Nicira, the not-so-stealthy startup working in the network virtualization space was “outed” Monday by the New York Times as a secret startup pursuing the next hot trend in computing. But the article overstated Nicira’s secretiveness and perhaps its role as network virtualization hits the mainstream. Read more »
Last quarter we highlighted the fast maturation of the Platform-as-a-Service and big data spaces. Those two trends only picked up speed during the third quarter of 2011. Joining them on the cusp of IT greatness, though, are the OpenStack project and flash storage. The former gathered serious validation from big-name companies, while the latter saw less funding than last quarter but a significant number of product launches. Of course, the third quarter wasn’t all lollipops and rose petals. We saw new computing technologies and delivery models such as tablets wreak havoc on both HP and Cisco, and there are concerns (aren’t there always?) about how the Internet will handle our increased use of streaming video and cloud computing. Unfortunately for HP and Cisco, the latter problem might be an easier fix than the strategic woes facing them. Additional companies mentioned in this report include CloudBees, Rackspace, Engine Yard and Joyent. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Cisco said its sales would grow by 5 to 7 percent through 2014, cutting its revenue growth in half, and signaling the end of its massive restructuring effort at an analyst day Tuesday. The move sent the stock up, but Cisco isn’t out of the woods. Read more »
Broadcom, a chipmaker known for wireless chips for cell phones and home networks, today said it will buy NetLogic, which provides silicon for networking gear. An emphasis on real-time data has pressured networking inside and outside the data center, and Broadcom wants to capitalize on that. Read more »
The buzz around OpenFlow is increasing with a few case studies out last month, some fundings and a new beta product from a vendor pushing a software-defined network controller. And now there’s a developing programming language for virtualized networks, called Frenetic. Read more »
VMware this morning announced VXLAN, the company’s attempt to allow virtual machines to span geographical data centers as part of the same LAN. Herrod said it will create “software-based networks that can be created on-demand, enabling enterprises to leverage capacity wherever it’s available.” Read more »
Embrane, which builds tools that will enable cloud providers to scale out networking services faster and with less complexity, has raised $18 million in second round funding. The networking sector is heating up as virtualization complicates communication between servers and data centers. Read more »
Web applications that are deployed in one or a few data centers can watch their bandwidth costs exceed their server and hosting costs as their applications scale up, according to a paper looking at what telecommunications companies can offer as cloud providers. Read more »
Dell’s stock took a dive this morning after it said it lowered its revenue estimates of the year citing weak consumer demand, but while it’s server business remained strong there’s no doubt that Michael Dell, the company’s CEO is navigating a fine line Read more »
The shift in networking and the hype around the OpenFlow protocol has led to a a lot of confusion and overinflation of what OpenFlow can do. To get a bit more grounded in reality, I spoke with NEC about what its customers are doing. Read more »
OpenFlow may be one of the hotter buzzwords these days, but getting past the exuberance and down to brass tacks can be difficult because the technology can be applied many places. It also sprouts up in new contexts as the ecosystem around the technology expands. Read more »
[OpenStack] looks not only like an open-source alternative to Amazon Web Services and VMware vCloud in the public Infrastructure as a Service space, but also a democratizing force in the private-cloud software space. As my colleague Derrick Harris suggests, the open-source cloud-computing project OpenStack has come a […] Read more »
On Wednesday Dell said it would buy networking-gear-maker company Force10 Networks. The move was expected since Dell’s rivals in the server space have tied up their networking equipment buys after Cisco launched servers that combined computing and networking in one box. Read more »
Intel has purchased an Ethernet silicon company in a move that mimics the industry trend toward viewing the data center as the computer as computing becomes more distributed. Intel said on Tuesday it would buy Fulcrum Microsystems, a venture-backed company that’s 11 years old. Read more »
According to Lou Modano, head of global infrastructure for NASDAQ OMX, there is “a lot of opportunity for new [hardware] players” to feed a ceaseless demand for ever lower latency in electronic trading systems. When you rely entirely on electronic trading, a faster system is key. Read more »
The efforts to convert corporations to the next-generation Internet addressing scheme are falling on deaf ears. According to Ovum, a mere 3 percent of web traffic is IPv6-enabled and enterprises either aren’t convinced of the need to switch, or think they already have. Read more »
Structure LaunchPad startup vCider disguises packets like I disguise zucchini in my four-year-old’s chocolate muffins. Except vCider does it to help companies bridge between different cloud providers while providing a bit less latency and more security that one would with a virtual router. Read more »
BigSwitch was one of 10 companies launching at our Structure 2011 conference last week, but it’s also riding a sea change in the networking world. I chatted briefly with BigSwitch cofounders to learn a bit more about its goals and opportunities. Read more »
Networking is about to change. It is inevitable that an open-source hardware architecture for the large chassis switch gets released, likely driven by a consortium of large customers. When combined with the external software control enabled by OpenFlow, this will really shake things up. Read more »
It’s updates all around for Apple’s full-sized routers, as the AirPort Extreme joins the Time Capsule with a new model number today. The AirPort Extreme and the Time Capsule both haven’t been updated since early 2009, so refreshed hardware isn’t really a surprise. But what’s changed? Read more »
Side projects can be businesses or just-for-fun efforts that we do in our nonworking hours. While there are some risks with taking side projects, I strongly believe that most of the time they benefit both the individual and the employer. Read more »
Most helpful folks are well-connected to a large network of people, but they don’t build this network by being selfish and difficult to work with. They’re usually generous and “pay it forward” in return for the help they’ve received from other people. Read more »
As countries like Iran and Syria step up their attempts to filter and even shut down access to the Internet, a new UNESCO report looks at the attempts by repressive governments around the world to censor and corral free speech on the Internet. Read more »
Cisco is having a rough time — announcing a restructuring, layoffs and lowering its revenue forecast — but the server market is a bright spot for the networking giant. Yesterday, Cisco said it’s set to hit a run rate of $900 million in its server business. Read more »
As Cisco revealed its somewhat opaque plans to restructure itself, two things became clear: Marthin De Beer will take on a new role and the company is continuing to bet big on its nebulous Medianet strategy. Read more »
Skype, the web’s telephone and video chat pioneer, has seen a lot since its inception eight years ago. But it’s real legacy is its people. The well-connected network of alums reads like a Silicon Valley who’s who. Read more »
BigSwitch Networks, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based network virtualization startup founded on the principles of the OpenFlow standard, has raised $13.75 million in a Series A financing, led by Index Ventures and Khosla Ventures. The company’s goal is to become the VMware of networking. Read more »
Cisco is in trouble. It screwed up, and John Chambers acknowledged as much in his memo to employees Monday, which was later published on the company’s blog. The company’s biggest problem is that it has strayed from its core competency, a focus on networking. Read more »
You can lock down your devices, but that doesn’t mean your network is safe. There are some features of Apple’s AirPort networking technology that, if used properly, provide ample security for most households. The process is time-consuming, but it could pay off in the long run. Read more »
Hardware rarely comes up in discussions about big data, save for those centered on data warehouse appliances. But the omission hardly means hardware is irrelevant. In fact, big gear might become a big deal as companies look to bolster the performance of their big data systems. Read more »
Microsoft paid $7.5 million for a block of IP addresses during the bankruptcy auction of Nortel Networks. Nortel’s assets included the block of 666,624 of the IPv4 addresses that ran out last month. Does this set a valuation for the emerging secondary market for such addresses? Read more »
This week, I’ll be attending SXSW; I’ve been thinking about ways to make sure that I get the most out of it. Here are my tips to make sure that you get as much value as possible for the time and expense associated with conference attendance. Read more »
Most web workers have probably heard that “the Internet is running out of addresses.” In response, The Internet Society, together with such major players as Facebook, has announced World IPv6 Day. What will this mean for web workers, businesses and individuals? Read more »
With computing figured out, the next frontier of innovation in cloud computing looks to be a t the network level. Today, for example, we see lots of competition for Akamai, AWS improving the upload process to overcome network reliability, and Extreme Networks winning VMware’s business. Read more »
Yet more evidence that the smart grid industry is facing pressure to get cheaper, and fast: Michigan utility Consumers Energy may be cutting $400 million from its $500 million smart grid spending plan over the next five years, reports Smart Grid Today. Read more »
If you’ve been following the data center hardware space for the past year, you might be under the impression that integrated stacks are the future of IT. After all, Oracle’s purchase of Sun Microsystems was all about integration, and HP and Cisco appear locked in a ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
VC investing in networking and communications has fallen out of favor, decreasing faster than VC investment in technology overall. Indeed, there just aren’t that many new ideas walking in the door. So can networking be made cool again. It can, and here’s why. Read more »
How many times have you returned from a conference only to file the materials and never look at them again? Attending the event is only half of the equation. The other half is what you do with the information after you return home. Read more »
In “The Power of Who: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know,” author Bob Beaudine attests that we already know everyone we need to know to succeed. I’m coming to believe that more and more the longer I’m in business. Read more »
Last week, I was somewhat bullied into playing the celebrity doppelganger game that’s making the rounds at Facebook right now. Actually, my friend merely made a suggestion about who I look like and encouraged me to change my profile photo, which is the whole point of the game. Read more »
