Cisco, Microsoft, VMware, and others unite!

The OpenSSL Heartbleed Bug security issue is open-source’s biggest security breach ever!

Cisco, Microsoft, VMware and other tech giants are forming a new project to fund and support critical elements of the global technology: The Core Infrastructure Initiative (CII).

The purpose of CII is to empower technology companies to help out mission-critical open-source projects that need funding.

The project will receive funds for developers so they can continue work regarding open-source management.
OpenSSL will be the first project under consideration.  In 2013, OpenSSL, which is at the heart of Web security only had $9,000 in funding.

In the past years, OpenSSL received an average of $2,000 per year in donations.  That is definitely not enough to provide adequate research for security.

The multimillion dollar project will be administered by The Linux Foundation and a full-force group made of project backers along with open-source developers and industry stakeholders.

This project will help fund fellowships for key developers to work full-time on open source projects, security audits, computing and test infrastructure, travel, face-to-face meeting coordination along with other needed support.

Open-source development has always produced high quality and secure software.  Although, the Heartbleed Bug resulted in evidence that open source doesn’t guarantee that it won’t have flaws.

This project is to make sure that open-source development doesn’t have to operate on a shoe-string like system.

Colin Kincaid, Cisco’s VP of Product Management and Architecture, said, “Supporting dedicated open source collaborators and contributors is vital to the success and growth of innovation.”

Securing open source software is a critical issue.  It took a major security catastrophe, but now technology’s major company’s have realized that open-source software is a necessary part of global technology.

This is a base that must be supported and help funded.  The result will be a better quality and safer software for everyone.

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References:
Cisco, Microsoft, VMware, and other tech giants unite behind critical open-source projects – ZDNet
http://www.zdnet.com/cisco-microsoft-vmware-and-other-tech-giants-unite-behind-critical-open-source-projects-7000028743/?s_cid=e539&ttag=e539&ftag=TRE17cfd61

Cisco’s Intercloud could change the Internet

Cisco Systems‘ “Intercloud” platform  encompasses both Cisco data centers and its partners.

The platform can be combined with remote-computing technology and connect to regional and global data centers.

The OpenStack based system is able to handle any workload on a hypervisor and work with any public or private cloud.

Cisco is planning on investing $1 billion in its cloud business over the next two years, and allowing cloud services to be sold directly to customers through channel partners.

Cisco is also working on combining its Linux platform with IOx on rugged routers, to be placed on ships, rail cars, electrical grids and other hard-to-reach locations.

When this change happens, a cargo ship can monitor whether the containers on board have shifted en route or the temperature has reached its maximum hot and cold limits.

The real time data is sent to a center anywhere in the world with a narrowband satellite link, said Guido Jouret, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Internet of Things Business Unit.

Right now, there is no way to use that kind of information until the ship is in port.  A specialized Cisco router on the ship would be able to collect the sensor data over the onboard wireless network, analyze it, and share the information over a fast cellular network after it comes into port.

The IOx will start being shipped by May in the Cisco CGR1240, a weather-proofed router for outdoor use.

Companies will be able to code their own interfaces to their specialized networks and write Linux-based applications to run on Cisco’s hardened routers.  The IOx is also coming to Cisco switches and cameras for field use.

The combination of the IOx and the Intercloud, with networks of software-defined in between, Cisco says it can make sure computing and communication will work as needed across a far-flung infrastructure.

IT administrators distributing computing across the core and edge will guarantee data delivery between them.

“You’re now controlling the highways. You could reprogram or reconfigure the links between your clouds to enforce security or quality of service, whereas in the regular public Internet, you cannot,” Jouret said.

Cisco’s Intercloud will feature APIs for application development and a new line of cloud services for the channel.

A key point for the Intercloud is scalability and full compliance with local data sovereignty laws.  A challenge Cisco is face with revolves around too many workloads being put on personal credit cards.

65,000 channel partners will have the opportunity to get involved with this platform.  IT departments often have no idea on what assets they have, no security for their corporate data, no audit trails, and no compliance.

Cisco’s market strategy with the Intercloud will involve a Cisco brand offering, a Cisco branded offering for the reseller channel, and a co-branded effort with Cisco and the channel partner with a white label model.  This will allow a solution provider to put their own brand on it.

The Intercloud will take storage networking from 6-8 weeks to 15 minutes, virtualizing more than 92%  data center environment.

The global reach, rapid business service delivery, and analytics capability will put so much value on the Intercloud.

This will be the first truly open, hybrid cloud.

The anticipated cloud market for Cisco and partners could reach from $22 billion to $88 billion in the next 3 years.

Telstra, Allstream, Ingram Micro, Logicalis Group, OnX Managed Services, and Wipro are giving their support for the Cisco Intercloud.

What kind of impact do you think the Intercloud will have?  Please leave your comments below!

Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet,  “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+.

References:

Cisco’s Intercloud could supercharge its Internet of things plans – InfoWorld Cloud Computing
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/ciscos-intercloud-could-supercharge-its-internet…
Cisco introduces billion dollar Intercloud – CDN
http://www.computerdealernews.com/news/cisco-introduces-billion-dollar-intercloud…

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