August turned out to be quite eventful for cloud technologies globally. The month started with the announcement about VMware and Google Cloud, extending their partnership and launching Google Cloud VMware Solution. Now users can run VMware programs in the cloud, as a part-hybrid architecture or on-premises using Google Cloud Platform. Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, confirmed the news through a blog mentioning the support GCP will provide to vSphere-based workloads!
Another colossal update was the announcement of a 10-year partnership between Microsoft and Reliance Jio (India’s largest Network Operator). The latter will integrate in-house cloud operations with and also, promote Azure as a means for digitally transforming the Indian Economy. Reliance views this partnership as critical in providing the Indian start-ups, SMEs, and political ecosystem with suitable cloud infrastructure and cloud-based app ecosystems. India’s cloud computing market is poised to break USD 7 Billion by 2022, and these industry giants are looking for a substantial piece of the pie.
Canada is also not lagging on cloud deals and partnerships. The Globe and Mail, a publishing and media tycoon, has signed on Amazon Web Services as its cloud provider. They believe that the latter’s AI and Machine Learning capabilities will be critical drivers for it’s IT infrastructure.
Cloud Security Gets a Joint Upgrade & CSA Filters top Security Concerns
- Zscaler and Skybox Security are partnering up to connect their products for better end-to-end encryption. The former will add its patent Cloud Firewall to the Skybox Security Suite, claiming that it will enhance vulnerability control and provide network assurance across enterprise levels.
- Blockchain start-ups have been breaking the twitter trending handles with newer and bigger deals and products each day.
- On 16th of August, Cypherium, a blockchain start-up in New York, cut a deal with Google Cloud to provide enterprise-ready blockchain platforms with a capacity of up to 5000 transactions per second. This deal aims to provide enterprises with full-stack solutions. Therefore, they can extract the maximum results from Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs). Consumers can rely on strong security and incredible transaction speeds.
- Speaking of security, the Cloud Security Alliance has released a list of eleven biggest cloud security concerns. These include some common ones like data breaches, account hijacking, insider threats, and more sophisticated threats like account misconfiguration. The CSA recommends increased automation to remove issues of misconfiguration. It cites internet data as the most vulnerable asset and mentions that critical security efforts must be maintained for protecting and managing it.
- In relation to this, DigiPlex, a Nordic data center, and colocation provider released an extensive guide to help enterprises and companies avoid making long term data-centric and cloud-related mistakes.
VMware August 2019 shines on Azure, Kubernetes, and CloudHealth
- The last week of August had its share of the tech hustle and bustle as the VMware 2019 brought new vigor to San Francisco. The company launched the newly designed VMware Tanzi. It is built to provide enterprise-level development, execution, and management software on Kubernetes frameworks.
- Other major head turners at the event included Workspace ONE. It has added an AI-powered VA to its collaboration program as an update. VMware’s CloudHealth Hybrid also attracted industry experts as they explored its claims to save costs across multiple cloud ecosystems and frameworks.
- The month ended on a high note as The Linux Foundation announced the inception of a new group of tech super-stars to advance trust and security for cloud computing.
- Unofficially dubbed the CCC- Confidential Computing Consortium, the open-source community, includes ten founding members: Alibaba, Arm, Baidu, Google Cloud, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Red Hat, Swisscom, and Tencent.
Members have been encouraged to contribute projects to the group. Microsoft has already offered the Open Enclave SDK. It is a framework for developers to create Trusted Execution Environments( TEEs). Developers can use single enclaving extractions to build such applications.
Alibaba, Arm, Baidu, Google Cloud, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Red Hat, Swisscom, and Tencent.
Red Hat will provide its Enarx for hardware independence and TEE security.
Intel has lent its Software Guard Extensions (SGX). It will help app developers secure specific code and information and protect them from modification or exposure.
The formation of this consortium certainly means we will see disruptive updates, deals, partnerships in the coming months.
So, Stay tuned in for the latest updates.