Google Cloud Builds Global Content Delivery Network Partnerships

Google announced collaborations with four of the industry’s leading content delivery network (CDN) providers: CloudFlare, Fastly, Highwinds, and Level 3 Communications.

The new CDN Interconnect program enables the customers of these CDN providers and the Google Cloud Platform to pay reduced prices for in-region Cloud Platform egress traffic (to approved CDN locations).

Google said this CDN Interconnect program will encourage the best practice of regularly distributing content originating from Cloud Platform out to the edge close to end-users. Google provides a private, high-performance link between Cloud Platform and the CDN providers, allowing content to travel a low-latency, reliable route from the Google data centers out to the end users. Google is recommending that publishers on the Google Cloud Platform to also use a CDN provider especially for heavy, frequently accessed content.

Google's network footprint currently extends to 70 PoPs in 33 countries.

Level 3 Content Delivery Network is in 90+ major metro cities globally.

CloudFlare posted the following explanation: 30 CloudFlare points of presence (PoPs) are directly connected to Google Cloud Platform’s infrastructure. When one of these CloudFlare PoPs requests content from a Google Cloud Platform origin, it’s routed through a high-performance interconnect instead of the public Internet. This dramatically reduces latency for origin requests, and it also enables discounted Google Cloud Platform egress pricing in the US, Europe and Asia regions.

As of May 1st, Fastly has nine points of presence (POPs) interconnected with Google: San Jose, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, Ashburn, Frankfurt, London, and Tokyo.

http://googlecloudplatform.blogspot.com/2015/09/push-google-cloud-origin-content-out-to-users.html
http://your.level3.com/GoogleCloudPlatformCDN

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Console Unveils its Cloud Direct Connect Platform

Console, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, introduced its platform for directly connecting enterprise networks to other networks or cloud services while bypassing the public Internet.

The Console software and interconnection platform provides a one-click, Layer 2 & 3 provisioning process to networks in its directory using Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs).  Enterprise customers would not need to know the ASN because Console's provisioning process takes care of that as well as the BGP routing between domains. Users simply click on the service or network they wish to connect to, Console auto-provisions the ASN and sets up the connection.

The company announced a number of strategic partners and customers, including Microsoft Azure, Zayo Group, SummitIG, Hurricane Electric, velocloud, and numerous data center operators. The company says its approach results in improved security, faster speeds, and lower latency compared with connecting over the public Internet.

“Historically, security, performance and complexity concerns have always been barriers to enterprise cloud deployment. By enabling direct interconnection with Azure, the Console platform expels this notion, allowing our users to securely and directly connect to Azure with a click of a button,” says Al Burgio, CEO of Console Inc. “Our revolutionary Console platform, combined with Microsoft’s powerful cloud offerings, enable enterprises to realize the tangible business benefits of the cloud faster and easier than ever before.”

“Our collaboration with Console will expand the number of enterprises able to directly access Microsoft Azure through Azure ExpressRoute,” says Ross Ortega, Principal Product Manager, Networking, Microsoft Azure. “With Console’s direct connections customers can quickly provision and access Microsoft cloud services with better predictability, privacy, and performance.”

“Hurricane Electric is excited to join both the Console platform and Data Center Partner Program. The Console platform provides customers the opportunity to simplify the way they directly connect to SaaS and cloud providers, including our leading global IPv6 backbone,” states Mike Leber, President of Hurricane Electric.

http://console.to/

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Paul Gampe: Console Uses ASN to Simplify Cloud Connect

Much like zip codes for the U.S. postal system, the Internet uses Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs).  Paul Gampe, CTO of Console Inc., explains the idea of automating of Layer 2 and Layer 3 connections so that enterprises no longer need to know about ASNs or BGP complexities when establishing a direct link to another enterprise or cloud service provider.

See 1-minute video:  https://youtu.be/aQbaSsOUfHM

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Al Burgio: Console Aims for Enterprise Cloud Enablement

Console is a new start-up that is really about cloud enablement, says Al Burgio.  It's focus is on eliminating the complexity of establishing direct connections from enterprise networks to cloud services. The company's newly launched service is positioned as Interconnect 2.0

See 1 minute video: https://youtu.be/Z2kOPDb-UTw


 

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Chef Raises $40 Million for DevOps Automation, Now Available via Azure

Chef, which offers DevOps automation tools, raised $40 million in Series E funding.

The funding round was led by DFJ Growth and included Millennium Technology Value Partners, as well as all existing investors: Battery Ventures, Citi Ventures, DFJ, Ignition Partners, and ScaleVP. Hewlett Packard Ventures also joined the round with a strategic investment. This new round will allow Chef to extend its leadership in the DevOps market by expanding Chef’s operations globally and accelerating product development amidst surging customer demand.

Chef cited strong growth in its annual recurring revenue.  The company says more than half of the Fortune 50 use its products and 80 percent of Chef’s revenue comes from enterprise businesses.

“This is an inflection point for Chef as a company. Our innovation is becoming the primary bridge between traditional IT and New IT in the enterprise,” said Barry Crist, CEO, Chef. “Today we enter a new era as the automation control plane for digital-first organizations everywhere, and this new capital will help us take DevOps mainstream.”

Separately, Chef announced availability of its tools in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Chef is already available in AWS and via HP.

https://www.chef.io

Chef was founded in 2008 and is based in Seattle.

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Jim McNiel on the New NetScout

Big advances in information technology are changing the game, says James P. McNiel, Chief Marketing Officer for NetScout. Everybody is talking about SDN, NFV and software-defined data centers.  The new NetScout combines the old NetScout Systems, Tektronix Communications, Arbor Networks, Fluke Networks and VSS -- the result is a pure-play company dedicated to network-based traffic.

See 2 minute video:  https://youtu.be/7OyNz7uRR1A

• In July 2015, NetScout Systems completed its acquisition of Danaher Corporation’s Communications Business. The deal was valued at $2.3 billion and involved the issuance of 62.5 million shares of NetScout common stock at $36.89 per share to Danaher’s shareholders. 

• The acquisition includes Tektronix Communications, Arbor Networks and parts of the Fluke Networks businesses, all of which were owned by Danaher Corp.  The deal was first announced in October 2014.

• Danaher’s Communications business generated revenue (unaudited) of approximately $836 million for the year ended December 31, 2013.  Danaher’s Communications business, which has over 2,000 employees worldwide, includes: 
  
  Tektronix Communications, based in Plano, Texas, which provides a comprehensive set of assurance, intelligence and test solutions and services support for a range of architectures and applications such as LTE, HSPA, 3G, IMS, mobile broadband, VoIP, video and triple play. Also included are VSS Monitoring and Newfield Wireless.
  Arbor Networks, based in Burlington, Massachusetts, which provides solutions that help secure the world’s largest enterprise and service provider networks from DDoS attacks and advanced threats.
  Fluke Networks, based in Everett, Washington, which delivers network monitoring solutions that speed the deployment and improve the performance of networks and applications. The data cabling tools business and carrier service provider (CSP) tools business within Fluke Networks are not included this transaction.
  NetScout also announced that it has secured a new five-year, $800 million senior secured revolving credit facility that replaces its previous revolving credit facility of $250 million.
  http://www.netscout.com
• Danaher acquired Tektronix in 2007 for $1.1 billion.
• Danaher acquired Arbor Networks in 2010

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Quantenna Announces 802.11ac 10G Wave 3

Quantenna Communications introduced the first 10G Wave 3 Wi-Fi products supporting up to 12 streams for rates up to 10 Gbps. The products are built on Quantenna’s True 8x8 QSR10G Wi-Fi platform with multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology for home wireless access points and residential gateways.

Quantenna said its 10G Wave 3 platform delivers the maximum capacity within the minimum spectrum so that more streams can be simultaneously transmitted with improved range and reliability. Even single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO), 1x1 and 2x2 client performance is vastly improved, ensuring that the millions of currently shipping mainstream smart phones, tablets and notebook PCs will also benefit from an improved Wi-Fi experience. The QSR10G Wave 3 product family also supports a unique adaptive MIMO architecture. This enables 10G Wave 3 access points to maximize overall network performance, delivering the best possible capacity across all client devices.

“In Wi-Fi access points more antennas are always better, but 10G Wave 3 is not just about 8x8 MU-MIMO and faster speeds. It’s about making better use of network and airtime efficiency to support the growing number of connected devices, services and applications,” said Dr. Sam Heidari, Quantenna CEO. “After pioneering the Wi-Fi industry with 4x4 MIMO, we’ve gained a deep understanding of real-world channel behavior in crowded environments. These insights have led to the creation of 10G Wave 3 and the world’s first 8x8 MIMO, which are poised to revolutionize the Wi-Fi experience.”

Key Wave 3 features:

• Integrated AP chipset for dual-band (5GHz and 2.4GHz), dual concurrent operation and management
• 160MHz channel support for 5GHz networks. When combined with 8x8 MIMO configuration, this offers 4x the capacity of 80MHz 4x4 MIMO networks
• Unique adaptive MIMO configuration
• Up to 1024 QAM modulation for 2.4GHz and 5GHz transmissions
• Supports rich set of interfaces to external hosts such as PCIe Gen3/Gen2, RXAUI, RGMII, and others

Sampling is underway.

http://www.quantenna.com

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Skyport Names Art Gilliland as CEO

Skyport Systems, a start-up offering "hyper-secured" servers, announced the appointment of Art Gilliland to the position of CEO.

Gilliland most recently served as senior vice president and general manager of enterprise security at Hewlett-Packard. Prior to that, he held a number of top management positions at Symantec, including senior vice president and general manager of the Information Security Group. He earlier served as vice president of products and marketing and director of business development at IMlogic, which was acquired by Symantec in 2006. Gilliland holds a BA in economics from Carleton College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

“Art’s extensive operating experience in the security industry, combined with his creative vision for Skyport and Skyport’s unique and powerful security offering make him a perfect fit as we move into this next phase of revenue growth and product development,” said Stefan Dyckerhoff, managing director at Sutter Hill Ventures, who served as interim CEO from the company’s inception until Gilliland’s appointment. “We are extremely pleased that he decided to join us, and we look forward to solving our customers’ most challenging infrastructure security problems.”

Skyport’s SkySecure solution is a cloud-managed secure server appliance for protecting an organization’s sensitive applications and infrastructure. It combines a hardened server platform with integrated security capabilities – a server that securely boots, detects and prevents malware and rootkits, wraps each application in a dedicated firewall, logs and records every transaction and is centrally managed to simplify operational complexity.

Skyport is based in Mountain View, California.
http://www.skyportsystems.com

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