BT to Provide Private IP VPN to Microsoft Azure

BT and Microsoft announced a global agreement to provide secure cloud connectivity service.

The Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute service will enable customers to bypass the public Internet when connecting to Azure through a private connection based on BT’s IP Connect VPN service.

BT’s IP Connect VPN service, which is available in 198 countries and territories, integrates the Azure infrastructure directly with the wide area networks of customers. Customers will benefit from lower latency, more predictable performance and enhanced security for Azure workloads.

The service is due to go live in summer 2014 in Europe through direct network connectivity to Microsoft Azure data centres in Dublin and Amsterdam. This will be followed by connections in Asia, then by additional locations around the world.

Luis Alvarez, CEO, BT Global Services, said “IT departments everywhere face the same challenge; Cloud offers them the benefits of flexibility and lower costs, but security and reliability of access to data and applications remain main barriers to adoption. We will help customers build on their hybrid cloud strategies by bringing together BT's expertise and global network with the Azure platform. They will benefit from a globally consistent, more secure and reliable solution, helping them innovate and compete in the global market.”

Jean-Philippe Courtois, President, Microsoft International, said “Microsoft and BT have an established history of delivering cloud solutions that meet the evolving needs of business across many industries. Today’s announcement is yet another example of the two companies joining forces to help customers embrace cloud on their terms, by providing a more secure and reliable way to take advantage of the speed, flexibility and scale of hybrid solutions.”

http://www.btplc.com/news/articles/showarticle.cfm?articleid=%7b86201d68-95ed-4042-9a52-ac48ab068527%7d

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NTT Com Launches U.S. Cloud-based Virtual Desktop Service

NTT Communications announced the US-market launch of an Enterprise Virtual Desktop Infrastructure service based on XenDesktop by Citrix Systems.

The service, which runs on newly-built server infrastructure located in the United States, is aimed at globally active enterprises with a need "to protect information, standardize IT governance and integrate desktop environments with standardized cloud infrastructure rather than having to build desktop environments in each country. PC environments in overseas locations can now be constructed and managed from within the United States on an integrated basis.

NTT Com's Enterprise Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is linked to Arcstar Universal One, the company's global network service for enterprises.

Going forward, NTT Com plans to launch Enterprise Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platforms in other markets, including Europe and ex-Japan Asia, as well as enhance the customer portal with added functionality.

“Citrix is developing leading desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) provider programs and new technologies that partners use to differentiate their businesses,” said Mitch Parker, Vice President and General Manager, Citrix Cloud Services, Citrix Systems Inc. “Incorporation of XenDesktop in NTT Com’s Enterprise Virtual Desktop Infrastructure will enable U.S. companies to better satisfy their global computing needs. The combination of industry-leading desktop virtualization technology with U.S.-based cloud service platforms will ensure that customers worldwide can use desktop virtual environments safely on a highly flexible and expandable service platform.”

http://www.ntt.com/aboutus_e/news/data/20140410.html

Earlier this year, NTT Communications began offering U.S. and Europe-based platforms for Arcstar UCaaS, its globally seamless, cloud-based unified communications service for enterprises.

NTT Com's Arcstar UCaaS uses cloud-based infrastructure to assure low-latency, highly redundant communication. It integrates VoIP phones, web and audio conferencing, instant messaging, presence and other collaboration tools in the cloud.

Arcstar UCaaS combines the expertise and experience of NTT Com and group companies including Arkadin in fields such as applications, cloud infrastructure and networks.

http://www.ntt.com/aboutus_e/news/data/20140203.html

In 2013, NTT Communications agreed to acquire the majority stake in Arkadin, which delivers SaaS conference-related solutions covering audio, web, video conferencing and unified communications services.

Arkadin, which was launched in 2001 by CEO, Olivier de Puymorin, serves approximately 37,000 customers in 32 countries, including France, Germany, the UK, USA, Australia, China, Singapore and Japan. The company was based in Paris.  Arkadin was backed by AXA Private Equity.

Arkadin offers unified communications based on Microsoft Lync, as well as Cisco Jabber combined with WebEx. Services are delivered in the cloud.  Arkadin also offers Adobe Connect for audio/video/web conferencing and collaboration.

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AT&T Plans 1G Fiber Broadband in North Carolina

AT&T is in advanced discussions with the North Carolina Next Generation Network (NCNGN) about the possibility of rolling out fiber-based AT&T U-verse with GigaPower broadband service to parts of the Triangle and Piedmont Triad regions. The 100% fiber network deployment would deliver speeds up to 1 Gbps.  NCNGN is a regional initiative focused on stimulating the deployment of next generation networks to North Carolina.

The proposed plan outlines potential fiber deployments in the areas of Carrboro, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh and Winston-Salem where there is demand for ultra-fast broadband and local policies that support broadband network investment. The next step is for the governing bodies of these six NCNGN member communities to ratify the agreement.

The plan includes options for public Wi-Fi hotspots, free AT&T U-verse with GigaPower at up to 100 public sites and an all-fiber network connected to up to 100 business buildings. It also outlines a free 3 Mbps AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet offer available to 10 affordable housing complexes, up to 3,000 homes. These hotspots, public sites, buildings and apartment complexes will be across the six communities and identified by NCNGN. The plan would also bring AT&T U-verse to the residents and businesses of Durham for the first time.

http://www.att.com

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AWS Launches Memory-Optimized EC2 Instances (R3)

Amazon Web Services began offering high-memory performance R3 instances for applications that require instances with high memory footprint and high memory bandwidth. Netflix and MongoDB are customers.  The instances include the following features:

• Intel Xeon E5-2670 v2 "Ivy Bridge" Processors
• Hardware Virtualization (HVM) only
• SSD-backed instance storage, including TRIM support
• Enhanced 10 Gbps networking with lower latency, low jitter, and high packet-per-second performance.

http://aws.typepad.com/

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AWS Adds Cloud Cost Calculator

Amazon Web Services has added a Cost Explorer toolset for managing spending on its cloud services. Cost Explorer is integrated with the new AWS Billing Console launched in November, and features reporting, analytics, and visualization tools.  The calculator shows current month’s spend and automatically pre-populates the last 4 months of AWS spend, allowing users to visualize AWS costs and start analyzing trends and spending patterns.

http://aws.typepad.com/aws/2014/04/the-new-cost-explorer-for-aws.html

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CyrusOne Begins Construction of Northern Virginia Data Center

CyrusOne, which operates 25 carrier neutral data centers with over one million square feet of total capacity, began construction of a massive, new facility in the Dulles corridor of northern Virginia.

The first phase of construction of the enterprise-class, multi-tenant data center in the Loudoun Tech Center includes a 124,000-square-foot shell with up to 60,000 square feet of raised floor space, 15,000 square feet of office space, and 12 megawatts of critical load. CyrusOne expects the first phase of the new site to be completed in October.  The 14 acres that CyrusOne has purchased is expected to accommodate a shell of approximately 400,000 square feet at full build, with up to 240,000 square feet of raised floor space, 36,000 square feet of Class A office space, and up to 48 megawatts of critical load.

http://www.cyrusone.com/press-releases/pr_04082014.php

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ZTE Sees Larger Q1 Profit

ZTE expects its profit for 1Q2014 will at least double from the same period last year, reflecting the strengthening of core operations.  The company's newly issued guidance calls for net profit attributable to shareholders to be between RMB 425 million and RMB 637 million in the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of between 107.3% to 210.7%, according to ZTE’s preliminary results announcement filed to the Hong Kong stock exchange today. Basic earnings per share will be between RMB 0.12 and 0.19, compared to RMB 0.06 a year earlier, based on pre-audited financial data.

The company did not disclose its overall revenue or revenue trend.

http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/en/press_center/news/201404/t20140410_422325.html

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