IBM has launched a new service that lets outside enterprises indulge in software development and testing on its Cloud Platform. IBM currently hosts services on the web like Lotus Live along with a Private cloud option that it launched in 2009. Since then it has steadily expanded its cloud portfolio to include hosted test environments, storage and other associated services. Now along with Product testing and development, IBM is targeting the whole Infrastructure space offered as a service on the cloud (IAAS). Big Blue has clearly ventured into commercial Public cloud terrain complete with a Partner ecosystem like Amazon EC2’s. Its channel partners will be able to build their services over IBM’s cloud allowing it to offer a suite of web based Software applications.
The new offering comes with support for Linux via Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell and Java. But what has captured the Industry’s attention is the fact that it has decided to go with Red Hat for its cloud virtualization needs. The Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization is built on open source KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) software.
KVM has been considered by many until recently as not yet fully mature for mainstream enterprise implementation as compared to the likes of VMware vSphere or even Microsoft Hyper-V .Now with IBM’s vote of confidence in KVM for its mission critical initiative, it could get a facelift as a cheaper alternative to VMware’s virtualization wares along with its open source counterpart, the Citrix owned and Novell and Oracle backed Xen hypervisor.
A few short years ago the now Xen hypervisor was touted as the only viable open source virtualization alternative by big names like IBM and Red Hat. After Red Hat acquired Qumarent, the company that founded the KVM project in 2008, the Raleigh Company completely shifted its focus away from Xen and onto the Kernel-based virtual machine (KVM) hypervisor embedded in the Linux kernel. The lightweight KVM which includes the latest Intel and AMD chipsets attracted a lot of developer attention last year and benefitted enormously from dedicated Open source projects and even managed to upstage Xen in many respects. With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 release, KVM is also officially the preferred method for virtualization on Red Hat’s platform. Until now what it lacked was an official vendor ecosystem, along with centralized development and support services. With Red Hat which has collected an enormous market presence even through recession, championing KVM’s cause along with IBM ‘s validation, KVM seems poised to lose its experimental status and ready for intensive, distributed enterprise workloads. Through Big Blue’s new offering, vendors like PayPal get to sample KVM and enlist their support for the technology. PayPal says that it is using IBM cloud test and development service to extend its online payment model into the mobile platform. Portland Oregon company, Collaborative Software Initiative also has used IBM’s latest service to deliver the Department of Education's new Open Innovation Portal .
The Smart Business Development & Test on IBM Cloud will be available in the second quarter of 2010 in The United States and Canada, and it will roll out globally throughout 2010.
Now in its 9th year, FITC Toronto is one of the largest and longest running design and technology events in the world. With some of the most unique and engaging presenters from around the globe, FITC Toronto is an information blitz of presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions, sandwiched between our legendary FITC parties and abundant networking opportunities. Topped off with the FITC Award Show, it's three days and nights that will leave you inspired, energized and awed.
To promote their upcoming April event in Toronto, FITC organizers with the help of Saatchi & Saatchi Canada, Lunch, and Tool have put together a video called The Last Advertising Agency on Earth.
What will the future of advertising look like? The answer depends on whether or not traditional advertising agencies truly embrace the power of digital to reach consumers and build brands in new, exciting ways. 'The Last Advertising Agency on Earth' is a film is about what might happen if they don't.
The message: Don't become the last advertising agency on earth, attend FITC Toronto on April 25th - 27th and get 10% off by using discount code 'lastagency'.
Earlier this month the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) asks Canadians to show off their .CA website in their Showusyour.ca video contest.
The deadline to enter has now passed, CIRA has shortlisted the finalists, and now they need your help picking the winners.
The grand prize winner will receive a MacBook Pro and will be featured in a future .CA marketing campaign - a pretty big deal considering CIRA's National marketing budget. As well as the grand prize, the first runner-up will receive a 64GB iPod touch, and the second runner-up will receive a Flip UltraHD camcorder.
Voting closes on March 26th, so head over to Showusyour.ca to vote today.
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is a not for profit Canadian corporation that is responsible for operating the dot-ca Internet... [more]
In a world where we find our personal privacy slipping away First Orion PrivacyStar’s mobile app allows people to take control.
Available for Blackberry, the simple app allows users to block all unwanted calls, ID unknown callers using their caller lookup and makes is simple to report those annoying and unwanted telemarketing violations with all the information needed for the law and regulatory authorities to take action. This is the first and only app available to provide this type of functionality regarding telemarketing calls and it is now available through MobiHand in Canada.
The app became available a few weeks ago and has already seen significant growth in their user base. In the digital world where people are giving away their privacy like never before this app allows you to take some of it back.
First Orion CEO Jeff Stalnaker reports that their data has shown that people are using the app to identify unknown callers with the caller look feature and then they can choose to block the caller or add them to their address book.
What makes this product unique is how it handles telemarketing calls. It is the only application that gets all the information needed for the authorities to investigate. The application also has a personalized web portal that can help you to manage your blocked caller list and provide additional details on potential violations while helping you to manage your PrivacyStar account.
Their partnership with MobiHand will allow Blackberry users in the US and Canada to tap into the power of this app. The PrivacyStar app is free for the first 30 days, after the trial the service is available for USD $2.99 a month. In addition to getting the app through MobiHand, it is also available at the PrivacyStar website, through Blackberry App World or by texting “myprivacy” to 74700.
Twestival Toronto is less than a week away and the Toronto tech and social media community is getting very excited. This year promises to be larger and raise more money than last year's inaugural TwestivalTO.
However, none of this would be possible without the generous support of the Toronto tech community. We had the opportunity at talk to two such sponsors:
Luke Southern is the Digital Strategist for GCI Canada:
This will be the second time that GCI Canada has sponsored Twestival. We think the event is great way to support a charitable cause, and an opportunity for us to engage directly with some of the thought leaders in the world of social media… I am looking forward to meeting in person all the people that I follow on Twitter!
Alkarim Nasser (aka Alex) is with bnotions.ca and Yorkville Media Centre:
Sponsoring TwestivalTO was a no brainer. Helping support the community and supporting larger worldly efforts looking to establishing education in the most impoverished regions requires as much momentum as we can feed it. TwestivalTO is offering organizations a unique opportunity to create brand awareness across the elite tech, marketing, arts and PR communities. It is a chance for organizations to show their values and stand up for a cause that has continued to attract the attention of thousands of their customers.
For more information about TwestivalTO and how you can become involved, check out TwestivalTO.
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