10 Emerging Data Center Vendors You Need To Know About
Center Of The IT Universe
Advancements in personal computing and mobile devices have been nothing short of astounding in recent years. But the data center remains the heart of IT for most companies. So while the world may go gaga over the latest whizz-bang mobile device, IT managers are more interested in advances in server and storage system performance, manageability, capacity and scalability.
And some emerging vendors are providing just that.
Some startups like Nutanix and SimpliVity have attracted a lot of attention as they shake up the data center status quo. But others aren't as well known, even as they deliver the data center advances of today and tomorrow. Here's a look at 10 you should be aware of.
Ayehu
New York
Top Executive: CEO Gabby Nizri
Ayehu's eyeShare IT process automation software helps IT managers identify and resolve critical system incidents, simplify complex workflows and gain greater control over IT infrastructure through automation. The company's software tools are used by IT operations, network operations centers, security operations centers and managed service providers.
In July, the company launched eyeShare 4.7 with new self-service automation capabilities that administrators use to design workflows and generate self-service web portal interfaces that allow end users to resolve problems without IT assistance. That frees up IT personnel to focus on more critical tasks.
FieldView Solutions
Edison, N.J.
Top Executive: CEO Fred Dirla
FieldView Solutions develops data center infrastructure monitoring systems that IT administrators use to optimize data center operations through realtime monitoring, alarming, trending and analysis, and help them plan and manage capacity, minimize downtime and cut costs.
In March, the company launched FieldView 2015 DCIM with expanded capabilities for capturing, correlating and analyzing massive amounts of live data, helping administrators simulate potential failures, manage system changes and plan maintenance downtime.
Mirantis
Mountain View, Calif.
Top Executive: CEO Adrian Ionel
Mirantis is a leader in the OpenStack technology arena, providing software, services, training and support needed for running OpenStack software in production environments. In addition to helping build and deploy OpenStack cloud systems at Expedia, NASA and other customers, Mirantis also contributes software to the open-source OpenStack project.
In July, Mirantis debuted Mirantis Unlocked Appliances, a portfolio of converged infrastructure appliances incorporating Mirantis OpenStack software and delivered by the vendor's certified rack partners.
Nimboxx
Austin, Texas
Top Executive: CEO David Cauthron
Nimboxx aims to bring hyper-converged data center technology used by large cloud providers to businesses of all sizes. The vendor's hyper-converged infrastructure and virtual desktop infrastructure appliances enable "private-cloud-in-a-box" by combining compute, storage, networking and orchestration technology into a single device.
In a move to pursue the wider hyper-converged infrastructure market, Nimboxx in July struck a distribution deal with Ingram Micro, becoming the first HCI vendor in the distributor's Advanced Solutions Emerging Vendor Initiative program.
Plexxi
Nashua, N.H.
Top Executive: CEO Richard Napolitano
Plexxi is a developer of next-generation networking products, including Plexxi Connect, Plexxi Control and Plexxi Switch. The vendor's technology helps businesses create agile data centers, scaled-out applications like big data, and distributed cloud environments.
Plexxi just struck an agreement with Arrow Electronics to distribute Plexxi's networking products, including Plexxi Switch and Plexxi Control, to resellers. Plexxi said the deal would accelerate the growth of its channel sales in the U.S. and Canada.
Pneuron
Nashua, N.H.
Top Executive: President and CEO Simon Moss
This startup developed the Pneuron Distributed Platform, a unique integration and development system that connects IT, applications, data sources, analytics and processes throughout a distributed organization. The platform includes elements of service-oriented architecture, distributed computing, business process management and data ETL (extract, transform and load) technologies.
In June, Pneuron said it was awarded a patent in distributed analytics -- specifically for a method and system for integrating disparate data stored within an IT infrastructure and enabling holistic, realtime control of data discovery, retrieval and analysis.
SaltStack
Lehi, Utah
Top Executive: Marc Chenn
SaltStack offers a complete systems management platform, based on the Salt open-source project, for automating cloud, applications or data center infrastructure. System administrators and developers use SaltStack to automate configuration management, private cloud building, public cloud orchestration and autonomic infrastructure.
In April, SaltStack announced that its software was certified as integrated with ServiceNow, the Platform-as-a-Service provider of enterprise IT service management software.
SkyPort Systems
Mountain View, Calif.
Top Executive: CEO Stefan Dyckerhoff
SkyPort Systems develops hyper-secured infrastructure, an engineered hardware, software and service stack that ensures the security of mission-critical IT and corporate assets through tight integration of compute, security, virtualization and policy management.
In July, the startup launched the SkySecure Partner Program for resellers, managed security service providers and systems integrators. The program gives partners access to the company's on-site/on-demand product evaluation program and provides partners with deal registration, sales and technical training materials, and a library of marketing resources.
Springpath
Sunnyvale, Calif.
Top Executive: CEO Terry Cunningham
Hyper-converged infrastructure startup Springpath develops software that turns industry-standard x86-based servers into hyper-converged infrastructure appliances. The Springpath Data Platform helps businesses manage and store data with a full set of enterprise features.
Founded by former VMware engineers, Springpath exited stealth mode in February and in May hired Terry Cunningham, a longtime industry and channel veteran, as CEO.
Vapor IO
Austin, Texas
Top Executive: CEO Cole Crawford
Vapor IO, which just emerged from stealth in March, offers a "hyper modular" data center system designed to run in compact, big-city data centers. The systems include hyper-collapsed server racks along with management and analytics software needed to power data centers.
The startup is betting that the data centers of the future, including those powering the Internet of Things, will be compact, geographically dispersed and intelligent. Such data centers will be located in denser urban areas on the edge of major networks and have smaller footprints than most data centers today.