Virtustream introduces secure Hybrid Cloud solution xStream 2.2

In response to strong demand from enterprise CIOs, government IT leaders and service provider CTOs for hybrid cloud solutions, Virtustream has announced the general availability of xStreamTM 2.2, said to be the industry's first secure hybrid cloud solution that delivers the security, efficiency and control required for production and mission-critical applications.

xStream 2.2 is the latest release of Virtustream’s cloud management software for enterprise, government and service provider customers. It supports private, public and hybrid cloud deployments to support mission-critical and production applications including databases, ERP and custom enterprise applications. xStream builds upon the industry-leading expertise developed within Virtustream’s own Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud, which has been running hundreds of production applications in the cloud for hundreds of enterprise customers. By delivering a common cloud management solution that can run on-premise and/or at leading cloud service providers around the world, Virtustream removes the barriers that have limited hybrid cloud deployments in the past, including incompatibility, a lack of security/compliance and limited performance SLAs.

“We are extremely excited to continue leading the industry in the evolution of the Enterprise Class Cloud,” said Kevin Reid, CEO and CTO at Virtustream. “Virtustream is consistently recognised by customers, partners and industry leaders as leading the migration of mission-critical and production applications to the cloud, and xStream 2.2 takes this to a new level, making a secure hybrid cloud a reality for customers around the world. 2013 is the year data centre and service provider federation becomes a reality for CIOs.”

Many other companies have attempted to offer hybrid clouds, but struggled to gain market acceptance due to a variety of technical complexities. Some have been unable to deliver a complete solution due to API incompatibilities or lack of consistent support, while others have tried to package incompatible public and private solutions under the same brand. Competing cloud providers have also delivered solutions that failed to properly support or migrate a full range of applications, including mission-critical applications like SAP.

“This xStream update meets our customers’ needs for better security and operational capabilities, which are required in order for their cloud projects to be successful,” said Shaw Chuang, executive vice president of engineering at Virtustream. “With xStream 2.2, we're delivering more than great technology, we are delivering an operational platform that will accelerate their ability to deploy and operate hybrid cloud environments in ways that will make their business more competitive.”

xStream 2.2 highlights:
• Available for Private Cloud, Public Cloud (Virtustream) or via Cloud Service Providers – xStream 2.2 cloud management is available for existing data centres or private cloud deployments, as an IaaS service from Virtustream, or via xStream-powered cloud service providers around the world. This allows customers to deploy cloud computing services at a pace that fits their business needs, and decide where applications should run most efficiently in which clouds.
• Multi-Site and Hybrid Cloud Flexibility – Managing multiple data centres or a hybrid cloud (private and public cloud resource pools) needs to be consistent and flexible. xStream 2.2 allows IT administrators to manage cloud resources, in an xStream powered private or public cloud, through a single, secure portal. This means that resource allocations, resource usage, security policies, role-based access and monitoring of all resources can be done without ever having to leave the xStream cloud management platform.
• Integrated Security – xStream 2.2 is the industry's first cloud management platform to integrate policy and risk management with Intel's TXT (Trusted Execution Technology) framework, enabling trusted resource pools that comply with the NIST 7904 Geolocation framework. This capability allows resources to be tagged and monitored for geolocation, ensuring that operational changes don't move computing resources or associated data into a non-compliant environment in another data centre, city, region or country.
• Multi-Site and Hybrid Cloud Security – xStream 2.2 extends security controls for resource pooling across public and private Cloud environments. Integrated policy ensures that workloads are secure and always running in the right location.
• Governance, Risk and Control (GRC) - xStream 2.2 enables Virtustream's integrated xGRC solution, simplifying how workloads and customer environments are continuously audited and reported for compliance. Built around threat management technology and pre-built compliance templates, Virtustream xGRC supports major national and industry regulatory frameworks.
• Service Catalogues and Subscription Management – Configurable service offerings, tailored to specific company requirements, facilitate easy but controlled end user self-service. xStream 2.2 has integrated approval workflow, allowing resource requests to be approved and managed against budgets.
• Application-Level SLAs in the Cloud – Embedded µVM (micro-VM) technology allows IT organisations to assure application-level SLAs, ensuring that even the most demanding mission-critical applications deliver the consistent performance levels expected by the business.
• Consumption-Based Billing and Chargeback – xStream 2.2 enables IT organisations to consume or deliver cloud computing resources on demand but only pay for the consumption of resources used. By integrating granular monitoring of all IaaS resources, xStream 2.2 only charges for the consumed resources, not pre-allocated resources. This creates a framework for internal chargeback that can be consistently applied to either private cloud or public cloud usage models.