Platform Computing Launches Starter Pack for Private Cloud

Platform computing delivers a low-cost, entry-level solution including software, support and services, for enterprises looking to set up private cloud solutions.

Platform Computing, a provider of cluster, grid and cloud management software, has announced a new entry-level offering for enterprises who want to launch private cloud systems.

Platform Computing, a provider of cluster, grid and cloud-management software, has announced a new entry-level offering for enterprises that want to launch private cloud systems.

In an August 24 press release, Platform announced the availability of the Platform ISF Starter Pack, an out-of-the-box, end-to-end software product and services offering designed to enable companies to quickly set up a private cloud. Platform Computing officials say the new ISF Starter Pack provides a low-risk, low-cost way to evaluate private clouds, allowing architects and IT managers to get a cloud sandbox environment up and running in less than 30 minutes.

For US$4,995, the Platform ISF Starter Pack includes a one-year Platform ISF license for 10 sockets, consulting, training and support, Platform officials said.

"Organizations have plenty of toolkits to choose from as they evaluate private cloud, but they require multiple tools that users must string together themselves," said James Pang, vice president of product management at Platform Computing, in a statement.  "What's more, these toolkits can cost $50,000 or more, and require 30-plus days of on-site consulting to build and customize an evaluation environment. We wanted to provide a cheap and easy way for users to get up and running quickly with a single product. The Platform ISF Starter Pack is an ideal entry into private cloud computing for organizations that want to first demonstrate the value of private cloud to their organizations without making a large upfront time or resource investment."

The ISF Starter Pack includes software and best-practices advice and help to set up private cloud. It features a one-year Platform ISF term license for 10 sockets, including support. The Starter Pack also includes a half-day of orientation training, a half-day of cloud-building consultation, and integration advice for Platform ISF with the users' internal tools.

"Although comfort levels are rising, and barriers to adoption are lowering, customers remain confused by the myriad solutions that claim to enable private clouds," said Dave Bartoletti, senior analyst at the Taneja Group, in a statement. "Often, private cloud projects are complicated by a surplus of technologies and a lack of packaged solutions. Those vendors that can integrate proven technologies into comprehensive, cost-effective solutions-and package them for rapid deployment, analysis, and evaluation-will be the most attractive to customers who want to leverage their existing infrastructure to quickly prove the benefits of private cloud. Offering the Platform ISF Starter Pack is just the right move for Platform to differentiate itself for these customers."

The original, full-on Platform ISF offering launched in 2009 is an end-to-end software product that provided everything an enterprise would need for private cloud management. The user does not need to string together point tools from various vendors.

Meanwhile, Platform ISF manages application workloads across multiple VM technologies and provisioning tools. It includes self-service, automated provisioning and chargeback capabilities, and can be deployed within 30 minutes, the company said. The product supports multiple VM technologies, including ESX, Xen, KVM and Hyper-V, as well as popular provisioning tools, such as Red Hat Satellite, IBM xCAT, Symantec Altiris, and Platform Cluster Manager, Platform said in its press release.