Service providers can now use the vCloud platform to automate the provisioning process for clouds. Automated provisioning equips VMware to help channel partners reduce cloud deployment costs and accelerate revenue from deployments. To know more about the vCloud Integration Manger, and how it helps service providers, read this CRN.com article.

		Cloud Computing, Mobile Technologies Key to Small Business Success A report from the Center for Public Policy Innovation (CPPI) and the Digital Dialogue Forum (DDF) emphasizes the role of cloud computing in opening up opportunities for smaller enterprises. Small businesses are the fundamental basis of the U.S. economy, generating a majority of the jobs requirements in the nation, and also encouraging innovation and economic competitiveness. Cloud computing and mobile technologies reduce cost of entry for startups and small firms, enabling them to invest in innovation and make their presence felt. To know how cloud and mobile computing is helping small business breathe life into the economy, read this article ateWeek.

		Disaster recovery plans in the clouds The amount of organizational data in both large firms and SMBs has risen in recent times, thus paving the way for cloud storage which comes with enhance data storage and analysis capabilities. However, the increasing amount of crucial data on the cloud also means that protection of that data and reliable recovery solutions are of utmost importance. Loss of data due to man-made or natural disasters results in a waste of time and money, and reduced productivity. Companies must therefore ensure that they have effective cloud disaster recovery plans in place. To know more about how cloud computing will bring about changes in disaster recovery requirements and models, read this CloudTweaks article .

Cloud News: February 7, 2012

		Caught in the Crossfire - Will reality threaten the Reign of the Cartel of The Clouds The recent lockout and shutdown of Megaupload by the U.S. government could drive users towards private cloud adoption. As the U.S Department of Justice cracked down on Megaupload with accusations of copyright infringement, users across the globe were in fear of losing their files. While these incidents are not likely to stunt the growth of the cloud, we might see greater inclination towards private clouds. To know why users looking for greater control and reduced risks might veer towards private cloud adoption, read this article on Cloud Commons.

		Taiwan's Cloud Computing Industry Poised to Tap the Chinese Market A group of domestic firms in Taiwan are working together to create a cloud-end supply chain called Cloud Valley, which will be launched at the end of February. Cloud Valley aims to connect with mainland China's cloud bases, in order to utilize the significant business potential in mainland China. To know more about the Cloud Valley project, read this article.

		Is the cloud really cheaper? Cloud or Software-as-a-Service(SaaS) solutions are becoming increasingly popular among finance and IT professionals. The requirement for more computing power can be met by cloud computing which involves reduced costs and is simpler than building analytic solutions. A large number of enterprises are using or looking to use cloud SaaS offerings. To know more about the rapid deployment of cloud and SaaS, and the challenges involved in this process, read this article.

		Cloud Strategies - Enabling platforms, partnerships and profits The TMForum Quarterly Insights report on cloud strategies draws on executive discussions and surveys about cloud strategies and business models at TM Forum's Management World Americas 2011. The report formulates guidelines for communications service providers who want to effectively employ cloud services. To take a look at the report and read about service provider's views on the cloud market and business models, check out this Cloud Commons post.

		Peer Networking Key in Cloud Computing The drastic growth and development of cloud computing spurred many enterprises to adopt the cloud in order to utilize its benefits and take advantage of the growing demand for cloud services. However, to optimize the benefits from the cloud, IT and business decision-makers must make informed choices regarding cloud. It is necessary to separate reality from hype, analyze how to capitalize on cloud options, and utilize peer-to-peer networking opportunities to understand cloud migration better. It is becoming evident that interaction with peers provides more reliable and effective information than analyst reports or conferences. To know about the need for peer-to-peer networking in the cloud, read this article.

		What Scientists Want From Their Next Cloud Supercomputing Instance The Magellan project recently published a report about feasibility and viability of using cloud technology in science. According to the report the U.S. Department of Energy believe that DOE supercomputing centers can handle scientific supercomputing better than the cloud. They were, however, ready to shift to cloud offerings provided they offered more personalization. The DOE also agreed that cloud computing could be applied as a business model at supercomputing centers. To find out why the DOE believes in the effectiveness of its supercomputers and the usability of the cloud for scientific purposes, read this article at CloudTweaks< a>.

Cloud News: February 6, 2012

		Fujitsu, ServiceMesh Expand Cloud Offerings Fujitsu and cloud platform provider ServiceMesh recently entered into a partnership with the aim of increasing the public and private cloud solutions available for enterprise customers. ServiceMesh customers can now use Fujitsu’s worldwide, on-demand cloud platform to create hybrid clouds, which deliver IT services at greater speeds and reduced costs. Fujitsu, meanwhile, looks to bring ServiceMesh’s easy usage to its cloud infrastructure to make it more popular among users. To know how the partnership can prove beneficial to both the parties as they work to bring IaaS technologies to enterprises, read this eWeek Article.

		Opportunities in IaaS Continue to Grow for MSPs AT MSPWorld, TMC CEO Rich Tehrani sought the opinion of Thomas Burns from Green House Data regarding the prospects for MSPs in 2012. Burns highlighted the revenue potential for MSPs, as he expressed his belief that managed services and the cloud are not realizing their fullest potential. To know more about what Burns had to say about the value of managed services and the cloud, read this complete article .

		Cloud Computing Goes to College Persistent Systems, which provides development and product services globally, recently gave two students at Indiana University $100,000 worth of funding for cloud computing research. Persistent believes that cloud technology has the potential to significantly affect the sciences, healthcare and other fields, while encouraging innovation. To know about the research projects at Indiana University, and the role of cloud computing in higher education, read this article.

		The impact of cloud computing and virtualisation on the network As cloud technology and virtualization pervade the IT industry, network infrastructures in companies are bearing the brunt of increasing amounts of data. Despite a recent spate of outages, and the losses resulting from them, companies are not addressing network issues adequately. It is necessary to evaluate whether organizational networks are capable of supporting and responding to the changes associated with the adoption of the cloud, mobility and virtualization. Adequate planning and testing is necessary to ensure that networks adapt to the changes in technology without falling apart. To know how businesses can effectively manage the impact of cloud and virtualization on their networks, read this article.

		How Cloud Computing Will Transform the Essence of Business As cloud computing technology evolves, it will significantly affect data storage and transfer in enterprises. With faster Internet speeds and availability of numerous cloud services, companies will find it more cost-effective and economical to outsource data storage and recovery to external cloud providers. If issues relating to data security are resolved, moving to the cloud will lead to drastic improvements in efficiency and cost savings. To find out how companies investing in cloud technology and using hosted cloud services will benefit in the long run read this article .

		How the law dictates data gravity in the cloud The law is one of the most crucial factors that decides where cloud applications are to be run and placed. Recent controversies regarding the cloud and laws in the European Union and the United States bring the importance of the legal angle to the forefront. Most cloud related laws focus on data, as data is considered to have the greatest pull over the movement of applications and services. Given the weightage of data, the law controls not only where data can be placed but also how the placement of workload can be optimized. To know more about legal directives and restrictions regarding data placement in the cloud, and how companies look to negotiate them, read this post at the Gigaom blog.

Cloud News: February 3, 2012

		Cloud Computing In Financial Service Organizations Cloud computing is making forays into the financial service industry, especially capital markets. Cloud technology provides easy and on-demand access to computing resources, sharing and collaboration, cost effectiveness and flexibility to financial enterprise. The cloud helps these firms optimize use of their assets by multiple users. However security concerns often hinder cloud adoption in the finance industry. To know more about the potential of cloud computing in financial service organizations, read this article at CloudTweaks .

		TOSCA and Friends setting up Hybrid Cloud Standards TOSCA or Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud Applications, is collaborating with IBM, EMC and Cisco in support of portability standards and specifications for the hybrid cloud. The group will work together to draft a document that deals with enhancing the portability of hybrid cloud services, and their interoperability among providers. Reputed IT firms including Cisco, EMC, IBM, SAP, CA, NetApp, Capgemini, PwC and Citrix are contributing to the project. To know more about this attempt to set standards and guidelines for the cloud, read this CloudTweaks article.

		CA Adds Cloud Database Support To ERwin Modeling Tool CA Technologies’ ERwin data modeling tool, has been tweaked to support Microsoft’s SQL Azure cloud database in its latest release. With the ERwin 8.2 release, CA aims to help businesses integrate on-premise data with cloud systems. ERwin 8.2 enables a diverse range of employees to access a company's data through a web portal. CA is also helping companies bring ERwin to developers and data managers by providing a licensing option. ERwin is one of CA Technologies' flagship offerings, and is in demand among VARs which deal with data modeling, governance and integration, as well as database development and business intelligence. To find out how SQL Azure support will allow businesses to manage data in the cloud with Erwin, read this article at CRN.com.

		Bluewolf Study: Cloud/Mobile Salaries Rising, Talent Gap Widening While pay packages for cloud and mobile based IT professionals keep rising, companies seeking skilled workers might encounter a lack of adequate talent. In its IT Salary Guide for 2012, cloud provider Bluewolf found that along with the drastic increase in demand for workers skilled in mobile, data, cloud and user engagement, there is a dearth of available candidates who meet these requirements. The shortage of talent could cause problems for enterprises moving to cloud based and innovative technologies. On the other hand, professionals with the required skill sets could find themselves in an advantageous position. To know more about the dynamics between the demand and availability of cloud and mobile skilled workforce, read this article at CRN.com.

		Adobe Creative Cloud to Launch This Spring Adobe has undertaken a new cloud initiative called Creative Cloud, slated to be made available to the public this spring along with Adobe Creative Suite 6 (CS6) and other applications. Adobe announced this offering designed for creative professionals at the MAX 2011 conference last year. Adobe Creative Cloud is being leveraged as a platform through which provides access to desktop and tablet applications and creative services, and allows people to view and share their work. To know more about how the Adobe Creative Cloud bring cloud technology to creative professionals, read this eWeek article.

Cloud News: February 2, 2012

		Salesforce Launches Cloud-Based Desk.com Salesforce has released a new cloud-based customer help-desk dashboard called Desk.com. Desk.com integrates feeds from social networking applications like Facebook and Twitter with traditional corporate channels such as email. Salesforce’s newest offering is designed for small and midsized businesses which handle customer complaints and services through social media. SMBs seek a customer help-desk tool which is simple, mobile, and integrated with social-networking sites, and Salesforce has stepped up to that requirement. To know how Desk.com addresses the needs of SMBs and keeps Salesforce a step ahead of competition, read this article at eWeek.

		CA Technologies Building Cloud Commons App Marketplace CA Technologies joins the ranks of enterprises launching a cloud marketplace for end users and channel partners. The CA cloud marketplace, called Cloud Commons, is centered on enterprise cloud applications, and enables customers and partners find providers of SaaS and other cloud services. Custom landing page storefronts will be available for service providers at the Cloud Commons Marketplace later this year. The Cloud Commons Marketplace is designed to bring together developers, vendors, buyers and providers of cloud services and solutions. To know more about how Cloud Commons leverages CA’s efforts in the cloud and managed services market, read this article .

		Cloud Security, Costs Concern Federal IT Pros As federal agencies aggressively adopt the cloud, IT managers are attempting to make cloud technologies compliant with White House Cloud First initiatives. The results of a survey conducted by Ponemon Institute indicate that while a majority of federal IT workers are familiar with the government’s Cloud First initiative, many view the decision to shift three services to the cloud in just over a year as hasty. Anxieties about cloud related security risks, and doubts about the actual cost savings in the cloud are surfacing among federal IT professionals. To know what the survey found out about cloud related concerns in federal IT departments, read this article at Information Week.

		Demand for cloud computing expertise to increase: survey A survey by Taiwanese job agency 104 Job Bank indicated that the demand for employees with cloud computing skills will increase significantly in this year. As organizations move to the cloud seeking greater efficiency, cost savings and flexibility, it results in a rising number of cloud-related job requirements. To know more about the demand for professionals with cloud expertise, read this article.

		EnterpriseDB Creates Database as a Service for Cloud Hosting Platforms EnterpriseDB has come up with a database-as-a-service offering leveraged to bring enterprises into cloud computing, and compete with Oracle in the database market. EnterpriseDB’s new DaaS service offering brings its PostgreSQL and PostgreSQL Plus database products into the cloud. The company is collaborating with cloud providers who will use EnterpriseDB's PostgreSQL Plus Cloud Service. Amazon and HP’s cloud platforms will be providing PostgreSQL Plus Cloud Service to the end user. Enterprise DB has included features and support for enterprise users in its service, in order to position it as an effective alternative for loyal Oracle users. To know more about the enterprise specific features in PostgreSQL Plus Cloud Service, and the challenges the service might face from established Oracle offerings, read this article at eWeek.

Cloud News: February 1, 2012

		Overcoming Complexity and Dynamics to Move Data Centers to the Cloud While cloud continues to develop and enterprises contemplate migration, there are complexities that crop up when adopting the cloud. In 2012, IT budgets will continue to be restricted, and there is increasing pressure on IT professionals to deliver business solutions with the same or reduced resources and operational costs. This, however, does not mean cloud adoption will diminish, given the many benefits it offers business. Enterprises need not shy away from cloud migration, but formulate an effective transition plan. This entails choosing suitable cloud infrastructure, managing data centers efficiently, using cloud analytics and gathering application information. To know how companies can negotiate difficulties in order to make a smooth transition to the cloud, read this CloudTweaks article .

		HP Extends Asset Mapping Into Amazon, VMware Clouds Hewlett-Packard is upgrading its Discovery and Dependency Mapping Advanced (DDMA) software to help clients transition to hybrid clouds, and map their IT assets in the cloud. With this upgrade, HP extends asset mapping into Amazon and VMware clouds, providing customers with the visibility needed for effectively running IT businesses. HP’s new software content pack, with added cloud capabilities was launched on January 31, 2012 and supports both Amazon Web Services and services based on VMware's vCloud standard. To know more about cloud based enhancements to HP’s dependency mapping software packs, read this article at PCWorld.

		Need More Storage? Reach for the Cloud Bitcasa has come up with a solution to address shortcomings in data storage capacity. The firm is offering unlimited cloud storage for ten dollars every month. Upgrading hard drives, or getting external storage may provide a temporary solution, but online storage provides a more flexible and modern option for expanding storage capacities. In the age of tablet, smart devices and ultrabooks, cloud storage is the way to keep up with the advancements in technology. To know more about why investing in cloud storage could be a smart move for enterprises, read this PCWorld article.

		Xerox Offers New IaaS, Cloud Backup, Disaster Recovery Services To VARs Xerox is offering a range of new cloud services through solution providers, targeted toward SMBs. These offerings are designed to secure enterprise data, apps and IT platforms. These services standardize cloud solutions from ACS, which was purchased by Xerox, making them easily marketable. Instead of spending time and money on customizing solutions, companies can now sell them faster and to a larger market. The services include IaaS offerings, cloud backup and disaster recovery solutions. To know how Xerox’s offerings can benefit VARs without the resources to develop cloud solutions, read this article at CRN.com .

		SGI Back With High-Density, Big Data-Ready Cloud System On January 31, 2012 SGI launched an integrated server and storage system for cloud and data storage. SGI is known for using Altix servers to provide high-performance computing solutions, and deal with big-data workloads. SGI’s offering, called SGI Modular InfiniteStorage, caters to specific storage requirements, provides huge amounts of capacity, and utilizes large numbers of discrete processors in one footprint. The density and capacity provided by SGI can help companies reduce cooling expenses, power consumption and optimize use of floor space. To find out more about SGI’s high-performance cloud system, read this article at eWeek.

Cloud News: January 31, 2012

		MSPWorld Tackles Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, SLAs Cloud computing will be an area of focus at the upcoming MSPWorld conference in Miami. As a majority of MSPs extend cloud and SaaS services to customers, a number of cloud trends are poised to emerge at MSPWorld. To know more about the cloud related buzz expected at MSPWorld, read this article .

		Microsoft Offers $60K in Azure Cloud Services to Startups, Launches BizSpark Plus Microsoft is launching an extension of its BizSpark program called BizSpark Plus, and collaborating with startup accelerator TechStars to provide free cloud computing services to startups. Microsoft’s efforts are aimed at offering an initial boost to selected startups which demonstrate good potential. TechStars’ tie up with Microsoft will allow its accelerators and incubators to provide each of their startups with around $60,000 worth of Windows Azure compute and storage, free of charge for two years. To know more about the BizSpark Plus program, and the combined efforts of Microsoft and TechStars to encourage cloud startups, read this article at eWeek.

		Cloud Computing Fueling Global Economic Growth: London School of Economics study A new study by the London School of Economics and Political Science reveals that the development of cloud technology will enhance economic progress, boost productivity, and employment opportunities across the globe. For the study, researchers at LSE analyzed the effects of cloud technology on the aerospace and smartphone industries across the UK, USA, Germany and Italy. They concluded that investments in cloud computing would influence growth and generate employment in both the sectors, irrespective of their diversity. To find out what the study indicates about the leverage cloud computing gives to growth, employment and productivity, complete article .

		Vnetrix deploys CA AppLogic UK-based managed service provider Vnetrix is using CA Technologies’ turnkey cloud platform, to encourage Business service Innovation. Deploying AppLogic will enable Vnetrix to cut down the launch time for new hosted cloud services, and to help clients like Universal Music and Atkins reap the benefits of cloud technology. To know more about the benefits of the CA AppLogic platform, and why Vnetrix chose to deploy it, read this article.

		Here Come the Cloud Cartels Technology research company Forrester, recently released its business and technology outlook for 2020. Forrester predicts the continuing rise and domination of cloud and mobile computing, and the emergence of what they call “computing cartels”. These cartels will comprise of a select group of powerful companies like Amazon, Cisco Systems, Google, I.B.M., Microsoft, and Oracle, who will control a major share of data centers across the world. Forrester’s report not only talks about the concept of cartels, but also delineates what businesses must do in order to keep up with these dominant cloud forces. To know more about Forrester’s vision of the future of the cloud, read this The New York Times.

		The Hybrid Cloud: A Major Focus In 2012 While public clouds may be the best model for SMBs and individuals, enterprises may find them insufficient. In order to optimize the benefits of the cloud and maintain more control, many large organizations are building internal, private clouds. However, setting up a private cloud is costly, complicated and subsequently not feasible for many companies. The hybrid cloud model offers a solution to these dilemmas, as it provides cloud computing advantages as required, without increased cost or complexities. To know more about the buzz surrounding hybrid clouds,read this CloudTweaks article .

		CloudPassage’s Public Cloud Security Plug-in CloudPassage‘s new offering, called Halo NetSec seeks to address the security concerns associated with public clouds. Cloud Passage claims to offer cloud adopters an effective and security solution that provides complete network security features in a format that makes deployment simple. Halo NetSec operates basically like a gateway that connects virtual servers with the external world, offering perimeter defense, threat management, security event alerts, automated firewalls and server, account management. To know more about the Halo NetSec security plug-in and its benefits, read this article at CloudTweaks.

Cloud News: January 30, 2012

		CA AppLogic Gains Cloud Services Momentum With MSPs As around 100 MSPs gear up to attend CA Technologies' MSP Symposium, it has been announced that several MSPs recently adopted CA Technologies' AppLogic platform for cloud services. Hosting and managed services provider Novatrend was the latest to join that list. The CA AppLogic platform offers organizations rapidly provisioned applications, enabling them to deliver services quickly and at minimal market costs. To know more about why MSPs looking to serve customers better are turning to CA AppLogic platform, read this article.

		Cisco to Leverage Routers, WAN to Connect Enterprises to the Cloud Cisco is releasing a solution which leverages its router and WAN offerings, as tools to enable enterprises make a smooth and easy move to the cloud. Cisco Systems aims to strengthen its position in the market, and stay ahead of competition by tailoring their solutions strategy to the cloud. Cisco has been acquiring services to be a part of its Integrated Service Routers (ISRs), in order to give customers a complete services platform, not just a networking router. To know more about how Cisco plans to use its solutions strategy, large data center reach and superior market position to help companies connect to cloud environments, read this article at eWeek.

		Will the cloud ‘hit the wall' without good integration? With Gartner estimating that over 95 percent of companies intend to continue or enhance their SaaS usage, the SaaS phenomenon seems like a resounding success. IT departments at firms of all sizes are looking to benefit from the cost cuts and time savings offered by cloud and SaaS vendors, initiating what is being called a "Cloud Rush". This rush to adopt the cloud could create a roadblock for SaaS vendors, if they struggle to integrate new SaaS applications with current on-premise and cloud applications. Lack of proper integration can stunt the rate of adoption and result in customer dissatisfaction. To know more about why SaaS vendors need to provide integration with their offerings, read this post at the Gigaom blog .

		Fujitsu, ServiceMesh Expand Cloud Offerings Customers of cloud platform provider ServiceMesh can now access Fujitsu's global, on-demand cloud, thanks to ServiceMesh's collaboration with Fujitsu. ServiceMesh's customers can offer IT solutions at reduced cost and greater speeds, as they create hybrid cloud instances on Fujitsu's global high-capacity, high-performance cloud infrastructure. Both the firms aim to drive the adoption of infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) technology, which encourage adoption of private, public and hybrid cloud solutions. To know how the collaboration between ServiceMesh and Fujitsu can benefit both the enterprises, read this eWeek article.

		Be wary of cloud lock-in, warns Ubuntu creator Since cloud infrastructure has fundamentally been built on open standards, enterprises that employ public clouds which support a singular standard might face obstacles later on. In a keynote session at Cloud Expo Europe, Chris Kenyon, vice president of Ubuntu creator Canonical, opined that most of the biggest clouds worldwide are based on open source technology, and cautioned against vendor lock-in. Open clouds provide speed, functionality, scalability, security and cost-effectiveness. An IT environment where multiple public cloud providers compete on these fronts can only foster innovation and better performance. To know why companies must avoid proprietary cloud infrastructure, read this article.

Cloud News: January 27, 2012

		EU Seeks Joint National Cloud-Computing Purchases for Growth The European Commission is pushing European governments to buy software and computing resources in collaboration, in order to leverage the European cloud computing industry. The EC has created the European Cloud Partnership, a working group comprised of officials, cloud buyers and cloud sellers. The members of the workgroup will work together to draw up common standards and security requirements that enable standardized purchases in the region. To know more about the European Commission’s efforts to encourage cloud computing in Europe, read this article.

		CA Technologies Rides Momentum Into MSP Symposium Having recently announced emphatic Q3 results, CA Technologies is all set to kick off its MSP Symposium on a positive note. The symposium will be held from January 29 to January 31 at Miami, attended by around 100 MSPs, including large firms like Peak 10 and ViaWest. CA’s managed services purchases like Nimsoft and AppLogic, have found favor with partners and contributed to the rise in revenues. CA’s upcoming strategies and efforts in the MSP market are to be revealed at the symposium. To know more about changes and improvements to CA’s managed service strategy, and how it can continue to boost the company’ success, read this article .

		NetIQ Releases Cloud Manager 2.0 for Managed Service Providers NetIQ, a division of Attachmate which develops management software, launched its NetIQ Cloud Manager 2.0.The cloud manager is designed to help MSPs cater to fluctuating customer demands by allowing them to control the allocation of their resources. The Cloud Manager can help MSPs to use their IT assets in accordance with their business objectives. To know more about the features and benefits of NetIQ Cloud Manager 2.0, read this article .

		Amazon fuses your storage system with its cloud Amazon Web Services is all set to launch a new offering called Storage Gateway, which enables enterprises to directly upload data from on-premise storage systems to its cloud-storage services. Through Storage Gateway, AWS aims to provide cloud storage, backup, and cloud bursting to companies. AWS’s Storage Gateway helps firms avoid the latency issues associated with putting large amounts of data in cloud backup, and using local cloud storage or resources. To know more about how AWS’s Storage Gateway makes it easier for companies to leverage their clouds, read this post at the Gigaom blog.

		VMware Opens Cloud, Virtualization Marketplace On January 25, 2012, VMware launched its Solution Exchange, an online marketplace for virtualization and cloud solutions. With this offering VMware aims to combat competitors like Red Hat, Microsoft and IBM, and also increase its customer base. The marketplace will help partners, customers and developers find and buy VMware-certified solutions. To find out how VMware’s marketplace will benefit the company as well as its customers and partners, read this eWeek article .

Cloud News: January 26, 2012

		Level Platforms: Help Desk Meets Managed Services Software Level Platforms recently launched NOC (network operations center) and Help Desk services that work with its Managed Workplace platform, targeting MSPs in the IT services market for small business. This reflects the recent trend of managed services software, NOC services, and help desk services coming together in the MSP market. To know more about Level Platforms' managed services software offerings which are suited to MSPs, read this article.

		Cloud computing no longer a rollout A majority of the respondents in a recent IDC survey among CIOs in Australia said they were using cloud services. The survey also predicts that the use of cloud solutions by Australian enterprises will quadruple in a couple of years. The forecasts about the revenue and growth in cloud computing indicate that the cloud has moved from the roll-out phase to full-fledged implementation successfully. For It service providers and BPO organizations like Aegis, embracing cloud technology brings in host of changes and benefits, with reasonable amount of risk. To know why firms encourage innovation and adapt to cloud technology, read this article.

		Cloud Computing "Most Positive for Businesses": UK Study The benefits that businesses derive from cloud computing may differ, but its general impact is positive. Research agency Vanson Bourn, commissioned by British IT firm BT Engage IT, conducted a study among UK enterprises. According to the results of the study, 70% of CIOs believed that businesses have benefited significantly from cloud computing and virtualization in 2011. The study indicates how the cloud has risen above mere hype, and become a revolutionizing, practical, and indispensable part of IT, which brings in various advantages. To know more about how the cloud has pervaded the IT industry and is here to stay, read this article at CloudTweaks.

		Cloud Hiring Reaches New Heights Many opponents of cloud computing had predicted that the cloud would devalue the IT profession as a career of choice. It turns out that there has been a 61% annual increase in cloud related hiring, which indicates the popularity of cloud-based jobs in the IT industry. A large number of jobs requiring cloud computing skills have been posted recently by staffers and employers. To know why cloud computing is being looked at as a viable and lucrative career path, read this CloudTweaks article.

		Symform gets $2M for peer-to-peer "cloud" storage With the cloud storage market heating up, Westfield Capital recently invested 2 million dollars' worth of venture funding in cloud storage vendor Symform, joining the ranks of investors like OVP Venture Partners and Longworth Venture Partners, who have all contributed to the round of funding worth 7.5 million dollars. Synform is providing a peer-to-peer storage network that enables users to share their own unused capacity with others in exchange of free or flat-fee cloud storage. To know more about Synform's offering, and why cloud storage is drawing in vendors, read this post at the Gigaom blog.

		ATandT Launches Cloud Unified Communications Service AT&T launched a cloud-based unified communications system for businesses, which is cost effective and easy to deploy. Enterprises adopt unified communications (UC) products for enhanced productivity and ease of communications. However, they face the financial and technological challenges of making the transition to UC. AT&T‘s cloud-based offering removes the hardware, integration and installation related obstacles involved in a UC project, while curbing expenditure. To know more about how AT&T‘s new cloud offering can help organizations adopt and benefit form unified communication systems, read this article at eWeek

		Private Cloud Adoption Growth Continues to Accelerate Private cloud adoption has been growing by leaps and bounds, with hosting businesses benefiting greatly form private cloud deployments. A number of cloud hosts and service providers like DynamicOps and Softlayer have experienced drastic growth and increase in revenue have experienced drastic growth in the private cloud market due to the cloud. Private cloud hosting firms like Rackspace also saw a rise in demand for cloud services. To know more about growth of private cloud solutions, and the edge it gives to firms offering hosted private clouds, read this eWeek article.

Cloud News: January 24, 2012

		Google Product Purge Kills Exchange Cloud Backup As Google continues to cut redundant products from its portfolio, a cloud-based backup offering for Microsoft Exchange called Google Message Continuity (GMC) is the latest to get the axe. Last year, Google stated that it would be discontinuing offerings like Google Buzz, Google Gears, and Google Wave in order to focus on more important offerings, and create unique and effective products for users. In the coming year Google plans to merge, phase out, or create open source versions of various offerings. To know more about how Google plans to retire products and acquisitions which don't fit in with the company's objectives and product strategy, read this CRN.com article.

		HP moves big data ops to Cambridge Hewlett-Packard announced this week that it is shifting some big data operations to Cambridge. Vertica, a big data analytics firm acquired by HP last year, is moving 150 employees to Cambridge. The local tech industry can benefit from job opportunities created by Vertica and other firms looking to relocate operations to the area. To know how Cambridge can benefit from the presence of major IT vendors and their interest in in big data, read this post at the Gigaom blog.

		CA Technologies announces 12 products certified by VCE for Vblock platforms On January 21, 2012, CA Technologies announced that 12 of its software products have been certified by VCE to run on Vblock Infrastructure Platforms. CA Technologies' Vblock Ready offerings enable VCE customers to cut costs, enhance speeds, and bring in innovation and performance while automating their cloud deployments. CA's Vblock offerings include IT automation and management capabilities like service management, virtualization, service assurance, capacity management and others. To know more about how this Business Service Innovation from CA helps customers optimize the benefits of cloud computing, read this article.

		Cloud Computing Software Company Joyent Raises $85 Million To Pursue Global Growth Cloud computing provider Joyent recently raised $85 million in funding. European group Weather Investment II was the main investor with Telefónica Digital, the growth wing of telecom giant Telefónica, as a strategic investor. Weather II has made strategic investments in several telecommunications companies. Joyent aims to provide solutions to complex challenges in the cloud such as performance, resiliency and security. In addition, Joyent's technology is perfectly compatible with Weather II's in-house technology and cloud services model. To know more about Weather II's cloud based collaboration with Joyent, read this complete article.

		5 Key Considerations When Litigating Cloud Computing Disputes As cloud computing becomes indispensable to IT, disputes and litigation between corporations and cloud providers will escalate. Major disputes could arise if data in the cloud is lost, compromised, or rendered temporarily inaccessible. While corporations facing liability will hold the cloud provider answerable, the cloud provider will defend itself by dissecting the parties' agreement and the underlying causes. Factors that legal representatives of both parties need to focus on include limitation of liability, workarounds for that limitation, contract claim details, remedies, insurance and indemnification. Read about five main considerations while litigating cloud computing disputes article.

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