Platform Computing, the leader in cluster, grid and cloud management software, today launched Platform ISF 3.0, the latest release of its award-winning software for building private and hybrid clouds. Designed to dramatically improve customer productivity when deploying and managing application services, the new version includes the Platform Cloud Application Designer, which allows customers to create reusable templates for deploying business applications in the cloud. The product also includes a completely redesigned user interface (UI), automated capabilities for application and service-level management, Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) support and a self-service portal aimed at easing cloud administration for IT and line of business managers. The new product is being demonstrated this week at the Gartner Data Center Conference in Las Vegas at the Platform Computing Booth #37.
Unique to the industry, the Platform Cloud Application Designer enables application service deployment and cloud lifecycle management across multiple application tiers and clusters. Based on intelligence Platform ISF gathers while running both applications and the underlying infrastructure, the product is able to automatically match resources to business needs and scale deployed services up or down accordingly. The Platform Cloud Application Designer also allows enterprises to easily define and build out Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). This provides capabilities for application-aware service deployment as well as managing runtime policies. In addition, Platform ISF provides a single management console from which business applications can be deployed and managed on demand through self-service.
Platform ISF 3.0 also includes Intel’s TXT technology for enhanced virtualization security. With this technology, enterprises can deploy private cloud solutions that create pools of trusted VMware and KVM hypervisors. It allows users to easily detect and react to compromised hypervisors and automatically react by migrating applications to trusted hypervisors. With this capability enterprises add an additional layer of security to their cloud computing environments.
“By incorporating Intel TXT technology, Platform Computing is delivering enterprises key security capabilities to create secure Private Cloud infrastructures,” said Boyd Davis, Vice President, Data Center Infrastructure Group, Intel Corporation. “Intel TXT is a key enabler of Virtual Machine security, and enterprises deploying this technology will get unmatched assurance that their applications and data are not being compromised by rogue virtual environments.”
In the May 27, 2011 report, “Critical Success Factors for Private Cloud Computing,” Donna Scott, VP Distinguished Analyst at Gartner writes: “In today’s mission-critical IT world, non-mission-critical applications often have to pay a tax because they operate in the same data centers as mission-critical applications. With cloud computing, you have the flexibility to host services in varying kinds of facilities and resource pools with varying degrees of resiliency built-in and, therefore, reduce the overall tax paid by typical non-mission-critical applications.” In discussing the ROI for early adopters, Scott writes: “Private cloud computing has raised the profile and trust level of the IT organization with the business by becoming more business and financially centric, and is considered a partner in service delivery to the business.”
“Adding the Cloud Application Designer directly into Platform ISF, users can now intuitively build cloud templates for their business applications,” said Rohit Valia, Director, Enterprise Marketing, Platform Computing. “The new design console also extends Platform ISF’s already strong IaaS environment by making it even easier to define application layers for delivering PaaS and SaaS capabilities within a private cloud. The solution also provides self-service to meet the needs of business users, who require services on demand.”
Key Benefits and Features of Platform ISF 3.0
Using Platform ISF, customers have seen a remarkable improvement in cloud deployment times with its streamlined installation, IaaS definition and deployment capabilities. Platform ISF 3.0’s capabilities span from infrastructure to multi-tier business applications, including HPC and Big Data, and provide an all-in-one integrated management system for multiple heterogeneous virtualization and physical systems. With built-in support for rapidly extending to external cloud providers, Platform ISF provides a complete solution for enterprise Private Cloud deployments.
Key features of the new version include:
- Cloud Application Designer for enabling IaaS and PaaS deployments
- Enhanced virtualization security with Intel TXT support
- vSphere 5 support
- Automated VLAN support
- Redesigned and updated UI for enhanced user productivity and ease of use
- Documented SDK with code examples for integrating and customizing Platform ISF
The product is currently undergoing customer trial and a beta version is available to qualified customers. To join the Platform ISF beta program please send email to privatecloud-beta@platform.com.
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