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Akorri Announces BalancePoint Plug-In For VMware vCenter

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Akorri has announced the availability of the BalancePoint Plug-In for VMware vCenter — a new capability sold with its BalancePoint software solution that allows VMware administrators to use BalancePoint directly from their VMware vCenter console, simplifying the management of virtualized environments.

“The BalancePoint Plug-In for VMware vCenter provides ‘single pane of glass’ management of a virtualized data center from within the vCenter console,” said Jeff Boles, senior analyst with the Taneja Group. “BalancePoint complements the element management aspects of vCenter by providing end-to-end performance management for all virtual and physical infrastructure components. This type of detailed insight goes well beyond basic utilization monitoring, and is absolutely critical to companies when they virtualize business-critical production applications.”

“We are excited to further our integration through our new Plug-In capability,” said Tom Joyce, president and CEO of Akorri. “Our goal is to simplify the management of heterogeneous virtualized server and storage environments. By adding this Plug-In we have taken an important step towards providing a unified management experience, which is essential for our VMware customers.”

VirtualLogix Now Supports All ARM Multicore Platforms

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VirtualLogix today announced support for all multicore platforms based on the ARM11 MPCore and ARM Cortex-A9 multicore processors in addition to the ARM Cortex-A8 processor. In aligning itself with the latest hardware advances in multicore, VirtualLogix is simplifying the adoption of industry-standard processors while paving the way for virtualization in mobile devices.

Virtualization enables developers to combine different execution environments into single core or multicore platforms, separating hardware management from the application support functions of operating systems. When combined with the security, software design flexibility and cost savings of virtualization, ARM multicore processors can assist developers in shrinking their development costs and time, leveraging unlimited processing power and responding faster to new market requirements.

During today’s ARM European Technical Conference, VLX will demonstrate multiple operating systems including a standard T-Kernel real-time operating system (RTOS) and several instances of Linux. VirtualLogix VLX enables the ARM11 MPCore to securely support multiple, concurrent operating system environments by virtualizing the system so that each OS believes it has control of the full platform. As a result, no immediate changes to OS applications are required. VirtualLogix VLX’s support of the ARM Cortex-A8 and ARM Cortex-A9 processors enables VirtualLogix customers to better support design flexibility, power management and high-performance while maintaining low costs.

VirtualLogix VLX with ARM support is available now.

Paessler Upgrades PRTG Network Monitor 7.0.9

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Paessler today announced an upgrade to its PRTG Network Monitor 7.0.9 that is intended to help IT systems and network administrators and the enterprises they serve keep their eyes on the virtualization prize – literally.

Network monitoring delivers essential information for planning and testing of virtualized environments. Using a solution such as PRTG Network Monitor offers valuable clues to expected long time demands of different enterprise applications. Furthermore, long term trends allow forecasts of expected performance peaks – precondition for adequate resource planning.

”PRTG delivers a real time monitoring without gap for the bandwidths and availability of the network the virtual systems are run at,” said Paessler. “The so achieved transparency is an important precondition to assure maximum performance and availability of the network and thus the virtualized servers and applications.”

In case of failures and disturbance IT systems and network administrators can react immediately and clear problems. Via analysis of long term monitoring data, weak spots can be discovered and the general performance of the network can be improved.

Lenovo Introduces Secure Managed Client

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Lenovo today announced Secure Managed Client (SMC), a storage-based desktop computing solution that can dramatically help businesses reduce IT costs and security risks by turning off hard drives and storing all data in a non-server remote location – all while offering users the flexibility and performance of a traditional desktop PC.

The SMC solution consists of a client, a hard drive-less ThinkCentre desktop PC Intel vPro technology, a Lenovo co-developed software stack and a centralized Lenovo Storage Array, powered by Intel.

SMC offers several significant benefits over current server-based computing options such as blade PCs, thin clients or desktop virtualization, most notably:

  • Preserves PC fidelity – SMC gives the end user a full Windows experience
  • Avoids IT complexity – SMC works with and enhances current IT process and tools
  • Safe and flexible investment – An SMC ThinkCentre can easily be converted back to a traditional desktop PC by re-enabling the hard drives
  • Energy efficient – An SMC ThinkCentre uses less energy than a traditional desktop PC
  • Security – Information from all desktops in an SMC fleet is stored in a safe, single location, significantly reducing the threat of on-site theft of data

Lenovo estimates that large enterprise customers in North America typically spend about $120 a month to fully manage a PC. This expense takes into account such things as deskside IT visits, call center support, and management costs. Lenovo further estimates that using the SMC solution can potentially reduce this expense to as low as $70 per PC.

The SMC solution is currently being offered on the ThinkCentre M57p1 desktop PC, and can also be offered on the ThinkCentre M58p2 in early 2009. The recently launched M58p is the greenest, most secure and most manageable ThinkCentre desktop yet.

Moderro Debuts Xpack Internet Computer

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Moderro Technologies today announced the Xpack Internet Computer – a turnkey web-centric cloud computer.

The Xpack Internet Computer is an integrated (hardware, operating system and web management) solution for the cloud desktop. It features a clean and friendly user interface and operating system that was written by Moderro specifically for interacting with web-based applications.

This functionality, combined with simplicity, security, small footprint, energy efficiency, and backward compatibility, make the Moderro Xpack a perfect choice for “cloud-only” office or venue.

The Xpack desktop hardware includes a USB keyboard and mouse and a standard VESA mount option, which allows the hardware enclosure to be mounted to the back of the LCD display. Dual VGA/DVI output options coupled with dual monitor auto-detection, allows Xpack users to increase in productivity by using one display for monitoring, another for working.

Xpack’s energy consumption is a fraction of that of a regular computer with its advanced power-saving technology and software-driven power-management functions. The Xpack is also a solid state computer with no moving parts to ensure reliability especially when used as a public terminal or kiosk solution.

By using web applications, XPack users keep their data on Moderro’s integrated cloud storage, or on a personal USB storage device, which allows Moderro to get rid of local storage and make the system proof from viruses and other malware.

Enterprises are assured their migration to cloud computing will be seamless because the Moderro Xpack is compatible with popular desktop virtualization technologies such as ones from VMWare, Microsoft, and Citrix. This allows IT departments preserve their investment by making the Xpack compatible with existing investment while transitioning to all-cloud computing.

Communications capabilities include a WiFi Antenna and 100/1000 Ethernet port.

Moderro is targeting the Xpack Internet Computer for use in public terminals, kiosks and libraries, education and training facilities, as well as private and government offices ready to migrate to cloud computing. Xpack is available direct from Moderro. The Xpack has a starting price of $395.

Siemens IT Solutions and Services Deploys VMware Infrastructure 3

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VMware today announced that Siemens IT Solutions and Services has deployed VMware’s management and virtualization suite, VMware Infrastructure 3.

Siemens has joined with the VMware vCloud Initiative by developing a virtualized private cloud environment with VMware Infrastructure to provide capacity on demand for mission-critical applications. Siemens used the VMware platform to build out its cloud environment, improve server utilization from 20 percent to over 60 percent, and reduce hardware expenditures by approximately 70 percent compared to the cost of building a cloud environment without virtualization.

Siemens IT Solutions and Services, an operating company of Siemens Corporation, offers consulting services, systems integration, software development, and IT infrastructure management. The business unit has annual revenue of $7 billion. Siemens is using VMware Infrastructure to help both internal and external customers address significant business challenges, including the need for green IT, cost reduction, business innovation, more effective customer service, and faster time to market. The VMware platform also gives Siemens cost-effective and reliable disaster recovery and a resilient application environment that enables delivery of service availability up to 99.99 percent.