Rackspace Crowds the Cloud
Cloud computing has been a buzzword tossed around within the last year, but in the plans for much longer. The idea of cloud computing basically takes files and applications typically native to your hard drive and placing them in the Internet “ether” for users to retrieve on a need basis.
Google has taken great steps to place files in the cloud with apps such as Google Calendar and Google Documents. Amazon has taken strides to offer cloud services and currently leads the market in the cloud-computing sector. While critics will debate the pros and cons of cloud computing, suffice to say that companies are making the move, and just recently Microsoft has taken that step with Azure, which will be discussed in another post.
Two weeks ago, Rackspace managed to host a major event in Austin, TX to announce their movement to the cloud. Rackspace is already a leader in the hosting industry, and now with the cloud computing additions, looks to tackle the market that Amazon has held for a number of years.
The announcement was kicked off by sharing the two companies that Rackspace had acquired to move them closer to full coverage in the cloud, Jungledisk and Slicehost. These two acquisitions fulfill the comprehensive portfolio of services that Rackspace offers to coincide with their hosting services.
According to the Rackspace blog, “Rackspace’s cloud strategy is supported by three core offerings…” These three core areas are:
- Clouds Sites: This is Rackspace’s flagship offering, which offers customers the ability to handle huge spikes in traffic with an easy to use and follow pay-as-you-go strategy. Currently there is support for both Windows and Linux.
- Cloud Files: The idea behind this initiative is to offer developers unlimited storage possibilities with a full scalable service to fit all of their needs. No longer will data need to be stored locally cutting costs for companies by avoiding the high cost of computer hardware.
- Cloud Servers: This new service option for offer on demand hosting services for businesses of all sizes. Using Slicehost as the company’s developer brand, Rackspace will utilize the Xen virtualization software to create innovative new features that will merge Slicehost intellectual property with Rackspace’s development initiatives. The goal is to offer low prices to keep the concept as an attractive and affordable option.
The services will be handled by a subsidiary of Rackspace called Mosso, which is their software development arm. You can catch the rebroadcast this major announcement at RackspaceCloudEvent.com
