National Science Foundation awards $105M IT Infrastructure Support task to By Light

Building on experience and expertise gained in support of NSF through its recent acquisition, By Light, a very fast growing provider of IT, cloud, cyber and infrastructure solutions, beat out four other bidders to be awarded a 7-year task to provide NSF with a range of enterprise-wide IT infrastructure support services. Funded by the Division of Information Systems, this task was competed and awarded on GSA Alliant 2.  In early 2019 the National Science Foundation (NSF) extended its contract with Phacil to continue to provide enterprise-wide IT infrastructure support, including disaster recovery and network security. The 6-month extension of the current contract task order was deemed critical for ensuring maintenance of NSF’s voice, network and security, data center operations and complete information technology infrastructure operations

Spotlight

Other News
Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Cloudflare Helps Companies Reduce Their IT Infrastructure's Carbon Footprint By Up To 96% by Moving To The Cloud

Business Wire | September 26, 2023

Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, today shared a new independent report published by Analysys Mason that shows switching enterprise network services from on premises devices to Cloudflare’s cloud-based services can cut related carbon emissions up to 78% for very large businesses to up to 96% for small businesses. The report is one of the first of its kind to calculate potential emissions savings achieved by replacing enterprise network and security hardware boxes with more efficient cloud services. Global Internet usage accounts for 3.7% of global CO2 emissions, about equal to the CO2 emissions of all air traffic around the world. The Internet needs to reduce its overall energy consumption, especially as regulators continue to implement the Paris Climate Accord, including plans to transition to a zero emissions economy. The European Climate Law requires that Europe’s economy and society become climate-neutral by 2050, with a target of reducing net GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Regulators in the United States and the European Union, among others, have also announced plans to require companies to disclose climate-related information including carbon emissions resulting from their operations and supply chains, as well as climate related risks and opportunities. Finally, among the Fortune Global 500, 63% of companies now set 2050 targets for emissions reductions. Companies large and small will increasingly be looking to reduce carbon throughout their supply chains, particularly their IT infrastructure. “The best way to reduce your IT infrastructure’s carbon footprint is easy: move to the cloud,” said Matthew Prince, CEO and co-founder, Cloudflare. “At Cloudflare, we’ve built one of the world’s most efficient networks, getting the most out of every watt of energy and every one of our servers. That’s why, with Cloudflare, companies can help hit their sustainability goals without sacrificing security, speed, performance, or innovation.” The Analysys Mason study found that switching enterprise network services from on premises devices to Cloudflare services can cut related carbon emissions up to 96%, depending on the current network footprint. The greatest reduction comes from consolidating services, which improves carbon efficiency by increasing the utilization of servers that are providing multiple network functions. On premises devices are designed to host multiple workloads and consume power constantly, but are only used for part of the day and part of the week. Cloud infrastructure is shared by millions of customers, often all over the world. As a result, cloud providers are able to achieve economies of scale that result in less downtime, less waste, and lower emissions. Furthermore, the Analysys Mason study found that there are additional gains due to the high Power Usage Effectiveness of cloud data centres, and differences in the carbon intensity of generation in the local electricity grid. ​“Happy Cog is a full-service digital agency that designs, builds, and markets experiences that engage our clients and their audiences. We’ve relied on Cloudflare for many of those websites and apps because it's secure, reliable, fast, and affordable – but also aligns with many of our clients’ sustainability roadmaps and goals,” said Matt Weinberg, Co-Founder and President of Technology at Happy Cog. “Switching our clients from their previous on premises or other constant-usage infrastructure to Cloudflare's network and services has let them be greener, more efficient, and more cost effective. It's ideal when you can offer your clients a solution that covers all their needs and provides a delightful experience now, without having to compromise on their longer term priorities.” About Cloudflare Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com / @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare’s suite of products protect and accelerate any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was awarded by Reuters Events for Global Responsible Business in 2020, named to Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2021, and ranked among Newsweek's Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces in 2022.

Read More

Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Colohouse Launches Dedicated Server and Hosting Offering for Data Center and Cloud Customers

Business Wire | October 05, 2023

Colohouse, a prominent data center colocation, cloud, dedicated server and services provider, is merging TurnKey Internet’s hosting and dedicated server offering into the Colohouse brand and services portfolio. This strategic move comes from TurnKey Internet’s acquisition in 2021 to align with Colohouse’s broader compute, connectivity and cloud strategy. With the integration of dedicated servers and hosting services into its core brand portfolio, Colohouse aims to enhance its ability to meet the diverse needs of its growing customer base. Including TurnKey Internet’s servers and services is a testament to Colohouse’s dedication to delivering comprehensive and impactful solutions for its customers and prospects in key markets and edge locations. Colohouse will begin offering hosting services immediately available on www.colohouse.com Products: dedicated bare metal servers, enterprise series dedicated servers, cloud VPS servers, control panel offerings and licensing Colohouse’s dedicated servers will be available in these data centers: Miami, FL, Colorado Springs, CO, Chicago, IL, Orangeburg, NY, Albany, NY and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Client Center: The support team will be available to assist customers 24/7/365 through a single support portal online, or via email and phone, as well as Live Chat through colohouse.com Compliance and security are a top priority for Colohouse’s customers. In fall of 2023, Colohouse will have its first combined SOC audit for all of its data center locations, including dedicated servers and hosting. This will be available for request on its website upon completion of the audit. When I accepted the job of CEO at Colohouse, my vision was, and still is, to build a single platform company that provides core infrastructure but also extends past just colocation, cloud, or bare metal. We recognize that businesses today require flexible options to address their IT infrastructure needs. This is a step for us to create an ecosystem within Colohouse that gives our customers room to test their applications instantly or have a solution for backups and migrations with the same provider. The same provider that knows the nuances of a customer's IT infrastructure, like colocation or cloud, can also advise or assist that same customer with alternative solutions that enhance their overall IT infrastructure, shared Jeremy Pease, CEO of Colohouse. Jeremy further added, “The customer journey and experience is our top priority. Consolidating the brands into Colohouse removes confusion about the breadth of our offerings. Our capability to provide colocation, cloud, and hosting services supports our customers’ growing demand for infrastructure that can be optimized for cost, performance and security. This move also consolidates our internal functions, which will continue to improve the customer experience at all levels.” All products are currently available on colohouse.com. TurnKey Internet customers will not be impacted by transitioning from the TurnKey Internet to Colohouse. All Colohouse and TurnKey Internet customers will continue to receive the industry's best service and support. Colohouse will be launching its first-ever “Black Friday Sale” for all dedicated servers and hosting solutions. TurnKey Internet’s customers have incorporated this annual sale in their project planning and budget cycles to take advantage of the price breaks. The sale will begin in mid-November on colohouse.com. About Colohouse Colohouse provides a digital foundation that connects our customers with impactful technology solutions and services. Our managed data center and cloud infrastructure paired with key edge locations and reliable connectivity allow our customers to confidently scale their application and data while optimizing for cost, performance, and security. To learn more about Colohouse, please visit: https://colohouse.com/.

Read More

Windows Systems and Network

Zayo Bolsters Global Network Infrastructure, Increases Capacity to Meet Rapid Bandwidth Demand

Business Wire | October 10, 2023

Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., a leading global communications infrastructure platform, today announced its latest series of infrastructure investments to extend global capacity to support rapidly increasing bandwidth demand—including deployment of 400G across the globe, long-haul capacity growth, and enhancements to its global IP infrastructure. Next-generation technology is being deployed at never-before-seen rates. This has placed the communications infrastructure industry at a unique inflection point as all digital businesses—enterprises, carriers and hyperscalers alike—scramble to ensure they have enough capacity to support these technologies, said Bill Long, Chief Product Officer at Zayo. As this trend plays out, it will be a strong tailwind for those providers who can capitalize on the moment. As one of the newest and most modern networks on the market, Zayo is uniquely positioned to support this growing demand for global bandwidth. Deploying 400G Globally For today’s digital businesses, 400G is essential to ensure the speed and scalability to support increasingly complex and data-intensive applications. Zayo recently completed upgrades of its European network to be fully 400G-enabled, with plans for its Tier-1 backbone in North America to be fully 400G-enabled by the end of 2024. In Q3, Zayo added nine new 400G-enabled routes to its North American network to provide high-bandwidth options between key cities, including: Atlanta to DC Denver to Dallas (Direct) Montreal to Quebec City Clinton to Ponchatoula Indianapolis to Columbus Ashburn to Baltimore Bend to Umatilla Laurel to Denver Additional 400G routes in progress include: Houston to New Orleans St. Louis to Chicago Buffalo to Albany Winnipeg to Toronto Toronto to Montreal Buffalo to Toronto Columbus to Ashburn Cleveland to Buffalo Houston to Ponchatoula Umatilla to Quincy What this means: The enablement of Zayo’s global network with 400G will allow customers to continue scaling their bandwidth with Zayo on existing routes, opening up high-capacity access on new routes, improving network stability and providing an overall better customer experience through quicker delivery and optimal routing. The enhanced capacity from these routes will support customers that have exponential growth needs driven by emerging technologies such as 5G, cloud adoption, IoT, AI, edge computing, and automation. Expanding Global Low-Latency Network Zayo has also been working to expand capacity in other key economic centers across the globe. In October 2022, Zayo announced its global low-latency route connecting the U.S. to South America’s financial hub of Sao Paulo. In Q3 2023, the company completed expansions to its connectivity infrastructure in Sao Paulo including a new key terrestrial route that will provide connectivity throughout the metro ring and to four key data centers. New Sao Paulo Points of Presence (PoPs): Alameda Araguaia, 3641, Alphaville, Barueri, SP, 06455 000, Brazil Av. Marcos Penteado de Ulhoa Rodrigues, 249, Santana de Parnaiba, SP, 06543 001, Brazil Avenida Ceci, 1900, Tambore, Barueri, SP, 06460 120, Brazil Rua Ricardo Prudente de Aquino, 85 Santan de Parnaiba, Brazil What this means: As Latin America’s center of innovation and commerce, São Paulo has seen an increased demand for connectivity from the U.S. To meet the growing needs of customers, Zayo is establishing diverse, high-bandwidth connectivity from its first-class North American fiber network directly into the largest economic center in the Southern Hemisphere. IP Infrastructure Growth IP demand continues to be a driver for capacity increases. Zayo continues to bolster its IP infrastructure with new PoPs in key markets and data centers across the globe. Zayo added eight new IP PoPs to its North American network in Q3, including: 45 Parliament St, Toronto, ON 250 Williams St NW, Atlanta, GA 6477 W Wells Park Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 2335 S Ellis St, Chandler, AZ 375 Pearl St, New York, NY 626 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 431 Horner Ave, Etobicoke, ON 1100 White St SW, Atlanta, GA Zayo's IP backbone, which runs on Zayo's wholly owned fiber infrastructure, makes up nearly 10% of the world's Internet capacity. Zayo currently manages 96Tb of core capacity and 34TB of peering capacity, and adds 1-2Tb of peering capacity every quarter. Upgrading Long-Haul Capacity As one of the other providers actively investing in its long-haul infrastructure, Zayo is continuing to overbuild its routes in high-demand areas to enable enhanced fiber capacity. In Q3 2023, Zayo completed the overbuild of its Omaha to Denver route, providing increased capacity on this highly sought-after route. Zayo also has three new long-haul route builds and two additional route overbuilds in progress with scheduled completion by the end of 2023. What this means: The enhancement to Zayo’s long-haul dark fiber routes provide customers with diverse routing options and the ability to customize and enhance their network to meet the unique needs of their businesses while maximizing resiliency and ability to scale. Zayo will continue to invest in future-proofing its network and services to connect what’s next for its customers. About Zayo For more than 15 years, Zayo has empowered some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies to connect what’s next for their business. Zayo’s future-ready network spans over 17 million fiber miles and 142,000 route miles. Zayo’s tailored connectivity and edge solutions enable carriers, cloud providers, data centers, schools, and enterprises to deliver exceptional experiences, from edge to core to cloud. Discover how Zayo connects what’s next at www.zayo.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Read More

Application Infrastructure

Carahsoft Partners with Oracle to Expand Access to Oracle’s Cloud Infrastructure and Applications for Public Sector

GlobeNewswire | September 14, 2023

Carahsoft Technology Corp., The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, and member of the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), today announced an agreement to serve as Oracle’s Public Sector aggregator, making the company’s complete cloud and applications portfolio for Government, Defense, Intelligence and Education available through Carahsoft’s reseller partners, NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V and GSA Schedule contracts. Oracle offers a diverse set of solutions, ranging from cloud infrastructure, software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications, hardware, and construction and engineering technology. Across these capabilities, Oracle enables the connectivity of project teams, empowerment of decision makers through data, and simplification of multicloud deployment across agencies. The partnership can help accelerate IT infrastructure modernization, and help improve innovation with secure, cost-effective, and FedRAMP-compliant cloud infrastructure. Oracle’s cloud infrastructure and applications offerings provide customers with a variety of solutions, including: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) enables customers to build and run a wide range of applications in a scalable, secure, highly available, and high-performance environment. From application development and business analytics to data management, integration, AI, and cloud-native services, OCI delivers high security, performance, and cost savings. In addition, with multicloud, hybrid cloud, public cloud, and dedicated cloud options, OCI’s distributed cloud delivers the benefits of cloud with greater control over data residency, locality, and authority, even across multiple clouds. Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications Suite enables organizations to take advantage of the cloud to break down organizational silos, standardize processes, and manage financial, supply chain, HR, and customer experience data on a secure integrated SaaS platform. Oracle Construction and Engineering’s Smart Construction Platform helps teams work together, turn data into intelligence, and coordinate resources for smooth project planning, delivery, and operations. “As the Public Sector continues to prioritize modernization and adoption of a multicloud model, Oracle is focused on interoperability and ideally positioned to help government customers innovate faster to better support their missions,” said Kyle Clement, Senior Manager, NACT Government Alliances and Channels, Oracle. “We are excited to partner with Carahsoft to bring Oracle solutions to more Public Sector customers and to continue to drive success for government agencies and the citizens they serve.” Carahsoft will serve as the aggregator for the partnership, enabling Oracle to access Carahsoft’s portfolio of contract vehicles and extensive Public Sector ecosystem of channel partners. The Carahsoft team has significant expertise in partnering with the Public Sector to advance multi-cloud strategies while ensuring ease of procurement. “We are excited to leverage our dedicated sales and marketing teams in support of this new partnership with Oracle,” said Lacey Wean, Sales Director who leads the Oracle Team at Carahsoft. “By including Oracle on our contract vehicles, Carahsoft and our partners are able to expand the reach of their solutions for cloud, cybersecurity, data management and more to Government agencies.” Oracle's solutions are available through Carahsoft’s SEWP V contracts NNG15SC03B and Carahsoft’s GSA Schedule No. 47QSWA18D008F. For more information about the offerings available through this new partnership, visit https://www.carahsoft.com/oracle. To request a demo or speak to a representative, contact the contact the Oracle team at Carahsoft at (855) 618-3114 or Oracle@carahsoft.com. About Oracle PartnerNetwork Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) is Oracle’s partner program designed to enable partners to accelerate the transition to cloud and drive superior customer business outcomes. The OPN program allows partners to engage with Oracle through track(s) aligned to how they go to market: Cloud Build for partners that provide products or services built on or integrated with Oracle Cloud; Cloud Sell for partners that resell Oracle Cloud technology; Cloud Service for partners that implement, deploy and manage Oracle Cloud Services; and License & Hardware for partners that build, service or sell Oracle software licenses or hardware products. Customers can expedite their business objectives with OPN partners who have achieved Expertise in a product family or cloud service. To learn more visit: http://www.oracle.com/partnernetwork About Carahsoft Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator® for our vendor partners, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Open Source, Customer Experience and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Visit us at www.carahsoft.com.

Read More