Cloud Roundup: VMware, Dell, XO

Here’s a roundup of some of this week’s headlines from the data center and hosting industry:

VMware acquires SlideRocket. VMware (VMW) announced the acquisition of SlideRocket, a leading SaaS-based business presentation provider. With this acquisition VMware dives deeper into the cloud-based services and targets everyday business users.  “The modern end-user environment is mobile, social, collaborative and delivered via the cloud – characteristics that legacy PC-era technologies could never have anticipated,” said Brian Byun, VP and general manager, VMware. “VMware is at the forefront of building the core cloud computing infrastructure and enables users to gain ever greater value from cloud-based solutions. SlideRocket’s cloud-based architecture, innovative design, and strong integration with other cloud applications and services have transformed a decades-old business productivity software and redefined the way we consume and communicate information.”

Dell Boomi adds capabilities.  Dell's integration cloud Boomi introduced new capabilities to help enterprises take advantage of cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS) to help achieve enterprise efficiency, while leveraging existing IT investments. The newest version of Boomi, AtomSphere Srping 11 offers new features that simplify the move to cloud computing through easy integration with existing enterprise IT environments and new capabilities for middleware connectivity, large-scale data management and migration and anywhere integration monitoring.  “Organizations of all sizes implementing SaaS applications or cloud services require integration services to connect what’s running on-premise with what’s running in the cloud,” said Dennis Callaghan, senior enterprise software analyst at The 451 Group. Michael Dell was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and said the company's main focus remains on the enterprise and helping to enable the cloud.

i365 and XO advance partnership. XO Communications  and Seagate company i365 Inc.announced an expanded relationship to deliver an integrated portfolio of on-premise and cloud-based storage solutions based on i365’s Evault. The i365 services offer data protection to over 32,000 mid-sized businesses and enterprises. “With EVault’s data protection capabilities, XO Communications can offer customers a broader portfolio of superior, seamless and secure backup solutions that are easy to implement and operate,” said Mike Toplisek, chief marketing officer for XO Business Services at XO Communications. “Business continuity and redundancy are high-priorities for mid-sized and large enterprises, and EVault is a flexible and economical backup solution that allows them to remotely protect and recover critical data and information and address compliance regulations.”