We think of VMware largely as a software infrastructure and virtualization management concern. But the company is also getting into apps, and most recently banged the drum in support of Socialcast, a collaboration tool with similarities to Facebook. Unlike Facebook, Socialcast can be deployed as a service or installed as an on-premise application.
This is just the beginning. VMware also bought Shavlik and can offer patching over the cloud. VMware is also working on sharing slides over the Web through SlideRocket, and groupware and e-mail through Zimbra. With these kinds of moves, we may see a very different VMware in years to come.
What is your take on VMware's direction? You tell me at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 11/08/2011 at 12:47 PM1 comments
Stephen Herrod spent the last decade driving technology at VMware, where he now serves as CTO. Herrod spoke with Bruce Hoard, editor in chief of Virtualization Review, about application development, the cloud and, of course, more than a sprinkle of virtualization.
Herrod believes that virtualization is easier than it used to be since the products are so much better. That said, it still takes a lot of prep work. You can't just virtualize a dysfunctional IT shop.
To help speed adoption, VMware has a new hosted service, VMware Go. Using auto-discovery, the service locates your hardware and layers hypervisors on top of it. No fuss, no muss. While it's pretty bare-bones now, the service will gain the ability to patch and do some management in future revs.
Finally, Herrod talked about a cloud on a stick. Micro Clouds, based on Cloud Foundry, puts the whole stack on a USB stick, a great way to develop and test quick-and-dirty cloud apps.
Posted by Doug Barney on 11/01/2011 at 12:47 PM6 comments
VMware may get the bulk of cloud headlines, but let's face it -- most of this is server virtualization and, now, the cloud. Citrix is no slouch, either, and has ruled the desktop virtualization roost for over two decades (has it really been that long?).
Citrix is taking that expertise to the cloud, looking to serve up virtual desktops from the cloud as opposed to in-house servers. Citrix has also been on a big buying binge, including App-DNA, a company that eases the migration to either Windows 7 or virtual desktops. ShareFile is also in Citrix's pocket, helping users store files in the cloud -- similar to Google Docs, Carbonite (for backup) or Skyline. Finally, Citrix can help build "personal vDisks" through its purchase of RingCube.
What do you think of Citrix? Shoot me a note at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 11/01/2011 at 12:47 PM0 comments
I was a fan of Netflix until it split its service in two and jacked up prices. With cable, DVDs, a DVR and a cellar full of VHS tapes, I guess I don't need Netflix after all. The Internet could also do without Netflix as a staggering one-third of all 'Net traffic is actually Netflix traffic.
The scary part is that Netflix and such services are still in their infancy. Add video, VoIP, mobile and cloud apps, and you can see the strain our favorite network is under.
Telecom and network providers continue to beef up the Internet, and IT is adding WAN bandwidth like mad, but how can we keep up? You tell me at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 11/01/2011 at 12:47 PM1 comments
Google crowed and crowed when it beat out Microsoft for an epic deal to move much of the city of Los Angeles from the aging GroupWise (does anyone remember GroupWise?) to Google's cloud apps. After two years of effort, Los Angeles is as miffed as Lindsay Lohan visiting her probation officer.
The problem is not performance, though cloud productivity apps are rarely as fast as on-premise. The issue is security -- or lack thereof. Google argues that its apps are secure, but that Los Angeles changed the rules midstream. Los Angeles is refusing to pay for all the work called for in the contract.
My guess? The Google apps are basically secure, but city government needs it all to be ultra-safe.
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/25/2011 at 12:47 PM2 comments
In an earlier item, I talked about an impressive cloud startup called Piston Cloud. Now I'm going to talk about Engine Yard Cloud.
The venture-funded Engine Yard is aimed at helping programmers write cloud apps. Founded five years ago, its initial foray was a Platform as a Service (PaaS) tool for Ruby on Rails developers.
Last month, Engine Yard embraced JRuby developers. JRuby is a Java-based rev of Ruby, and these apps can now run on the Engine Yard cloud infrastructure. Engine Cloud can also support PHP apps.
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/25/2011 at 12:47 PM2 comments
On Oct. 6, I got a market-sized notice from the Market Intel Group arguing that in five years, the cloud market will exceed $300 billion. Thirteen days later, I got a market-sized notice from the Market Intel Group arguing that in five years, the virtualization market will exceed $250 billion. I know these markets are intertwined but had no idea they were so similar.
Here's the logic: On the cloud side, the company argues that lower costs due to economies of scale will drive market growth. The virt market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.6 percent over the next five years. The company argues that much of this expansion will come from desktop virtualization, which is in its infancy. It also believes that the further preponderance of server virtualization will shrink demand for physical servers.
The markets, based on these predictions, are remarkably similar. But virtualization is fairly mature, which is why it will only grow less than 9 percent per year. The cloud is expected to rain fire, with average growth of 23.4 percent.
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/25/2011 at 12:47 PM0 comments
Piston Cloud Computing, a brand-new company founded in part by Joshua McKenty, who served as chief technical architect for Nebula at NASA, is designed to help IT adopt the OpenStack cloud operating system. Nebula is a NASA-backed Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform, while OpenStack is a full OS aimed at massive scalability. Other founders were involved with OpenStack as former Rackspace employees.
Before I get into the technology, I want to talk about the company itself. The executive team is not only highly accomplished, but the exec photos are, um, unusual to say the least. Their bios talk about eclectic interests such as juggling, making handmade instruments, reading 16th- and 17th-century philosophy, and engaging "in any recreational and/or social activity that doesn't involve direct exposure to sunlight."
The company offers an OpenStack-based OS called pentOS, which it claims can be set up and running in 10 minutes. Like Windows, software updates are delivered automatically. Perhaps the biggest part of the business is enterprise support, which is offered every day, 24 hours a day.
Do you have a favorite cloud startup? If so, sing their praises by writing [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/11/2011 at 12:47 PM3 comments
Overlooked in all the hype surrounding the new iPhone 4S is the announcement that the Apple iCloud service will debut tomorrow. Much of the service is aimed at consumers who want to share and store music, photos, video and so on. More interesting to the masses could be Documents in the Cloud, which, as the name implies, lets you store documents in the cloud.
Enterprise workers who spend their days stuck to a seat and then go home, watch TV and drink beer tend to have backup at work. But most of us these days work in various places -- airports, offices, home offices, back porches and sometimes beaches. And when it comes to home and remote offices, IT is not always able to offer enterprise-class backup. Some, like me, use a service such as Carbonite. At $55 a year, it is about the same price as an external drive, but Carbonite is automatic so you really can't forget to back up.
Free services such as SkyDrive and now iCloud could be a nice solution for those who are often remote, maybe use multiple machines and don't have a half-terabyte they just have to back up.Â
One cool iCloud feature? The storage comes with access to Apple iWorks so you can edit and create remotely. It can also be set up, through iCloud Backup, to back up files you specify. At an entry-level basis, iCloud is free. If you need more than 5 gigs -- and who doesn't -- you'll pay $20 a year for 10 gigs and double that for 40.
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/11/2011 at 12:47 PM2 comments
Microsoft loves to flirt with open source -- it just won't commit. Its latest move solidifies an agreement to port Hyper-V to OpenNebula, an open source cloud project aimed at service providers.
This may not be entirely altruistic: Citrix and VMware are already firmly in the OpenNebula camp. At any rate, expect some early code this month.
How would you advise Microsoft on open source? You tell me and I'll share as long as you write me at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/11/2011 at 12:47 PM5 comments
A lot of companies have tried to compete with Microsoft and failed -- Lotus, WordPerfect, Netscape and Novell all come to mind.
When Microsoft announced Hyper-V, I expected VMware to suffer the same fate. The opposite has happened -- VMware keeps getting stronger and stronger.
Already the dominant force in server virtualization, the company is now aiming for the cloud. This is a natural move as cloud services tend to run on virtualized infrastructures.
The company is nearing the billion-dollar mark and is growing fast -- sales in the second quarter increased by 37 percent over the same quarter a year ago. And the number of cloud service providers working with VMware is now more than 2,500. Not too shabby.
VMware officials see a strong movement of IT shops taking their virtual infrastructures and transforming them into private clouds using vCloud Director. Once in place, IT can connect with external public clouds for additional capacity.
VMware is also edging its way into software development with its Cloud Foundry open source tool.
What are your thoughts on VMware as a cloud player? Let me know at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/04/2011 at 12:47 PM11 comments
When Windows 8 ships in the next year or two, you'll be able use Windows Live for single sign-on roaming.
Windows Live is already in use to connect to SkyDrive and Office Web Apps. It also gives MSDN and TechNet subscribers a master password that offers access to an array of Microsoft sites.
Windows Live can store your Windows settings, allowing you to log on with a variety of devices and have the same user experience and data.
One scenario is where you have a work computer and a home machine. You can stop what you are doing at work, and when you get home finish your work -- Windows Live essentially saves your place for you.
Posted by Doug Barney on 10/04/2011 at 12:47 PM0 comments