Cloud Computing & SaaS


Rochester Institute of Tech Takes Virtual Labs to the Cloud

In and effort to reduce server expense and lab set-up time, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York has moved its virtual operations to the cloud in a number of IT courses.

IBM Launches Public Cloud Service

Extending upon the private cloud offerings launched last year, IBM is the latest major player to launch a commercial hosted service.

CA To Acquire Nimsoft

CA Inc. has agreed to acquire Nimsoft, a closely held provider of system, network, and cloud network monitoring tools targeted at small and mid-sized enterprises, for $350 million in cash.

U Washington To Test Drive Microsoft Federated ID Cloud Services

The University of Washington will be giving feedback to Microsoft on two identity federation options the company is planning to introduce as part of its cloud services. The initiative is intended to help institutions collaborate securely with external partners. The university will also be one of the first to roll out a federated identify solution with Microsoft on Live@edu.

Microsoft Updates Azure Provisioning Tool

To help IT pros automate the provisioning and management of services deployed to the recently released Windows Azure cloud offering, Microsoft has released a new version of its Windows Azure Service Management (WASM) Cmdlets for PowerShell.



Carnegie Mellon Joins Test Bed for Cloud Computing Research

Carnegie Mellon University has opened up one of its computing clusters to others involved in a research project on cloud computing. The university's School of Computer Science is the latest research institution to host a site as part of Open Cirrus, a global, open-source test bed for the advancement of cloud computing research and education.

IBM Launches Academic Cloud

IBM will be opening up its software portfolio online to academia to enable faculty to incorporate technology into their curricula. The company said it's working with 20 United States colleges and universities to help them use a new "academic skills cloud" that includes both software and courseware. IBM said it expects to add additional schools over time.

Java Scalability Provider Terracotta Partners with Eucalyptus Cloud Platform

Java clustering infrastructure provider Terracotta recently joined forces with Eucalyptus Systems, a provider of cloud computing management software, to allow large enterprises to provision clouds on the Amazon-compatible Eucalyptus cloud platform.

Microsoft, NSF Partner To Open Azure to Researchers

Academic researchers can now apply for free access to Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud services. The company's Research division announced the program Thursday in a joint press conference with the National Science Foundation (NSF), which will act as gatekeeper between researchers and the service.

Microsoft Azure Cloud Service Now Available

Microsoft's Windows Azure and SQL Azure cloud services are now generally available, ending the free test period for those who signed up for commercial accounts last month.