OpenStack partners align to simplify and accelerate customer adoption of leading open-source cloud platform
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—March 30, 2011—Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL), Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQIX) and Rackspace Hosting, Inc. (NYSE:RAX, news, filings) today announced that they have collaborated to develop an OpenStack™ cloud demonstration and test environment. The demo environment will be available in three data centers: the Equinix International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) in Silicon Valley, Calif., and Ashburn, Va., and the Rackspace data center in Chicago, Ill. The companies also plan to collaborate on additional demo environments in Equinix data centers in Europe and Asia in the second quarter of 2011. The demonstration environment allows organizations to easily and rapidly assess applications on the open-source cloud platform, simplifying the evaluation process and speeding the deployment of OpenStack proof of concepts (POCs). It is the first demonstration of an open standard platform where geographically dispersed OpenStack clouds can offer customers the ability to move applications and workloads between them.
OpenStack is a collection of open-source technologies delivering a massively scalable cloud platform for public and private clouds. Originally founded by Rackspace and NASA, OpenStack has grown to be a global software community of developers, technologists, researchers and more than 50 organizations collaborating to help enable any organization to create and offer cloud computing services running on standard hardware.
The OpenStack demo environment integrates the OpenStack cloud operating system software; services and support from Rackspace® Cloud Builders; cloud optimized Dell PowerEdge C Intel-based server technology; and Platform EquinixTM, a global delivery platform of 92 network neutral data centers in 35 metro markets. As a result of this collaboration, companies can simplify their evaluation of the OpenStack platform and accelerate the deployment of cloud solutions modeled after the Dell, Equinix and Rackspace environment.
Enterprises, SaaS (software-as-a-service) providers and network operators looking to deploy cloud solutions can demo OpenStack in the Equinix test environment as a precursor to an OpenStack POC. They can take part in demonstrations of common use-cases and pre-installed applications or run their own applications to see how they perform on the platform. If the participants choose to evaluate the OpenStack solution further, they can engage Dell, Equinix and Rackspace for dedicated POC environments hosted at Equinix. Existing Equinix customers have the additional flexibility to simply and readily cross-connect to the OpenStack demo environment via a range of interconnection services available within Equinix IBX data centers.
“OpenStack provides an open, standard platform that gives organizations the choice of how and where to deploy a cloud, as well as the flexibility to move applications and workloads among different clouds,” said Jim Curry, general manager, Rackspace Cloud Builders. “The collaboration of Dell, Equinix and Rackspace to help organizations deploy and connect OpenStack clouds enables CIOs to choose a computing environment that aligns with their business, regulatory and technical requirements.”
“Today’s cloud solutions require scalability and reliability and must deliver superior end-user performance,” said Vince DiMemmo, general manager, Global Cloud and IT Services, at Equinix. “The combination of the OpenStack platform on Dell hardware delivered through Equinix data centers excels on all three fronts. Platform Equinix enables clouds to be deployed with optimal geographical distribution in highly optimized network environments that reside in direct proximity to cloud end-users. This comprehensive solution enabled by Rackspace, Dell and Equinix ensures the performance today’s cloud applications require.”
“Dell is committed to developing and promoting open standards, and we’re pleased to be working with Equinix and Rackspace to provide this OpenStack demonstration environment,” said John Igoe, executive director of Cloud Software Solutions, Dell. “It allows service providers and ISVs to evaluate if OpenStack is right for their ‘as a Service’ offering. It is a great example of the OpenStack community working together to advance the OpenStack platform.”
To learn more about the collaboration between Equinix, Dell and Rackspace, visit Rackspace Cloud Builders at www.rackspace.com/cloudbuilders, visit Dell at www.Dell.com/OpenStack and visit Equinix at www.Equinix.com/OpenStack
About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers worldwide innovative technology, business solutions and services they trust and value. For more information, visit www.dell.com.
About Rackspace Hosting
Rackspace Hosting is the world’s leading specialist in the hosting and cloud computing industry, and the founder of OpenStack, an open source cloud platform. The San Antonio-based company provides Fanatical Support® to its customers, across a portfolio of IT services, including Managed Hosting and Cloud Computing. In 2010, Rackspace was recognized by Bloomberg BusinessWeek as a Top 100 Performing Technology Company and listed on the InformationWeek 500 as one of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. The company was also positioned in the Leaders Quadrant by Gartner Inc. in the “2010 Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service and Web Hosting.” For more information, visit www.rackspace.com.
About Equinix
Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQIX) connects businesses with partners and customers around the world through a global platform of high performance data centers, containing dynamic ecosystems and the broadest choice of networks. More than 3,275 enterprises, cloud, digital content and financial companies connect to more than 625 network service providers and rely on Platform Equinix to grow their business, improve application performance and protect their vital digital assets. Equinix operates in 35 strategic markets across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific and continually invests in expanding its platform to power customer growth. http://www.equinix.com
Press Contacts
Equinix Media Contact (U.S.)
Esther Burciaga
LEWIS PR
+1 (415) 992-4400
EquinixLEWISUS@lewispr.com
Dell Media Contact
Andre Fuochi
Dell
+1 (512) 728-1226
Andre_Fuochi@Dell.com
Rackspace Hosting Media Contact
Lauren Sell
Rackspace
+1 (713) 398-8700
Lauren.Sell@rackspace.com
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Equinix’s recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Equinix and IBX are registered trademarks of Equinix, Inc. International Business Exchange is a trademark of Equinix, Inc.
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