Unisys is rolling out the first offerings in its overall Secure Cloud Solution, a cloud computing strategy that offers a high level of security. Unisys officials argue that security is the key issue that's holding back adoption of cloud computing, and that its Stealth security technology is a key differentiator as Unisys looks to gain headway in a competitive space that includes the likes of HP, IBM and Sun.
Unisys is looking to carve a spot for itself in the heavily
competitive cloud computing space by removing what company officials
say is the top impediment to adoption: security.
Unisys June 30 unveiled a cloud computing strategy that relies
heavily on a patent-pending security technology officials call Stealth,
which the company initially created several years ago for government
agencies looking to secure their data. Unisys is now making that
technology available to businesses for use in either private or public
clouds, or a hybrid of both.
Rich Marcello, president of Unisys' systems and technology unit,
said that businesses are taking a hard look at cloud computing as a way
of helping them manage their IT operations, particularly during these
recessionary times. However, use of the computing model hasn't expanded
much beyond testing and development area because businesses are wary
about putting sensitive data in the cloud, Marcello said in an
interview.
"We think the No. 1 problem is around security," he said.
Unisys is looking to address that issue with its multiprong Secure
Cloud Solution strategy, which includes helping businesses set up
internal cloud computing environments or letting them access computing
clouds in Unisys' own data centers. Businesses also will be able to
take a hybrid approach, using both models.
The company rolled out the first two steps in its overall cloud
strategy. The first is the Unisys Secure Cloud Solution, a managed
cloud service that spans Unisys' global data centers that offers full
data security in an environment where multiple users share the same IT
infrastructure. The Unisys cloud provides "as a service" offerings for
infrastructure, platform, software and applications.
It's Unisys' Stealth technology-which is integrated into the Secure
Cloud Solution-that secures the data for each customer, even though all
customers share the same IT infrastructure. The technology puts the
data through several layers of authentication, encryption and
bit-splitting into multiple packets, and then creates pathways in the
network that enable the encrypted data to move securely throughout the
network, essentially invisible to others that also are using the
infrastructure. The data is then reassembled when it's delivered to
authorized users.
In addition to securing the "data in motion" as it winds its way
through the network, Unisys also are planning on using a Stealth
technology "data at rest" that are on SANs (storage-area networks) in
the cloud infrastructure.
Such security is a key differentiator for Unisys as it competes with such heavyweights as Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Sun Microsystems in
the cloud computing space. And it's an area expected to grow rapidly.
Analysts at IDC said in March the cloud services market should triple
to $42 billion by 2013.
"The economic crisis is really accelerating the move to cloud
computing because companies do not want to put out money up front for
IT," Marcello said. "We believe that now, given how secure [Unisys'
model] is, that we go after it."
The Unisys cloud computing offering, available July 31, also comes
with a self-service portal that enables businesses to scale the compute
resources in real time.
Unisys also announced its Cloud Transformation Services, designed to
help businesses determined whether cloud computing is a good fit for
them, both financially and technologically. The services also will help
customers decide whether the Unisys cloud, a private cloud, or a
combination of both is the best direction to take.
The services touch on advice around cloud computing, assessment of a
business' IT readiness for a move to cloud computing, and a migration
plan for helping the customer make the move.
Over the next year or so, Unisys will expand its cloud offerings,
including an IT infrastructure package that will enable businesses to
launch internal clouds. The package will include automation of ITIL
(Information Technology Infrastructure Library) best practices for
service management, virtualization capabilities and remote management
capabilities. Stealth will be offered as an option for greater security.
Unisys also will roll out a hybrid cloud offering.
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