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Protecting our energy infrastructure from cyber attack

Almost every day, news headlines announce another security breach and the theft of credit card numbers and other personal information. While having one’s credit card stolen can be annoying and unsettling, a far more significant, yet less recognised, concern is the security of physical infrastructure, including energy systems. “With a credit card theft, you might have to pay $50 and get a new credit card,” says Stuart Madnick, the John Norris Maguire Professor of Information Technologies at the Sloan School of Management, a professor of engineering systems at the School of Engineering, and founding director of the Cybersecurity at MIT Sloan consortium. “But with infrastructure attacks, real physical damage can occur, and recovery can take weeks or months.” A few examples demonstrate the threat. In 2008, an alleged cyberattack blew up an oil pipeline in Turkey, shutting it down for three weeks.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, IT Systems Management

The importance of location intelligence and big data for 5G growth

Article | September 14, 2023

The pandemic has had a seismic impact on the telecom sector. This is perhaps most notably because where and how the world goes to work has been re-defined, with nearly every business deepening its commitment to mobility. Our homes suddenly became our offices, and workforces went from being centrally managed to widely distributed. This has called for a heightened need for widespread, secure and high-speed connectivity around the clock. 5G has answered the call, and 5G location intelligence and big data can provide service providers with the information they need to optimize their investments. Case in point: Juniper Research reported in its 5G Monetization study that global revenue from 5G services will reach $73 billion by the end of 2021, rising from just $20 billion last year. 5G flexes as connected devices surge Market insights firm IoT Analytics estimates there will be more than 30 billion IoT connections by 2025. That's an average of nearly four IoT devices per person. To help meet the pressure this growth in connectivity is putting on telecom providers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking action to make additional spectrum available for 5G services and promoting the digital opportunities it provides to Americans. The FCC is urging that investments in 5G infrastructure be prioritized given the "widespread mobility opportunity" it presents, as stated by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. While that's a good thing, we must also acknowledge that launching a 5G network presents high financial risk, among other challenges. The competitive pressures are significant, and network performance matters greatly when it comes to new business acquisition and retention. It's imperative to make wise decisions on network build-out to ensure investments yield the anticipated returns. Thus, telcos need not – and should not – go it blindly when considering where to invest. You don't know what you don't know, which is why 5G location intelligence and big data can provide an incredible amount of clarity (and peace of mind) when it comes to optimizing investments, increasing marketing effectiveness and improving customer satisfaction. Removing the blindfold Location data and analytics provide telcos and Communications Service Providers (CSPs) with highly-specific insights to make informed decisions on where to invest in 5G. With this information, companies can not only map strategic expansion, but also better manage assets, operations, customers and products. For example, with this intelligence, carriers can gain insight into the most desired locations of specific populations and how they want to use bandwidth. They can use this data to arm themselves with a clear understanding of customer location and mobility, mapping existing infrastructure and competitive coverage against market requirements to pinpoint new opportunities. By creating complex customer profiles rich with demographic information like age, income and lifestyle preferences, the guesswork is eliminated for where the telco should or shouldn’t deploy new 5G towers. Further, by mapping a population of consumers and businesses within a specific region and then aggregating that information by age, income or business type, for example, a vivid picture comes to life of the market opportunity for that area. This type of granular location intelligence adds important context to existing data and is a key pillar to data integrity, which describes the overall quality and completeness of a dataset. When telcos can clearly understand factors such as boundaries, movement and the customers’ surroundings, predictive insights can be made regarding demographic changes and future telecom requirements within a certain location. This then serves as the basis for a data-backed 5G expansion strategy. Without it, businesses are burdened by the trial-and-error losses that are all too common with 5G build-outs. Location precision's myriad benefits Improved location precision has many benefits for telcos looking to pinpoint where to build, market and provision 5G. Among them are: Better data: Broadening insights on commercial, residential and mixed-use locations through easy-to-consume, scalable datasets provide highly accurate in-depth analyses for marketing and meeting customer demand. Better serviceability insights: Complete and accurate location insights allow for a comprehensive view of serviceable addresses where products and services can be delivered to current and new customers causing ROI to improve and customers to be adequately served. Better subscriber returns: Companies that deploy fixed wireless services often experience plan cancellations due to inconsistencies of signal performance, which typically result from the misalignment of sites with network assets. Location-based data provides operators with the ability to adapt their networks for signal consistency and serviceability as sites and structures change. The 5G future The role of location intelligence in accelerating development of new broadband services and driving ROI in a 5G world cannot be overstated. It adds a critical element of data integrity that informs network optimization, customer targeting and service provisioning so telecom service providers can ensure their investments are not made with blind hope.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

HCI Adoption Strategies for Successful Implementation in B2B Markets

Article | October 3, 2023

Unveil the Hyperconverged Infrastructure adoption strategies, build an effective HCI implementation plan and align them with businesses of all sizes. Know leading companies for HCI adoption. Contents 1. Introduction to HCI in B2B Markets 2. Evaluating HCI Readiness for B2B Organizations 2.1. Identifying Business Use Cases for HCI Implementation 2.2. Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration 3. Building an Effective HCI Implementation Plan 3.1. Implementation of Managed Service Providers 4. Aligning HCI Strategy with Business Objectives 4.1. Integration and Compatibility with Existing Systems 4.2. HCI and Cloud Integration: Hybrid and Multi-Cloud for HCI 5. Top HCI Companies to Improve Cloud Management & Data Security Solutions 5.1. Virtual Tech Gurus 5.2. CTC Global 5.3. Winslow Technology Group 5.4. Internetwork Engineering 5.5. Eastern Computer Exchange 6. Maximizing Business Value through HCI in B2B Markets 1. Introduction to HCI in B2B Markets HCI, a software-defined solution that organizes and abstracts networking, CPU, memory, and storage devices as resource pools, utilizing commodity x86-based hardware and virtualization software, enables the administrator to combine and provision these resources as virtual machines and independent storage resources such as network-attached storage (NAS) filers and object stores. Organizations face numerous infrastructure difficulties. They frequently receive urgent demands from the business to keep their organization agile and proactive while implementing new digital transformation initiatives. For many organizations, a cloud-only IT strategy is not a viable option; as a result, there is a growing interest in hybrid scenarios that offer the best of both realms. Hyperconvergence makes administration much easier, enabling management of all aspects of infrastructure from one place while reducing complexity by removing compatibility problems between multiple vendors. AllHyperconvergedInfrastructure offerings serve as the foundation for on-premises infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) by unifying and integrating computing and storage as fundamental HCI technology infrastructure services. The global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure market size was valued at USD 4805.24 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 26.53% during the forecast period, reaching USD 19719.08 million by 2028. 2. Evaluating HCI Readiness for B2B Organizations 2.1. Identifying Business Use Cases for HCI Implementation Software-Defined Data Center: Businesses face challenges due to surging market costs, increased competition, and the need for improved business agility. Scaling data centers and managing the addition of new resources pose a concern for an efficient workforce and time consumption. HCI is a key component of the Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) strategy for centralizing business operations. SDDC abstracts hardware resources, enables policy-driven automation for resource allocation, and manages data resulting in an agile, pooled, automated data center environment. High-Performance Computing: As technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and three-dimensional imaging advance, the size and quantity of data that organizations must manage grow exponentially. Here, High-Performance Computing (HPC) comes into play, which employs clusters of powerful processors operating in parallel to process massive multidimensional datasets (big data) and solve intricate complexities at extremely high rates. It is fueled not only by rising demands but also by the prevalence of RDMA networking with reduced latency and higher throughput, as well as the widespread availability of public and private cloud HPCaaS. Software-Defined Networking Integration: Business requirements require quick responses from enterprises and service providers to improve network control. Like storage, software-defined networking (SDN) virtualizes networking functions within a hyperconverged infrastructure. It creates a centrally managed and programmable network by separating network forwarding functions from network control functions. It allows for the centralized administration of networking devices and facilitates the automation of network devices and evaluating HCI solutions for business-specific needs. 2.2. Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration A modern hyper converged data center supports growing workloads while keeping a check on capital and operating expenses. This paves the way for a simplified transition to a hybrid cloud that allows for scalable performance, streamlined administration, and enhanced orchestration. It delivers rapid deployment, orchestration, management, and monitoring of containerized environments, allowing focus on running businesses instead of infrastructure. This functionality enables IT departments to find a middle ground between empowering developers to choose their own containerized infrastructure and meeting the demands of service-level agreements in terms of reliability and availability. The secure integration and smarter work are done through the use of open, extensible features that interface seamlessly with third-party platforms and applications to automate lifecycle operations and enable consistency and governance. It allows teams to intelligently visualize, optimize, and orchestrate the entire infrastructure and set of apps. 3. Building an Effective HCI Implementation Plan 3.1. Implementation of Managed Service Providers Typically, the implementation ofmanaged service providers(MSPs) takes about 90-120 days, depending on the readiness of the organizations. Meet the core subject matter experts in procurement to perform an organizational analysis and assessment. Document current-state processes and policies helping identify the ROI for organizations. Conduct an in-depth organizational assessment to capture operational and cultural requirements, adjusting the core implementation methodology. Perform testing, configuration, and system design. Carry out build & unit testing and user acceptance testing. 4. Aligning HCI Strategy with Business Objectives 4.1. Integration and Compatibility with Existing Systems Business applications and specific technologies, including third-party services and service-level contracts, require HCI. Businesses use cloud-based ERP and CRM applications. Before choosing an HCI solution, decision-makers should consider if the hyperconverged infrastructure supports business application back-end systems. Containers and other workload-supporting technologies are equally significant. Multiple cloud services power businesses. Even if they run their cloud systems, they may use third-party disaster recovery or identity and access management (IAM) services. Decision-makers must ensure that the chosen HCI can integrate with these other services without extra steps. 4.2. HCI and Cloud Integration: Hybrid and Multi-Cloud for Hyperconverged Infrastructure According toNutanix, 91% of IT decision-makers who consider hybrid cloud the ideal IT model for organizations. Hybrid cloud is prevalent for comparable reasons. This architecture provides a comprehensive range of public and private cloud-based computing, storage, and services. Many organizations are discovering that integrating these technology trends can yield substantial benefits. By implementing HCI for their hybrid clouds, businesses are better equipped to address a variety of IT challenges, such as distributed workforces resulting in distributed data. As businesses increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies, utilizing multiple public cloud services with private cloud or on-premises infrastructure becomes increasingly crucial. HCI simplifies multi-cloud management by reducing the difficulty of tracking resources, managing security, and optimizing performance across various cloud environments. To assure compatibility between the HCI platform and different cloud services, network connectivity and data transit speeds management is required, which affects the performance and efficacy of a multi-cloud configuration. Hyperconverged infrastructure and cloud computing complement one another to provide a flexible, efficient, and scalable IT infrastructure that can adapt to the ever-changing requirements of businesses. Educating employees about hyperconverged technology, throughHCI certifications and courses,will empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively deploy, manage, and optimize hyperconverged infrastructure, leading to enhanced operational efficiency, streamlined IT management, and the ability to harness the full potential. By comprehending the relationship between HCI and cloud computing, businesses make more informed IT strategy decisions and capitalize on the benefits of both approaches. 5. Top HCI Companies to Improve Cloud Management & Data Security Solutions 5.1. Virtual Tech Gurus Virtual Tech Gurus (VTG), specializes in delivering Hybrid Solutions that seamlessly integrate the advantages of hyperconverged data center and public cloud technologies. It offers various insights, from data center inventory and discovery to user access auditing, cyber and business resiliency assessments, chargeback insights, capacity reporting, and cyber-configuration auditing. Its Cyber-Resolutions services are designed to encompass prevention auditing, response services related to user risks, cyber resiliency assessments, monitoring, and comprehensive incident response. This offers flexible, cost-effective services that translate into tangible business value for customers. VTG bolsters business performance in critical growth-oriented areas by providing consulting and project services across cloud services, data center migration, cloud migration, infrastructure assessment, and staffing. By elevating infrastructure performance, VTG achieves the twin goals of cost reduction and heightened availability, ultimately facilitating the swifter deployment of new services. 5.2. CTC Global CTC Global, a prominent conglomerate, is a pivotal player in the HCI technology landscape. In the current era, enterprises embrace the choice of on-premise cloud networking resources to construct private cloud networks or opt for cloud-based networking resources for hybrid clouds. These cloud networking resources encompass virtual routers, virtual firewalls, HCI network monitoring, and management software, among other tools and functions readily accessible as needed. Its services include orchestrating a targeted response to cyberattacks to curtail their impact on business operations, Establishing an efficient third-party governance program to safeguard against ecosystem-related risks that could undermine business performance, Addressing the intricate digital risk management challenges a dynamic, distributed, and diverse workforce poses, equipping businesses with the knowledge to embed resilience into their day-to-day operations ensures smooth adaptation to the increasingly digital sphere. 5.3. Winslow Technology Group Winslow Technology Group (WTG), a prominent leader in IT solutions offers managed services and cybersecurity services since 2003, consistently delivering exceptional business outcomes to its customers. WTG is committed to facilitating innovation and transformation for its clients' businesses by harnessing the advantages of data center solutions, digital workspace solutions, networking, and cloud infrastructure solutions. WTG serves a broad spectrum of clients, from medium-sized enterprises to Fortune 50 corporations, across diverse market segments, including the public sector, finance, healthcare, insurance, education, manufacturing, and technology. Data center advantages include reduced downtime enhanced security increased efficiency, optimized performance, automation of data centers and downtime & security management. 5.4. Internetwork Engineering Internetwork Engineering (IE) fosters meaningful interactions by connecting individuals to its customers, colleagues, suppliers, patients, citizens, and students. IE is a strategic solution provider catering to mid-market and enterprise clients. Its comprehensive services span consulting, implementation, and operational services, enveloping four validated architectures: collaboration, data centers, intelligent networks, and security. Advancing data protection strategy in the modern landscape encompasses more than mere security and recovery, it extends to data availability, access privileges, and data center considerations. Data protection figures prominently in evaluating storage, backup solutions, network design, and security controls. IE addresses this essential facet with various solutions to ensure seamless business operations such as meeting backup and recovery goals, navigating data center breaches, cyber-attacks, and DDoS attacks, facilitating data replication to remote or cloud data centers, and more. 5.5. Eastern Computer Exchange Eastern Computer Exchange (ECEI), a technology company, boasts an impressive legacy of three decades in the industry. ECEI offers holistic technology solutions, encompassing migrations, consolidations, cloud integrations, and global desktop rollouts. ECEI's specialty solutions encompass a broad spectrum, including private/public/hybrid cloud strategy and implementation, operations managed services, cloud management platform implementation, DevOps strategies with container management and orchestration solutions, hyper-converged infrastructure solutions, and end-user compute modernization solutions. The crucial interplay between network and security is the foundation of ECEI's offerings. Recognizing the inadequacy of traditional detection and blocking defenses, ECEI aligns with the zero trust network architecture (ZTNA) trend, offering valuable expertise for evaluating and orchestrating the migration to ZTNA. 6. Maximizing Business Value through HCI in B2B Markets Hyper-converged infrastructure has emerged as a potent solution that holds the potential to enhance business value. It brings inherent data protection and disaster recovery features, assuring business continuity and upholding the critical trust of B2B partners. Security and compliance are prioritized through integrated measures that safeguard data integrity and adhere to industry regulations. This technology also empowers business agility. Swift deployment and flexibility enable rapid responses to market shifts, thereby boosting hyperconverged market sizes, ensuring B2B enterprises seize emerging opportunities and adapt to evolving customer preferences. By optimizing operations, hyperconverged infrastructure frees up resources that can be allocated to a customer-centric focus, nurturing stronger and more responsive client relationships. As we peer into the future, the trajectory of HCI's influence reveals promising trends and a wide-ranging scope poised to redefine how businesses extract value within B2B environments. One of the prominent trends on the horizon is the deepening integration of HCI architectures into diverse business ecosystems. Furthermore, the burgeoning scope of HCI extends beyond conventional data center management. The forthcoming years are anticipated to witness an increased convergence of HCI with cloud technologies, resulting in a hybridized infrastructure model. Moreover, the integration of HCI aligns harmoniously with the ascent of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. The seamless connectivity and resource optimization offered by HCI are poised to drive transformative shifts in industrial automation, supply chain management, and predictive maintenance, ultimately nurturing enhanced productivity and innovation within B2B sectors.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Windows Systems and Network

How to Rapidly Scale IT Infrastructure For Remote Workers

Article | July 11, 2023

Rapid IT infrastructure scaling is always challenging. In March 2020, the coronavirus caused a surge in remote workers as organizations switched overwhelmingly to work-from-home policies. Scaling IT infrastructure to support this sudden shift proved to be a struggle for IT teams, resulting in a migration to cloud-based applications and solutions, a rush on hardware that can support a remote environment, and challenges scaling VPNs to support remote worker security. Here are some of the insights and lessons learned from IT professionals.

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Application Infrastructure

A Look at Trends in IT infrastructure and Operations for 2022

Article | May 9, 2022

We’re all hoping that 2022 will finally end the unprecedented challenges brought by the global pandemic and things will return to a new normalcy. For IT infrastructure and operations organizations, the rising trends that we are seeing today will likely continue, but there are still a few areas that will need special attention from IT leaders over the next 12 to 18 months. In no particular order, they include: The New Edge Edge computing is now at the forefront. Two primary factors that make it business-critical are the increased prevalence of remote and hybrid workplace models where employees will continue working remotely, either from home or a branch office, resulting in an increased adoption of cloud-based businesses and communications services. With the rising focus on remote and hybrid workplace cultures, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet have continued to expand their solutions and add new features. As people start moving back to office, they are likely to want the same experience they had from home. In a typical enterprise setup, branch office traffic is usually backhauled all the way to the data center. This architecture severely impacts the user experience, so enterprises will have to review their network architectures and come up with a roadmap to accommodate local egress between branch offices and headquarters. That’s where the edge can help, bringing it closer to the workforce. This also brings an opportunity to optimize costs by migrating from some of the expensive multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) or private circuits to relatively low-cost direct internet circuits, which is being addressed by the new secure access service edge (SASE) architecture that is being offered by many established vendors. I anticipate some components of SASE, specifically those related to software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), local egress, and virtual private network (VPN), will drive a lot of conversation this year. Holistic Cloud Strategy Cloud adoption will continue to grow, and along with software as a service (SaaS), there will be renewed interest in infrastructure as a service (IaaS), albeit for specific workloads. For a medium-to-large-sized enterprise with a substantial development environment, it will still be cost-prohibitive to move everything to the cloud, so any cloud strategy would need to be holistic and forward-looking to maximize its business value. Another pandemic-induced shift is from using virtual machines (VMs) as a consumption unit of compute to containers as a consumption unit of software. For on-premises or private cloud deployment architectures that require sustainable management, organizations will have to orchestrate containers and deploy efficient container security and management tools. Automation Now that cloud adoption, migration, and edge computing architectures are becoming more prevalent, the legacy methods of infrastructure provisioning and management will not be scalable. By increasing infrastructure automation, enterprises can optimize costs and be more flexible and efficient—but only if they are successful at developing new skills. To achieve the goal of “infrastructure as a code” will require a shift in the perspective on infrastructure automation to one that focuses on developing and sustaining skills and roles that improve efficiency and agility across on-premises, cloud, and edge infrastructures. Defining the roles of designers and architects to support automation is essential to ensure that automation works as expected, avoids significant errors, and complements other technologies. AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) Alongside complementing automation trends, the implementation of AIOps to effectively automate IT operations processes such as event correlation, anomaly detection, and causality determination will also be important. AIOps will eliminate the data silos in IT by bringing all types of data under one roof so it can be used to execute machine learning (ML)-based methods to develop insights for responsive enhancements and corrections. AIOps can also help with probable cause analytics by focusing on the most likely source of a problem. The concept of site reliability engineering (SRE) is being increasingly adopted by SaaS providers and will gain importance in enterprise IT environments due to the trends listed above. AIOps is a key component that will enable site reliability engineers (SREs) to respond more quickly—and even proactively—by resolving issues without manual intervention. These focus areas are by no means an exhaustive list. There are a variety of trends that will be more prevalent in specific industry areas, but a common theme in the post-pandemic era is going to be superior delivery of IT services. That’s also at the heart of the Autonomous Digital Enterprise, a forward-focused business framework designed to help companies make technology investments for the future.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, IT Systems Management

How Managed Service Providers Drive Management in HCI

Article | September 14, 2023

The pandemic has had a seismic impact on the telecom sector. This is perhaps most notably because where and how the world goes to work has been re-defined, with nearly every business deepening its commitment to mobility. Our homes suddenly became our offices, and workforces went from being centrally managed to widely distributed. This has called for a heightened need for widespread, secure and high-speed connectivity around the clock. 5G has answered the call, and 5G location intelligence and big data can provide service providers with the information they need to optimize their investments. Case in point: Juniper Research reported in its 5G Monetization study that global revenue from 5G services will reach $73 billion by the end of 2021, rising from just $20 billion last year. 5G flexes as connected devices surge Market insights firm IoT Analytics estimates there will be more than 30 billion IoT connections by 2025. That's an average of nearly four IoT devices per person. To help meet the pressure this growth in connectivity is putting on telecom providers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking action to make additional spectrum available for 5G services and promoting the digital opportunities it provides to Americans. The FCC is urging that investments in 5G infrastructure be prioritized given the "widespread mobility opportunity" it presents, as stated by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. While that's a good thing, we must also acknowledge that launching a 5G network presents high financial risk, among other challenges. The competitive pressures are significant, and network performance matters greatly when it comes to new business acquisition and retention. It's imperative to make wise decisions on network build-out to ensure investments yield the anticipated returns. Thus, telcos need not – and should not – go it blindly when considering where to invest. You don't know what you don't know, which is why 5G location intelligence and big data can provide an incredible amount of clarity (and peace of mind) when it comes to optimizing investments, increasing marketing effectiveness and improving customer satisfaction. Removing the blindfold Location data and analytics provide telcos and Communications Service Providers (CSPs) with highly-specific insights to make informed decisions on where to invest in 5G. With this information, companies can not only map strategic expansion, but also better manage assets, operations, customers and products. For example, with this intelligence, carriers can gain insight into the most desired locations of specific populations and how they want to use bandwidth. They can use this data to arm themselves with a clear understanding of customer location and mobility, mapping existing infrastructure and competitive coverage against market requirements to pinpoint new opportunities. By creating complex customer profiles rich with demographic information like age, income and lifestyle preferences, the guesswork is eliminated for where the telco should or shouldn’t deploy new 5G towers. Further, by mapping a population of consumers and businesses within a specific region and then aggregating that information by age, income or business type, for example, a vivid picture comes to life of the market opportunity for that area. This type of granular location intelligence adds important context to existing data and is a key pillar to data integrity, which describes the overall quality and completeness of a dataset. When telcos can clearly understand factors such as boundaries, movement and the customers’ surroundings, predictive insights can be made regarding demographic changes and future telecom requirements within a certain location. This then serves as the basis for a data-backed 5G expansion strategy. Without it, businesses are burdened by the trial-and-error losses that are all too common with 5G build-outs. Location precision's myriad benefits Improved location precision has many benefits for telcos looking to pinpoint where to build, market and provision 5G. Among them are: Better data: Broadening insights on commercial, residential and mixed-use locations through easy-to-consume, scalable datasets provide highly accurate in-depth analyses for marketing and meeting customer demand. Better serviceability insights: Complete and accurate location insights allow for a comprehensive view of serviceable addresses where products and services can be delivered to current and new customers causing ROI to improve and customers to be adequately served. Better subscriber returns: Companies that deploy fixed wireless services often experience plan cancellations due to inconsistencies of signal performance, which typically result from the misalignment of sites with network assets. Location-based data provides operators with the ability to adapt their networks for signal consistency and serviceability as sites and structures change. The 5G future The role of location intelligence in accelerating development of new broadband services and driving ROI in a 5G world cannot be overstated. It adds a critical element of data integrity that informs network optimization, customer targeting and service provisioning so telecom service providers can ensure their investments are not made with blind hope.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure

Transforming Data Management by Modernized Storage Solutions Using HCI

Article | October 3, 2023

Unveil the Hyperconverged Infrastructure adoption strategies, build an effective HCI implementation plan and align them with businesses of all sizes. Know leading companies for HCI adoption. Contents 1. Introduction to HCI in B2B Markets 2. Evaluating HCI Readiness for B2B Organizations 2.1. Identifying Business Use Cases for HCI Implementation 2.2. Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration 3. Building an Effective HCI Implementation Plan 3.1. Implementation of Managed Service Providers 4. Aligning HCI Strategy with Business Objectives 4.1. Integration and Compatibility with Existing Systems 4.2. HCI and Cloud Integration: Hybrid and Multi-Cloud for HCI 5. Top HCI Companies to Improve Cloud Management & Data Security Solutions 5.1. Virtual Tech Gurus 5.2. CTC Global 5.3. Winslow Technology Group 5.4. Internetwork Engineering 5.5. Eastern Computer Exchange 6. Maximizing Business Value through HCI in B2B Markets 1. Introduction to HCI in B2B Markets HCI, a software-defined solution that organizes and abstracts networking, CPU, memory, and storage devices as resource pools, utilizing commodity x86-based hardware and virtualization software, enables the administrator to combine and provision these resources as virtual machines and independent storage resources such as network-attached storage (NAS) filers and object stores. Organizations face numerous infrastructure difficulties. They frequently receive urgent demands from the business to keep their organization agile and proactive while implementing new digital transformation initiatives. For many organizations, a cloud-only IT strategy is not a viable option; as a result, there is a growing interest in hybrid scenarios that offer the best of both realms. Hyperconvergence makes administration much easier, enabling management of all aspects of infrastructure from one place while reducing complexity by removing compatibility problems between multiple vendors. AllHyperconvergedInfrastructure offerings serve as the foundation for on-premises infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) by unifying and integrating computing and storage as fundamental HCI technology infrastructure services. The global Hyper-Converged Infrastructure market size was valued at USD 4805.24 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 26.53% during the forecast period, reaching USD 19719.08 million by 2028. 2. Evaluating HCI Readiness for B2B Organizations 2.1. Identifying Business Use Cases for HCI Implementation Software-Defined Data Center: Businesses face challenges due to surging market costs, increased competition, and the need for improved business agility. Scaling data centers and managing the addition of new resources pose a concern for an efficient workforce and time consumption. HCI is a key component of the Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) strategy for centralizing business operations. SDDC abstracts hardware resources, enables policy-driven automation for resource allocation, and manages data resulting in an agile, pooled, automated data center environment. High-Performance Computing: As technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and three-dimensional imaging advance, the size and quantity of data that organizations must manage grow exponentially. Here, High-Performance Computing (HPC) comes into play, which employs clusters of powerful processors operating in parallel to process massive multidimensional datasets (big data) and solve intricate complexities at extremely high rates. It is fueled not only by rising demands but also by the prevalence of RDMA networking with reduced latency and higher throughput, as well as the widespread availability of public and private cloud HPCaaS. Software-Defined Networking Integration: Business requirements require quick responses from enterprises and service providers to improve network control. Like storage, software-defined networking (SDN) virtualizes networking functions within a hyperconverged infrastructure. It creates a centrally managed and programmable network by separating network forwarding functions from network control functions. It allows for the centralized administration of networking devices and facilitates the automation of network devices and evaluating HCI solutions for business-specific needs. 2.2. Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration A modern hyper converged data center supports growing workloads while keeping a check on capital and operating expenses. This paves the way for a simplified transition to a hybrid cloud that allows for scalable performance, streamlined administration, and enhanced orchestration. It delivers rapid deployment, orchestration, management, and monitoring of containerized environments, allowing focus on running businesses instead of infrastructure. This functionality enables IT departments to find a middle ground between empowering developers to choose their own containerized infrastructure and meeting the demands of service-level agreements in terms of reliability and availability. The secure integration and smarter work are done through the use of open, extensible features that interface seamlessly with third-party platforms and applications to automate lifecycle operations and enable consistency and governance. It allows teams to intelligently visualize, optimize, and orchestrate the entire infrastructure and set of apps. 3. Building an Effective HCI Implementation Plan 3.1. Implementation of Managed Service Providers Typically, the implementation ofmanaged service providers(MSPs) takes about 90-120 days, depending on the readiness of the organizations. Meet the core subject matter experts in procurement to perform an organizational analysis and assessment. Document current-state processes and policies helping identify the ROI for organizations. Conduct an in-depth organizational assessment to capture operational and cultural requirements, adjusting the core implementation methodology. Perform testing, configuration, and system design. Carry out build & unit testing and user acceptance testing. 4. Aligning HCI Strategy with Business Objectives 4.1. Integration and Compatibility with Existing Systems Business applications and specific technologies, including third-party services and service-level contracts, require HCI. Businesses use cloud-based ERP and CRM applications. Before choosing an HCI solution, decision-makers should consider if the hyperconverged infrastructure supports business application back-end systems. Containers and other workload-supporting technologies are equally significant. Multiple cloud services power businesses. Even if they run their cloud systems, they may use third-party disaster recovery or identity and access management (IAM) services. Decision-makers must ensure that the chosen HCI can integrate with these other services without extra steps. 4.2. HCI and Cloud Integration: Hybrid and Multi-Cloud for Hyperconverged Infrastructure According toNutanix, 91% of IT decision-makers who consider hybrid cloud the ideal IT model for organizations. Hybrid cloud is prevalent for comparable reasons. This architecture provides a comprehensive range of public and private cloud-based computing, storage, and services. Many organizations are discovering that integrating these technology trends can yield substantial benefits. By implementing HCI for their hybrid clouds, businesses are better equipped to address a variety of IT challenges, such as distributed workforces resulting in distributed data. As businesses increasingly adopt multi-cloud strategies, utilizing multiple public cloud services with private cloud or on-premises infrastructure becomes increasingly crucial. HCI simplifies multi-cloud management by reducing the difficulty of tracking resources, managing security, and optimizing performance across various cloud environments. To assure compatibility between the HCI platform and different cloud services, network connectivity and data transit speeds management is required, which affects the performance and efficacy of a multi-cloud configuration. Hyperconverged infrastructure and cloud computing complement one another to provide a flexible, efficient, and scalable IT infrastructure that can adapt to the ever-changing requirements of businesses. Educating employees about hyperconverged technology, throughHCI certifications and courses,will empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively deploy, manage, and optimize hyperconverged infrastructure, leading to enhanced operational efficiency, streamlined IT management, and the ability to harness the full potential. By comprehending the relationship between HCI and cloud computing, businesses make more informed IT strategy decisions and capitalize on the benefits of both approaches. 5. Top HCI Companies to Improve Cloud Management & Data Security Solutions 5.1. Virtual Tech Gurus Virtual Tech Gurus (VTG), specializes in delivering Hybrid Solutions that seamlessly integrate the advantages of hyperconverged data center and public cloud technologies. It offers various insights, from data center inventory and discovery to user access auditing, cyber and business resiliency assessments, chargeback insights, capacity reporting, and cyber-configuration auditing. Its Cyber-Resolutions services are designed to encompass prevention auditing, response services related to user risks, cyber resiliency assessments, monitoring, and comprehensive incident response. This offers flexible, cost-effective services that translate into tangible business value for customers. VTG bolsters business performance in critical growth-oriented areas by providing consulting and project services across cloud services, data center migration, cloud migration, infrastructure assessment, and staffing. By elevating infrastructure performance, VTG achieves the twin goals of cost reduction and heightened availability, ultimately facilitating the swifter deployment of new services. 5.2. CTC Global CTC Global, a prominent conglomerate, is a pivotal player in the HCI technology landscape. In the current era, enterprises embrace the choice of on-premise cloud networking resources to construct private cloud networks or opt for cloud-based networking resources for hybrid clouds. These cloud networking resources encompass virtual routers, virtual firewalls, HCI network monitoring, and management software, among other tools and functions readily accessible as needed. Its services include orchestrating a targeted response to cyberattacks to curtail their impact on business operations, Establishing an efficient third-party governance program to safeguard against ecosystem-related risks that could undermine business performance, Addressing the intricate digital risk management challenges a dynamic, distributed, and diverse workforce poses, equipping businesses with the knowledge to embed resilience into their day-to-day operations ensures smooth adaptation to the increasingly digital sphere. 5.3. Winslow Technology Group Winslow Technology Group (WTG), a prominent leader in IT solutions offers managed services and cybersecurity services since 2003, consistently delivering exceptional business outcomes to its customers. WTG is committed to facilitating innovation and transformation for its clients' businesses by harnessing the advantages of data center solutions, digital workspace solutions, networking, and cloud infrastructure solutions. WTG serves a broad spectrum of clients, from medium-sized enterprises to Fortune 50 corporations, across diverse market segments, including the public sector, finance, healthcare, insurance, education, manufacturing, and technology. Data center advantages include reduced downtime enhanced security increased efficiency, optimized performance, automation of data centers and downtime & security management. 5.4. Internetwork Engineering Internetwork Engineering (IE) fosters meaningful interactions by connecting individuals to its customers, colleagues, suppliers, patients, citizens, and students. IE is a strategic solution provider catering to mid-market and enterprise clients. Its comprehensive services span consulting, implementation, and operational services, enveloping four validated architectures: collaboration, data centers, intelligent networks, and security. Advancing data protection strategy in the modern landscape encompasses more than mere security and recovery, it extends to data availability, access privileges, and data center considerations. Data protection figures prominently in evaluating storage, backup solutions, network design, and security controls. IE addresses this essential facet with various solutions to ensure seamless business operations such as meeting backup and recovery goals, navigating data center breaches, cyber-attacks, and DDoS attacks, facilitating data replication to remote or cloud data centers, and more. 5.5. Eastern Computer Exchange Eastern Computer Exchange (ECEI), a technology company, boasts an impressive legacy of three decades in the industry. ECEI offers holistic technology solutions, encompassing migrations, consolidations, cloud integrations, and global desktop rollouts. ECEI's specialty solutions encompass a broad spectrum, including private/public/hybrid cloud strategy and implementation, operations managed services, cloud management platform implementation, DevOps strategies with container management and orchestration solutions, hyper-converged infrastructure solutions, and end-user compute modernization solutions. The crucial interplay between network and security is the foundation of ECEI's offerings. Recognizing the inadequacy of traditional detection and blocking defenses, ECEI aligns with the zero trust network architecture (ZTNA) trend, offering valuable expertise for evaluating and orchestrating the migration to ZTNA. 6. Maximizing Business Value through HCI in B2B Markets Hyper-converged infrastructure has emerged as a potent solution that holds the potential to enhance business value. It brings inherent data protection and disaster recovery features, assuring business continuity and upholding the critical trust of B2B partners. Security and compliance are prioritized through integrated measures that safeguard data integrity and adhere to industry regulations. This technology also empowers business agility. Swift deployment and flexibility enable rapid responses to market shifts, thereby boosting hyperconverged market sizes, ensuring B2B enterprises seize emerging opportunities and adapt to evolving customer preferences. By optimizing operations, hyperconverged infrastructure frees up resources that can be allocated to a customer-centric focus, nurturing stronger and more responsive client relationships. As we peer into the future, the trajectory of HCI's influence reveals promising trends and a wide-ranging scope poised to redefine how businesses extract value within B2B environments. One of the prominent trends on the horizon is the deepening integration of HCI architectures into diverse business ecosystems. Furthermore, the burgeoning scope of HCI extends beyond conventional data center management. The forthcoming years are anticipated to witness an increased convergence of HCI with cloud technologies, resulting in a hybridized infrastructure model. Moreover, the integration of HCI aligns harmoniously with the ascent of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. The seamless connectivity and resource optimization offered by HCI are poised to drive transformative shifts in industrial automation, supply chain management, and predictive maintenance, ultimately nurturing enhanced productivity and innovation within B2B sectors.

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Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, Windows Systems and Network

Choosing the Right Tools for Hyper-Converged Management and Orchestration

Article | July 11, 2023

Rapid IT infrastructure scaling is always challenging. In March 2020, the coronavirus caused a surge in remote workers as organizations switched overwhelmingly to work-from-home policies. Scaling IT infrastructure to support this sudden shift proved to be a struggle for IT teams, resulting in a migration to cloud-based applications and solutions, a rush on hardware that can support a remote environment, and challenges scaling VPNs to support remote worker security. Here are some of the insights and lessons learned from IT professionals.

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Application Infrastructure

A Look at Trends in IT infrastructure and Operations for 2022

Article | May 9, 2022

We’re all hoping that 2022 will finally end the unprecedented challenges brought by the global pandemic and things will return to a new normalcy. For IT infrastructure and operations organizations, the rising trends that we are seeing today will likely continue, but there are still a few areas that will need special attention from IT leaders over the next 12 to 18 months. In no particular order, they include: The New Edge Edge computing is now at the forefront. Two primary factors that make it business-critical are the increased prevalence of remote and hybrid workplace models where employees will continue working remotely, either from home or a branch office, resulting in an increased adoption of cloud-based businesses and communications services. With the rising focus on remote and hybrid workplace cultures, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet have continued to expand their solutions and add new features. As people start moving back to office, they are likely to want the same experience they had from home. In a typical enterprise setup, branch office traffic is usually backhauled all the way to the data center. This architecture severely impacts the user experience, so enterprises will have to review their network architectures and come up with a roadmap to accommodate local egress between branch offices and headquarters. That’s where the edge can help, bringing it closer to the workforce. This also brings an opportunity to optimize costs by migrating from some of the expensive multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) or private circuits to relatively low-cost direct internet circuits, which is being addressed by the new secure access service edge (SASE) architecture that is being offered by many established vendors. I anticipate some components of SASE, specifically those related to software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), local egress, and virtual private network (VPN), will drive a lot of conversation this year. Holistic Cloud Strategy Cloud adoption will continue to grow, and along with software as a service (SaaS), there will be renewed interest in infrastructure as a service (IaaS), albeit for specific workloads. For a medium-to-large-sized enterprise with a substantial development environment, it will still be cost-prohibitive to move everything to the cloud, so any cloud strategy would need to be holistic and forward-looking to maximize its business value. Another pandemic-induced shift is from using virtual machines (VMs) as a consumption unit of compute to containers as a consumption unit of software. For on-premises or private cloud deployment architectures that require sustainable management, organizations will have to orchestrate containers and deploy efficient container security and management tools. Automation Now that cloud adoption, migration, and edge computing architectures are becoming more prevalent, the legacy methods of infrastructure provisioning and management will not be scalable. By increasing infrastructure automation, enterprises can optimize costs and be more flexible and efficient—but only if they are successful at developing new skills. To achieve the goal of “infrastructure as a code” will require a shift in the perspective on infrastructure automation to one that focuses on developing and sustaining skills and roles that improve efficiency and agility across on-premises, cloud, and edge infrastructures. Defining the roles of designers and architects to support automation is essential to ensure that automation works as expected, avoids significant errors, and complements other technologies. AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations) Alongside complementing automation trends, the implementation of AIOps to effectively automate IT operations processes such as event correlation, anomaly detection, and causality determination will also be important. AIOps will eliminate the data silos in IT by bringing all types of data under one roof so it can be used to execute machine learning (ML)-based methods to develop insights for responsive enhancements and corrections. AIOps can also help with probable cause analytics by focusing on the most likely source of a problem. The concept of site reliability engineering (SRE) is being increasingly adopted by SaaS providers and will gain importance in enterprise IT environments due to the trends listed above. AIOps is a key component that will enable site reliability engineers (SREs) to respond more quickly—and even proactively—by resolving issues without manual intervention. These focus areas are by no means an exhaustive list. There are a variety of trends that will be more prevalent in specific industry areas, but a common theme in the post-pandemic era is going to be superior delivery of IT services. That’s also at the heart of the Autonomous Digital Enterprise, a forward-focused business framework designed to help companies make technology investments for the future.

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dxFeed Launches Market Data IaaS Project for Tradu, Assumes Infrastructure and Data Provision Responsibilities

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

dxFeed, a global leader in data solutions and index management for the financial industry, announces the launch of an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) project for Tradu, an advanced multi-asset trading platform catering to active traders and investors. In this venture, dxFeed manages the crucial aspects of infrastructure and data provision for Tradu. As an award-winning IaaS provider (the Best Infrastructure Provider by the Sell-Side Technology Awards 2023), dxFeed is poised to address all technical challenges related to market data delivery to hundreds of thousands of end users, allowing Tradu to focus on its core business objectives. Users worldwide can seamlessly connect to Tradu's platform, receiving authorization tokens for access to high-quality market data from the EU, US, Hong Kong, and Australian Exchanges. This approach eliminates the complexities and bottlenecks associated with building, maintaining, and scaling the infrastructure required for such extensive global data access. dxFeed's scalable low latency infrastructure ensures the delivery of consolidated and top-notch market data from diverse sources to the clients located in Asia, Americas and Europe. With the ability to rapidly reconfigure and accommodate the growing performance demands, dxFeed is equipped to serve hundreds of thousands of concurrent clients, with the potential to scale the solution even further in order to meet the constantly growing demand, at the same time providing a seamless and reliable experience. One of the highlights of this collaboration is the introduction of brand-new data feed services exclusively for Tradu's Stocks platform. This proprietary solution enhances Tradu's offerings and demonstrates dxFeed's commitment to delivering tailored and innovative solutions. Tradu also benefits from dxFeed's Stocks Radar—a comprehensive technical and fundamental market analysis solution. This Software as a Service (SaaS) seamlessly integrates with infrastructure, offering added value to traders and investors by simplifying complex analytical tasks. Moreover, Tradu leverages the advantages of dxFeed's composite feed (the winner at The Technical Analyst Awards). This accolade reinforces dxFeed's commitment to delivering excellence in data provision, further solidifying Tradu's position as a global leader in online foreign exchange. "When we were thinking of our new sophisticated multi-asset trading platform for the active trader and investors we met with the necessity of expanding instrument and user numbers. We realized we needed a highly competent, professional team to deploy the infrastructure, taking into account the peculiarities of our processes and services," said Brendan Callan, CEO of Tradu. "On the one hand, it allows our clients to receive quality consolidating data from multiple sources. On the other hand, as a leading global provider of online foreign exchange, we can dispose of dxFeed's geo-scalable infrastructure and perform rapid reconfiguration to meet growing performance demands to provide data to hundreds of thousands of our clients around the globe." "The range of businesses finding the Market Data IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) model appealing continues to expand. This approach is gaining traction among various enterprises, from agile startups seeking rapid development to established, prominent brands acknowledging the strategic benefits of delegating market data infrastructure to specialized firms," said Oleg Solodukhin, CEO of dxFeed. By taking on the responsibilities of infrastructure and data provision, dxFeed empowers Tradu to focus on innovation and client satisfaction, setting the stage for a transformative journey in the dynamic world of financial trading. About dxFeed dxFeed is a leading market data and services provider and calculation agent for the capital markets industry. According to the WatersTechnology 2022 IMD & IRD awards honors, it's the "Most Innovative Market Data Project." dxFeed focuses primarily on delivering financial information and services to buy- and sell-side institutions in global markets, both traditional and crypto. That includes brokerages, prop traders, exchanges, individuals (traders, quants, and portfolio managers), and academia (educational institutions and researchers). Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Contact dxFeed: pr@dxfeed.com About Tradu Tradu is headquartered in London with offices around the world. The global Tradu team speaks more than two dozen languages and prides itself on its responsive and helpful client support. Stratos also operates FXCM, an FX and CFD platform founded in 1999. Stratos will continue to offer FXCM services alongside Tradu's multi-asset platform.

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ICANN ANNOUNCES GRANT PROGRAM TO SPUR INNOVATION

PR Newswire | January 16, 2024

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit organization that coordinates the Domain Name System (DNS), announced today the ICANN Grant Program, which will make millions of dollars in funding available to develop projects that support the growth of a single, open and globally interoperable Internet. ICANN is opening an application cycle for the first $10 million in grants in March 2024. Internet connectivity continues to increase worldwide, particularly in developing countries. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an estimated 5.3 billion of the world's population use the Internet as of 2022, a growth rate of 6.1% over 2021. The Grant Program will support this next phase of global Internet growth by fostering an inclusive and transparent approach to developing stable, secure Internet infrastructure solutions that support the Internet's unique identifier systems. "With the rapid evolution of emerging technologies, businesses and security models, it is critical that the Internet's unique identifier systems continue to evolve," said Sally Costerton, Interim President and CEO, ICANN. "The ICANN Grant Program offers a new avenue to further those efforts by investing in projects that are committed to and support ICANN's vision of a single, open and globally interoperable Internet that fosters inclusion amongst a broad, global community of users." ICANN expects to begin accepting grant applications on 25 March 2024. The application window will remain open until 24 May 2024. A complete list of eligibility criteria can be found at: https://icann.org/grant-program. Once the application window closes, all applications are subject to admissibility and eligibility checks. An Independent Application Assessment Panel will review admissible and eligible applications and the tentative timeline to announce the grantees of the first cycle is in January of 2025. Potential applicants will have several opportunities to learn more about the Call for Proposals and ask ICANN Grant Program staff members questions through question-and-answer webinar sessions in the coming months. For more information on the program, including eligibility and submission requirements, the ICANN Grant Program Applicant Guide is available at https://icann.org/grant-program. About ICANN ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secured and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world.

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Legrand Acquires Data Center, Branch, and Edge Management Infrastructure Market Leader ZPE Systems, Inc.

Legrand | January 15, 2024

Legrand, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures, including data center solutions, has announced its acquisition is complete of ZPE Systems, Inc., a Fremont, California-based company that offers critical solutions and services to deliver resilience and security for customers' business critical infrastructure. This includes serial console servers, sensors, and services routers that enable remote access and management of network IT equipment from data centers to the edge. The acquisition brings together ZPE's secure and open management infrastructure and services delivery platform for data center, branch, and edge environments to Legrand's comprehensive data center solutions of overhead busway, custom cabinets, intelligent PDUs, KVM switches, and advanced fiber solutions. ZPE Systems will become a business unit of Legrand's Data, Power, and Control (DPC) Division. Arnaldo Zimmermann will continue to serve as Vice President and General Manager of ZPE Systems, reporting to Brian DiBella, President of Legrand's DPC Division. "ZPE Systems leads the fast growing and profitable data center and edge management infrastructure market. This acquisition allows Legrand to enter a promising new segment whose strong growth is expected to accelerate further with the development of artificial intelligence and associated needs," said John Selldorff, President and CEO, Legrand, North and Central America. "Edge computing, AI and operational technology will require more complex data centers and edge infrastructure with intelligent IT needs to be built in disparate remote geographies. This makes remote management and operation a critical requirement. ZPE Systems is well positioned to address this need through high performance automation infrastructure solutions, which are complementary to our current data center offerings." "By joining forces with Legrand, ZPE Systems is advancing our leadership position in management infrastructure and propelling our technology and solutions to further support existing and new market opportunities," said Zimmermann. About Legrand and Legrand, North and Central America Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. The Group harnesses technological and societal trends with lasting impacts on buildings with the purpose of improving lives by transforming the spaces where people live, work, and meet with electrical, digital infrastructures and connected solutions that are simple, innovative, and sustainable. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing its strategy of profitable and responsible growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings—including products with enhanced value in use (faster expanding segments: data centers, connected offerings and energy efficiency programs). Legrand reported sales of €8.0 billion in 2022. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is notably a component stock of the CAC 40 and CAC 40 ESG indexes.

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Application Infrastructure

dxFeed Launches Market Data IaaS Project for Tradu, Assumes Infrastructure and Data Provision Responsibilities

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

dxFeed, a global leader in data solutions and index management for the financial industry, announces the launch of an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) project for Tradu, an advanced multi-asset trading platform catering to active traders and investors. In this venture, dxFeed manages the crucial aspects of infrastructure and data provision for Tradu. As an award-winning IaaS provider (the Best Infrastructure Provider by the Sell-Side Technology Awards 2023), dxFeed is poised to address all technical challenges related to market data delivery to hundreds of thousands of end users, allowing Tradu to focus on its core business objectives. Users worldwide can seamlessly connect to Tradu's platform, receiving authorization tokens for access to high-quality market data from the EU, US, Hong Kong, and Australian Exchanges. This approach eliminates the complexities and bottlenecks associated with building, maintaining, and scaling the infrastructure required for such extensive global data access. dxFeed's scalable low latency infrastructure ensures the delivery of consolidated and top-notch market data from diverse sources to the clients located in Asia, Americas and Europe. With the ability to rapidly reconfigure and accommodate the growing performance demands, dxFeed is equipped to serve hundreds of thousands of concurrent clients, with the potential to scale the solution even further in order to meet the constantly growing demand, at the same time providing a seamless and reliable experience. One of the highlights of this collaboration is the introduction of brand-new data feed services exclusively for Tradu's Stocks platform. This proprietary solution enhances Tradu's offerings and demonstrates dxFeed's commitment to delivering tailored and innovative solutions. Tradu also benefits from dxFeed's Stocks Radar—a comprehensive technical and fundamental market analysis solution. This Software as a Service (SaaS) seamlessly integrates with infrastructure, offering added value to traders and investors by simplifying complex analytical tasks. Moreover, Tradu leverages the advantages of dxFeed's composite feed (the winner at The Technical Analyst Awards). This accolade reinforces dxFeed's commitment to delivering excellence in data provision, further solidifying Tradu's position as a global leader in online foreign exchange. "When we were thinking of our new sophisticated multi-asset trading platform for the active trader and investors we met with the necessity of expanding instrument and user numbers. We realized we needed a highly competent, professional team to deploy the infrastructure, taking into account the peculiarities of our processes and services," said Brendan Callan, CEO of Tradu. "On the one hand, it allows our clients to receive quality consolidating data from multiple sources. On the other hand, as a leading global provider of online foreign exchange, we can dispose of dxFeed's geo-scalable infrastructure and perform rapid reconfiguration to meet growing performance demands to provide data to hundreds of thousands of our clients around the globe." "The range of businesses finding the Market Data IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) model appealing continues to expand. This approach is gaining traction among various enterprises, from agile startups seeking rapid development to established, prominent brands acknowledging the strategic benefits of delegating market data infrastructure to specialized firms," said Oleg Solodukhin, CEO of dxFeed. By taking on the responsibilities of infrastructure and data provision, dxFeed empowers Tradu to focus on innovation and client satisfaction, setting the stage for a transformative journey in the dynamic world of financial trading. About dxFeed dxFeed is a leading market data and services provider and calculation agent for the capital markets industry. According to the WatersTechnology 2022 IMD & IRD awards honors, it's the "Most Innovative Market Data Project." dxFeed focuses primarily on delivering financial information and services to buy- and sell-side institutions in global markets, both traditional and crypto. That includes brokerages, prop traders, exchanges, individuals (traders, quants, and portfolio managers), and academia (educational institutions and researchers). Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Contact dxFeed: pr@dxfeed.com About Tradu Tradu is headquartered in London with offices around the world. The global Tradu team speaks more than two dozen languages and prides itself on its responsive and helpful client support. Stratos also operates FXCM, an FX and CFD platform founded in 1999. Stratos will continue to offer FXCM services alongside Tradu's multi-asset platform.

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IT Systems Management

ICANN ANNOUNCES GRANT PROGRAM TO SPUR INNOVATION

PR Newswire | January 16, 2024

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit organization that coordinates the Domain Name System (DNS), announced today the ICANN Grant Program, which will make millions of dollars in funding available to develop projects that support the growth of a single, open and globally interoperable Internet. ICANN is opening an application cycle for the first $10 million in grants in March 2024. Internet connectivity continues to increase worldwide, particularly in developing countries. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an estimated 5.3 billion of the world's population use the Internet as of 2022, a growth rate of 6.1% over 2021. The Grant Program will support this next phase of global Internet growth by fostering an inclusive and transparent approach to developing stable, secure Internet infrastructure solutions that support the Internet's unique identifier systems. "With the rapid evolution of emerging technologies, businesses and security models, it is critical that the Internet's unique identifier systems continue to evolve," said Sally Costerton, Interim President and CEO, ICANN. "The ICANN Grant Program offers a new avenue to further those efforts by investing in projects that are committed to and support ICANN's vision of a single, open and globally interoperable Internet that fosters inclusion amongst a broad, global community of users." ICANN expects to begin accepting grant applications on 25 March 2024. The application window will remain open until 24 May 2024. A complete list of eligibility criteria can be found at: https://icann.org/grant-program. Once the application window closes, all applications are subject to admissibility and eligibility checks. An Independent Application Assessment Panel will review admissible and eligible applications and the tentative timeline to announce the grantees of the first cycle is in January of 2025. Potential applicants will have several opportunities to learn more about the Call for Proposals and ask ICANN Grant Program staff members questions through question-and-answer webinar sessions in the coming months. For more information on the program, including eligibility and submission requirements, the ICANN Grant Program Applicant Guide is available at https://icann.org/grant-program. About ICANN ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secured and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world.

Read More

Application Infrastructure

Legrand Acquires Data Center, Branch, and Edge Management Infrastructure Market Leader ZPE Systems, Inc.

Legrand | January 15, 2024

Legrand, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures, including data center solutions, has announced its acquisition is complete of ZPE Systems, Inc., a Fremont, California-based company that offers critical solutions and services to deliver resilience and security for customers' business critical infrastructure. This includes serial console servers, sensors, and services routers that enable remote access and management of network IT equipment from data centers to the edge. The acquisition brings together ZPE's secure and open management infrastructure and services delivery platform for data center, branch, and edge environments to Legrand's comprehensive data center solutions of overhead busway, custom cabinets, intelligent PDUs, KVM switches, and advanced fiber solutions. ZPE Systems will become a business unit of Legrand's Data, Power, and Control (DPC) Division. Arnaldo Zimmermann will continue to serve as Vice President and General Manager of ZPE Systems, reporting to Brian DiBella, President of Legrand's DPC Division. "ZPE Systems leads the fast growing and profitable data center and edge management infrastructure market. This acquisition allows Legrand to enter a promising new segment whose strong growth is expected to accelerate further with the development of artificial intelligence and associated needs," said John Selldorff, President and CEO, Legrand, North and Central America. "Edge computing, AI and operational technology will require more complex data centers and edge infrastructure with intelligent IT needs to be built in disparate remote geographies. This makes remote management and operation a critical requirement. ZPE Systems is well positioned to address this need through high performance automation infrastructure solutions, which are complementary to our current data center offerings." "By joining forces with Legrand, ZPE Systems is advancing our leadership position in management infrastructure and propelling our technology and solutions to further support existing and new market opportunities," said Zimmermann. About Legrand and Legrand, North and Central America Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. The Group harnesses technological and societal trends with lasting impacts on buildings with the purpose of improving lives by transforming the spaces where people live, work, and meet with electrical, digital infrastructures and connected solutions that are simple, innovative, and sustainable. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing its strategy of profitable and responsible growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings—including products with enhanced value in use (faster expanding segments: data centers, connected offerings and energy efficiency programs). Legrand reported sales of €8.0 billion in 2022. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is notably a component stock of the CAC 40 and CAC 40 ESG indexes.

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