Category Archives: Cloud Servers
The iPhone’s big new iOS 18 AI features will be powered by data centers running Apple silicon – TweakTown
There have been a lot of rumors and reports of late that claim Apple is going to bring some big much-needed AI-powered features to the iPhone when iOS 18 is released later this year and while we've heard that those features will run on-device, others will require a server. Those cloud servers will allow Apple to handle more complex tasks, including generative AI workflows, and a new report now suggests that the servers will run Apple's own custom chips.
We've been hearing more and more about Apple's plans to put its own chips into servers of late, and it's a plan that makes sense. Apple's Macs, iPhones, and iPads all use custom-designed chips that are built by TSMC and it's proven to be a real boon for the company. More control means that Apple has a better lock on power usage and performance, and it can tailor chips to specific needs as well. In the case of servers, it's suggested Apple will produce chips that can run AI-related workflows particularly well.
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There was previously no timeline for when the Apple-designed chips would be used, but a new Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman suggests that Apple will have its in-house server chips ready soon enough to power the cloud component for the iOS 18 AI push.
Gurman says that the company will put new high-end chips into cloud computing servers and then use those servers to handle more complex AI tasks that would not be practical to run on iPhones locally. However, the report notes that simpler AI-related features will still be processed directly on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
The benefits to running some AI tasks on-device include speed and privacy. By not having to process AI tasks in the cloud Apple can remove a performance bottleneck associated with wireless data connections, for example. Privacy is a key aspect for Apple as well, and removing the need to send data to a cloud-based server has obvious benefits here.
In terms of performance, Gurman believes that the first chips to be used in Apple's data centers will be the M2 Ultra, a chip that customers can already buy in the Mac Pro and Mac Studio. However, Apple recently announced the M4 as part of the iPad Pro refresh so it's surely only a matter of time before an Ultra version of that chip is being used as well. Apple is yet to confirm when Macs with M4-series chips will be announced, however.
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The iPhone's big new iOS 18 AI features will be powered by data centers running Apple silicon - TweakTown
Rugged Servers Market Set for Remarkable Growth, Expected to Surpass US$ 945.5 Million by 2032 at 5.8% CAGR – openPR
The rugged servers market was estimated to be worth US$ 506.0 million in 2021 and is expected to grow by 6.5% year over year to reach US$ 539.0 million in 2022.
Demand is predicted to increase at a 5.8% value CAGR over the assessment period of 2022-2032, most likely reaching US$ 945.4 million by the conclusion of the forecast period.
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By integrating cutting-edge innovations, service providers can streamline operational expenses while maximizing returns on investment. Additionally, evolving compliance and governance standards are broadening the landscape for the rugged servers market. As nations navigate industry-specific regulations, undergo market consolidation, and embrace futuristic technologies, the global rugged servers market anticipates multifaceted transformations.
Rising expenditures within the IT and cloud services sector are set to drive global growth in the rugged servers market. Government backing for research and development, coupled with substantial investments in technological advancements, are expected to escalate the adoption of rugged servers. These developments are poised to propel the managed services market forward.
Key Companies Profiled: Dell Technologies Mercury Systems Siemens Core Systems Crystal Group
Extensive usage of rugged servers in military and aerospace, telecommunication, and Industries are some of the factors influencing the growth of the rugged server market in forecasting years. High digitalization in every sector boosts the growth of the market.
The rising importance of the mobile workforce and the need to access information anytime, anywhere has led enterprises to adopt rugged servers which in turn is boosting the growth of this market.
Increasing investment by the government for the development of the latest technologies to maintain their competitive edge over other companies has resulted in an increasing demand for rugged Servers which further fuels the growth of this market.
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Competitive Landscape:
The global market for rugged servers is characterized by the presence of multiple vendors, aiming to offer extensive consulting and integration services to clients. Additionally, enterprises are seeking out, specialized service providers, offering solutions tailor-made to suit their business objectives. In addition, the vendors are likely to leverage up-gradation to gain an edge over other competitors in the market.
In April 2022 Crystal Group, Inc., a leading designer, and manufacturer of rugged computer and electronic hardware announced its first VMware-validated configuration of virtualization-enabled servers. In collaboration with Intel and VMware, Crystal Group developed its VMware Validated Solution to consolidate the work of multiple discrete hardware solutions into a single, hyper-converged system. This software-agnostic, hyper-converged system combines real-time automation, remote management, cybersecurity, auto failover, and zero-trust security features for utilities as they pursue significant power grid modernization efforts.
In November 2021, Mercury Systems a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, completes the acquisition of Avalex Technologies. The acquisition is directly aligned with strategy and will enable the growing demand for digitally converged solutions in the C4I and platform/mission management markets.
Key Segments Covered in the Rugged Servers Market Study:
By Offering : o Hardware o Software & Services By Type : o Dedicated o Standard By Memory size : o 512GB-1TB o >1TB By Application : o Military and Aerospace o Telecommunication o Industrial Applications o Energy & Power o Marine Applications o Other Applications By Region : o North America o Europe o Asia Pacific o Middle East and Africa o Latin America
In conclusion, the rugged servers market is experiencing a significant surge in growth driven by increased spending in the IT and cloud services industry. Support from government initiatives for research and development, along with substantial investments in technological innovation, are key factors driving the adoption of rugged servers. This trend not only strengthens the rugged servers market but also provides traction to the managed services sector, indicating a promising outlook for both segments in the foreseeable future.
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This release was published on openPR.
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Rugged Servers Market Set for Remarkable Growth, Expected to Surpass US$ 945.5 Million by 2032 at 5.8% CAGR - openPR
Alibaba’s Yitian 710 is the fastest Arm-based CPU for cloud servers, study claims – Tom’s Hardware
A recent study published in the IEEE's Transactions on Cloud Computing journal has demonstrated that Alibaba Cloud's 128-core Yitian 710 processor, developed in 2021, is currently the most efficient Arm-based server processor for database tasks in large-scale cloud environments, reportsThe Register. The research conducted by Dumitrel Loghin from the National University of Singapore, showcases the Yitian 710 outperforming other Arm-based processors and even surpassing Intel's Xeon Platinum in some specific tests.
The research assessed a variety of Arm server CPUs and compared them against the Intel Xeon Platinum 8488C, which was launched in the first quarter of 2023. This comparative analysis was performed across eight different cloud platforms to determine which CPU handles database-related tasks most effectively. Among the Arm processors evaluated Amazon's 64-coreGraviton 2/3, Huawei's 60-core Kunpeng 920, and Ampere's Altra 80-core processor the Yitian 710 emerged as a standout performer, especially noteworthy given its newer technological underpinnings. As for workloads, they included Dhrystone and Whetstone benchmarks, measuring the number of kernel system calls and execl calls each system made, testing file copy speeds, assessing the overall UnixBench score, and conducting RSA 2048 signing and verification tasks.
Alibaba's Yitian 710 was ahead of its rivals in synthetic Dhrystone and Whetstone benchmarks and significantly challenged Intel's Xeon 8488C, which demonstrates its huge potential. The Yitian 710 also outperformed its competitors in File Copy, UnixBench, and RSA 2048 signing and verification tests.
Despite the strengths of the Yitian 710, AWS's Graviton 3 surpassed it in the Redis benchmark. However, the Yitian 710 maintained its advantage in handling memcached throughput and in two out of three RocksDB throughput tasks, the report says.
The study also highlighted the Yitian 710's technological advantages, such as its use of the latest Arm instruction set architecture (ISA) and DDR5 SDRAM in 2021, which contributed significantly to its high performance. On the other hand, Huawei's cloud offers a unique feature where two Kunpeng 920 CPUs can run in a Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) topology, a capability unmatched by any other cloud provider's Arm servers.
Cost efficiency was another focal point of the research. Although Arm servers require more system calls than their Intel counterparts (which is potentially inefficient), they still offer better value in some scenarios. This is particularly relevant as cloud providers continue to optimize for cost-effectiveness without compromising The study suggests that with incremental improvements, such as slight increases in clock speeds and optimizations in Linux kernel system calls, Arm servers like the Yitian 710 could become even more competitive. The research recommends leveraging Arm-specific features like Scalable Vector Extensions to boost performance in respective workloads, potentially positioning Arm servers as a viable alternative to more established AMD EPYC and Intel Xeon servers in cloud computing scenarios.
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Alibaba's Yitian 710 is the fastest Arm-based CPU for cloud servers, study claims - Tom's Hardware
Unspoken Challenges of Cloud Security in Serverless Environments – TechGraph
Intodaystechnologically advanced world, serverless computing has emerged as a revolution, offering businesses an attractive way to deploy code into production without the intricacies of managing the underlying servers.
However, this shift has also brought many subtle security concerns that often go unspoken. Efficient management of these challenges is essential to safeguard applications and maintain operational integrity.Hereshow to address thekeysecurity issues inherent in serverless architectures.
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Serverless platforms like AWS Lambda and Azure Functions execute code in response to events without traditional server management.While this setup offers convenience,itsvital to manage function permissions carefully.
Assigning overly broad permissions can lead to security vulnerabilities, such as unauthorized datainjectionif a function has unnecessary database write access.To prevent such risks,itsessential to adhere to the principle of least privilegefunctions should only have the permissions necessary for their specific tasks. Regular audits help maintain minimal permissions, enhancing security.
To mitigate potential security vulnerabilities in serverless environments,itsessentialto thoroughly validate and sanitize all incoming event data. Ensuring that functionsare designedto handle unexpected or malicious inputs can significantly enhance security. Implementing rate limiting also plays a crucial role, as it helps prevent abuse by controlling the frequency of triggered events.
Serverless functions rely heavily on third-party libraries, which can introduce vulnerabilities. To safeguard against these risks, it is criticalto regularly update and patch dependencies. Employ vulnerability scanning tools to detect and address security flaws efficiently.Additionally, incorporating a software composition analysis tooloffers a thorough assessment ofyourapplicationsdependencies, ensuring all components are secure and current.This strategy is essential for maintaining robust security in serverless environments.
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The transient nature of serverless functions, which appear and disappear as needed, complicates traditional security monitoring.This lack of persistent infrastructure can obscure visibility,makingthreat detection and responsechallenging.
To overcome this,itscrucial to utilizemonitoring solutionstailored specificallyfor serverless architectures.These tools provide real-time logging, monitoring, and alerting capabilities, allowing for continuous oversight of the security posture. By adopting such specialized tools, organizations can ensure that they remain alert to security threats in a dynamically changing serverless landscape.
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Serverless architectures handle each function call independently without sharing state, complicating session and authentication management and increasing the risk of issues like token theft.
To address these challenges, it is essential to secure session data using HTTPS and secure cookie settings to protect session data. Implement short-lived JWTs for authentication to minimize vulnerability. For effective session management, use scalable storage solutions like Redis or DynamoDB, which support quick state checks and enhance overall security.
Serverless computing offers unmatched agility and scalability, yet it comes withits own set ofunique security challenges. To truly capitalize on serverless technologies while keeping your operations secure,itsvital to understand and actively address these risks. In the world of cybersecurity, staying informed and alert is essential. By prioritizing security in every architectural decision, you can ensure that your defenses are robust and your business remains protected.
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Unspoken Challenges of Cloud Security in Serverless Environments - TechGraph
Amazon cloud computing unit plans to invest $11 billion to build data center in northern Indiana Metro US – Metro US
FILE An Amazon logo appears on an Amazon delivery van in Boston, Oct. 1, 2020. Amazons cloud computing unit Amazon Web Services plans to invest $11 billion to build a data center in northern Indiana that will create at least 1,000 new jobs. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the planned project Thursday, April 25, 2024 calling the data center planned near the town of New Carlisle, about 15 miles west of South Bend, the largest capital investment announcement in Indianas history. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
NEW CARLISLE, Ind. (AP) Amazon s cloud computing unit Amazon Web Services plans to invest $11 billion to build a data center in northern Indiana that will create at least 1,000 new jobs, state and company officials announced Thursday.
Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb called the project planned near the town of New Carlisle, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of South Bend, the largest capital investment announcement in Indianas history.
This significant investment solidifies Indianas leadership position in the economy of the future, and will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on the town of New Carlisle, the north central region and the state of Indiana for years to come, Holcomb said in a news release.
The announcement from Holcombs office and AWS did not include a timeline for the data center campus in northern Indianas St. Joseph County, which abuts the Michigan state line.
But Carl Baxmeyer, president of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, said in the news release that it would be built over the next decade at the Indiana Enterprise Center, located just east of New Carlisle, and will be a major employment center for all of northern Indiana.
The AWS data center would contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment, and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing capabilities, and generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, according to the news release.
Roger Wehner, AWS director of economic development, said the Indiana data center will create numerous well-paying job opportunities and tap into the states burgeoning tech sector, while contributing significantly to the states growing economy.
Based on the company s planned investment, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. has committed to providing data center sales tax exemptions for eligible capital investments over a 50-year term, the release states.
The IEDC has also committed to a variety of performance-based tax credits to support the AWS data center plans, including up to $18.3 million in headcount-based tax credits, up to $55 million in Hoosier Business Investment tax credits, and up to $20 million in redevelopment tax credits, the release states.
AWS will provide up to $7 million to support road infrastructure improvements along State Road 2, surrounding the companys planned data center, according to the release.
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Amazon cloud computing unit plans to invest $11 billion to build data center in northern Indiana Metro US - Metro US
A cloud server leak seems to show top animation shows are part-made in North Korea – TechRadar
Production companies such as Amazon, HBO Max and the BBC may be using North Korean labor to produce a number of popular shows, according to the discovery of in-progress animation work on an unsecured cloud server in 2023.
Per The Register, Nick Roy, the lead author of blog NK Internet, discovered the servers existence, although analysis from 38 North, a publication from think tank The Stimson Center covering events and policy in the North Korean region, suggests that the server is no longer in use.
There are also questions about the nature of the files found during analysis. While many files were explicitly work in progress, including direct instructions written in Chinese and translated to Korean, other files, pertaining to the BBC childrens show Octonauts, were complete, making it unclear as to whether they were simply files used as reference for other projects, or actively worked on by the outfit.
Other work-in-progress files were identifiable as from the third season of Amazons Invincible and Cartoon Network / HBO Max collaboration Iyanu, Child of Wonder. While animated television isnt really in TechRadar Pros wheelhouse, our sister site has previously covered Invincible, for example, as early as this month.
The 38 North report sheds little light on the contracted operation, only that it was based in Pyongyang. The report guesses that its April 26 Animation Studio, or SEK Studio, North Koreas premier animation house, but also an outfit put under US sanctions in 2016, with other companies found to be collaborating with it given similar punishments relating to corruption and human rights abuse as late as 2022.
This stuff is quite frightening, honestly. Its easy, as a consumer, to put it out of mind under, essentially, the belief that theres no such thing as ethical consumption under capitalism.
There's plenty of truth in that: its a basic guarantee that you or I have intentionally or otherwise put money into the coffers of some unethical operation or other in the pursuit of happiness, or just life itself, especially when companies like Amazon are working on running every aspect of it.
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True, you can be a tedious internet nihilist and say get real dude, its a cartoon, but they dont appear out of thin air, do they? Why dont you draw tens of thousands of pictures under duress and see if your arm hurts?
The other big question that remains unresolved is: just how hard did people in the trenches work on, say, Invincible season 2? Discovering the answer might be beyond our cloud storage remit, but wed still be very interested to find out.
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A cloud server leak seems to show top animation shows are part-made in North Korea - TechRadar
What We Learned Inside a North Korean Internet Server: How Well Do You Know Your Partners? – 38 North
A misconfigured North Korean Internet cloud server has provided a fascinating glance into the world of North Korean animation outsourcing and how foreign companies might be inadvertently employing North Korean companies on information technology (IT) projects. The incident also underlines how difficult it is for foreign companies to verify their outsourced work is not potentially breaking sanctions and ending up on computers in Pyongyang.
A Month of Animation
The story begins in late 2023 with the discovery of a cloud storage server on a North Korean Internet Protocol (IP) address. The server, which appears no longer in use, had been incorrectly configured, making the daily flow of files into and out of this server viewable by anyone without a password.
North Korea employs such servers because the average IT worker inside the country does not have direct access to the Internet. Typically, an organization might have just one or two computers with Internet access; workers need approval to use them and are monitored while they do so.
The cloud server in question was discovered by Nick Roy, who runs the NK Internet blog. Together, throughout January this year, we observed files. Each day, a new batch of files would appear that included instructions for animation work and the results of that days work.
The identity of the person or persons uploading the files could not be determined.
Often the files contained editing comments and instructions in Chinese, presumably written by the production company, along with a translation of those instructions into Korean. This suggests a go-between was responsible for relaying information between the production companies and the animators.
For example, in the communication below, the animator is being asked to improve the shape of the characters head.
The identity of the North Korean partner was never revealed in any of the documentation observed, but it is likely the April 26 Animation Studio, also known as SEK Studio. The Pyongyang-based organization is North Koreas premier animation house, producing series for domestic television broadcasts, including the popular Squirrel and Hedgehog series.
It has previously worked on several international projects, including some with South Korean companies during the Sunshine Policy era in the early 2000s.
However, in 2016, the studio was sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury as a North Korean state-owned enterprise. The US government has twice laid additional sanctions on Chinese companies that have worked with the studio or acted as a go-between, once in 2021 and again in 2022.
Accessing the Server
Together with researchers from Mandiant, a computer security company owned by Google, access logs for the server were also examined.
They revealed several logins from Internet addresses associated with virtual private network (VPN) services, but among those that were not VPN-related was an IP address in Spain and three in China. Two of the Chinese addresses were registered to Liaoning Province, which neighbors North Korea and includes the towns of Dandong, Dalian and Shenyang.
All three cities are known to have many North Korean-operated businesses and are main centers for North Koreas IT workers who live overseas.
Projects Identified
The files related to a range of projects, suggesting several animators were likely involved in the work.
Over the month we observed this traffic, the apparent identity of some of the projects became clear. They included:
There is no evidence to suggest that the companies identified in the images had any knowledge that a part of their project had been subcontracted to North Korean animators. In fact, as the editing comments on all the files, including those related to US-based animations, were written in Chinese, it is likely that the contracting arrangement was several steps downstream from the major producers.
There were also several animation files that were never identified, files with video special effects editing instructions for what appeared to be a Chinese movie about basketball, and multiple Russian-language video files and PDFs related to the upkeep and care of horses.
The fact that the server was largely used to store files related to animation suggests that additional relay servers probably exist for North Korean organizations doing other work, such as software development.
Implications: Due Diligence Needed on IT Outsourcing
In mid-2022, the US government warned companies about the possibility of inadvertently hiring North Korean IT workers, including animators, when looking for remote contractors. An advisory warned that doing so could put the companies at risk of a breach of US and United Nations sanctions.
It noted North Korean workers frequently misrepresent themselves as foreign (non-North Korean) or US-based teleworkers and might use VPNs or other methods to make it appear as if they are from and residing in another country.
In response, it recommended that companies institute a number of safeguards such as better verification of work documents, video interviews, background checks and fingerprint login to ensure the workers hired are identified and remain the ones carrying out the work on the project.
Such checks are designed to ensure that the worker you hire is the one who does the work and not just a proxy for someone else.
Last year, US law enforcement agencies disclosed a case in which North Korean workers had paid someone in the US $400 per month to host four laptops on their Internet connection. The workers would access the laptops through remote desktop software and then get on to the American Internet. Analysis of the IP address would make it appear to be coming from a conventional US domestic service provider.
The case caused the US to update its guidance for spotting North Korean IT workers.
However, the ability of the North Korean studio to apparently continue working on international projects highlights the difficulty in enforcing current US sanctions in such a global industry. It also highlights the need for US animation companies to be much better informed about all the companies that are involved in their projects.
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What We Learned Inside a North Korean Internet Server: How Well Do You Know Your Partners? - 38 North
TSplus Advanced Security: Safeguarding Cloud Environments Against Ransomware Threats – GlobeNewswire
IRVINE, Calif., April 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recent incidents have underscored the critical vulnerabilities present in platforms such as ConnectWise ScreenConnect, leaving organizations susceptible to malicious exploitation. As reported by TechTarget, ransomware gangs, including Black Basta and Bl00dy threat actors, have been observed exploiting these vulnerabilities, posing significant risks to businesses worldwide.
TSplus Enhances Cybersecurity Expertise
Acknowledging TSplus's prowess in cybersecurity, the recent partnership with Kaspersky, a globally recognized cybersecurity and anti-virus provider, stands as a testament to its global recognition. This partnership was formally announced during the First International Cyber Immunity conference hosted by Kaspersky in Dubai, where TSplus was introduced as an official Kaspersky Partner.
During the conference, TSplus President, Dominique Benoit, showcased his expertise in cybersecurity alongside other industry experts and researchers. Focusing on crucial cybersecurity themes such as the Secure by Design approach and the role of software in future innovations, TSplus made a significant impact. Its booth presenting Advanced Security solution for secure workplace infrastructures, attracted a lot of interest. As a result, TSplus was honored with the title of "First Global Cyber Immune Software Partner" during the event.
TSplus Advanced Security: An Effective Response to Modern Cyber Threats
Every day, thousands of companies across the globe embark on deploying Windows VPS or dedicated Windows servers in cloud environments to meet their operational needs. Amidst the convenience of setting up cloud servers and accessing them remotely, lies a hidden peril.
From the moment a cloud hosting company provisions a new server, it becomes a target for malicious actors scouring for vulnerabilities. Automated bots relentlessly probe for open ports, particularly targeting Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access. Once an exposed system is identified, hackers exploit weak credentials, gaining unauthorized access within minutes.
In response to ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape and these growing cybersecurity concerns, TSplus has developed TSplus Advanced Security. This groundbreaking solution is meticulously crafted to fortify cloud-hosted environments against emerging threats, ensuring the highest level of protection for organizations.
TSplus Advanced Security Empowers Users with Proactive Cybersecurity Measures
In the relentless battle against cyber threats, TSplus Advanced Security stands as a beacon of proactive cybersecurity measures. As organizations navigate the complexities of remote access and cloud adoption, investing in robust security solutions becomes indispensable. Cybersecurity is not merely an option; it is an essential aspect of modern IT infrastructure management.
Real-time monitoring and protection offered by TSplus Advanced Security are unparalleled. With the capability to thwart over 40 attempted RDP sessions by hackers in a single day, TSplus ensures cloud-hosted servers remain safeguarded against unauthorized access attempts.
As businesses embrace the digital transformation journey, TSplus remains committed to empowering users with cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions. With TSplus Advanced Security, organizations can fortify their defenses, ensuring resilience against evolving cyber threats in today's dynamic threat landscape.
For more information, visit https://tsplus.net/advanced-security/. Stay tuned for the forthcoming announcement relating to TSplus's recent recognition and partnership with Kaspersky.
About TSplus: TSplus is a global leader in Remote Access solutions, empowering businesses of all sizes and industries with secure, reliable, and scalable remote access technologies. With a comprehensive suite of products and dedicated customer support, TSplus ensures seamless connectivity and enhanced productivity for its clients worldwide.
Media Contact:
Caleb Zaharris
Marketing Director for TSplus
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aa5a6144-e4a3-44aa-9d07-f7ce83f74415
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TSplus Advanced Security: Safeguarding Cloud Environments Against Ransomware Threats - GlobeNewswire
Alleged cryptojacker arrested for money laundering, $3.5 million in cloud service fraud ultimately mined less than $1 … – Tom’s Hardware
The U.S. Attorney's office announced the arrest and indictment of crypto miner Charles O. Parks, also known as 'CP3O,' who defrauded and used multiple servers from two well-known cloud computing providers, amounting to a bill totaling nearly US$ 3.5 million to mine cryptocurrencies that are worth almost $1 million. The office terms his scheme as a large-scale 'cryptojacking'.
If convicted, Parks could face up to 20 years imprisonment for wire fraud and money laundering, with 10 more years for unlawful monetary transactions. This investigation was conducted by the US State Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the FBI, and the New York Police Department.
According to the report, Parks created two corporations called 'Multimillionaire LLC' and 'CP3O LLC' to create multiple accounts with the two cloud computing providers where he used its processing power and storage to mine Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Monero (XMR). Parks did this by tricking providers into approving privileges and benefits for his accounts. He then sold these cryptocurrencies and laundered the money through exchanges, an NFT marketplace, an online payment provider, and banks to cover up ties to himself.
Instead of paying the mounting bills from respective cloud servers, he used the laundered money on luxury items, cars, jewelry, and travel expenses. It is unknown if the respective companies will be able to recover funds from Parks eventually. But if not, it will be an expensive lesson to better confirm account details before granting special privileges and benefits which could lead to computing power being exploited by crypto miners.
Despite using multiple ways to launder his earnings from cryptocurrency and mounting unpaid bills, the investigative authorities traced it back to Parks, arresting himon April 13th.
Cryptojacking, as the word implies, means hijacking systems to mine cryptocurrencies. Earlier forms of cryptojacking involved infecting user's systems unknowingly, using CPUs and GPUs to mine cryptocurrencies unbeknownst to the victims. There were also Chrome extensions which, unknown to its users, used the hijacked coputers computers to mine cryptocurrency without the owner's knowledge. Google delisted these extensions eventually.
Despite a few companies' efforts to deter cryptojacking, some manage to take advantage, such as Parks. Though the names of the server providers aren't given in the official account, other sources indicate that the servers are located in Redmond and Seattle, both in the State of Washington and home to Microsoft and Amazon's Cloud Computing centers.
Cryptojacking has been a nuisance throughout the years, whether it targets Tesla's cloud computers or personal NAS. However, cases like this indicate the relevant authorities will work with multiple departments to investigate, arrest, and indict the involved parties.
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The 50 Coolest Software-Defined Storage Vendors: The 2024 Storage 100 – CRN
As part of CRNs 2024 Storage 100, here are 50 vendors bringing software capabilities, services and cloud connectivity to storage technology.
The base of nearly any storage system is hardware. But look closely at the hardware, and a distinct pattern appears: The hardware is likely to be an industry-standard server with industry-standard processors, industry-standard storage media and industry-standard memory.
The real value of storage systems, with few exceptions, lies in their software, not their hardware. Software is where the services provided by storage systemsthe ability to store and manage and protect primary and secondary datais provided. For this reason, storage system vendors typically have much larger software engineering teams than they do teams focused on hardware. Software teams define the value of storage.
For this reason, the list of the 50 coolest software-defined storage vendors includes companies ranging from the smallest providers to the likes of NetApp and Dell. They are well-recognized as hardware vendors. However, the list also includes providers of cloud storage where the end customers may not even touch hardware. All these companies are united by the fact that software does indeed define the storage.
As part of CRNs 2024 Storage 100, here are 50 vendors bringing software capabilities, services and cloud connectivity to storage technology.
Advanced Computer & Network Corp.
Gene Leyzarovich
President, CEO
AC&NC provides a wide range of data storage, data protection and data management for NAS, SAN, cloud and hyper-converged infrastructure deployments, as well as storage expansion, servers, switches and adapters to build complete systems. The company also pairs its all-flash and hybrid systems with third-party offerings such as CyberFortress to add data protection and security.
Amax Information Technologies
Jean Shih
President
Amax is a vertically integrated infrastructure manufacture with a focus on server, workstation and storage technologies under its own brand and on an OEM basis. Amax, which in late 2023 held its IPO on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, last year expanded its capabilities with new liquid and immersion cooling technology and the latest Nvidia GPUs.
Broadcom
Hock Tan
President, CEO
As if Broadcom was already not a big enough developer of storage technologiesthanks to multiple acquisitions it produces a wide range of storage adapters, controllers, ICs, and storage networking equipmentthe company in 2023 became a leader in software-defined storage technology with its massive acquisition of VMware from former parent company Dell Technologies.
Cloudian
Michael Tso
Co-Founder, CEO
Cloudian specializes in the development of Amazon S3-compatible object storage systems aimed at managing the complicated unstructured data requirements of a wide range of businesses. It does so via its HyperStore object storage platform, as well as its HyperStore File Services for capacity-intensive, less frequently used files. The company also offers observability and analytics and load-balancing technologies.
Croit
Martin Verges
CEO
Croit develops storage software appliances based on the open-source Red Hat Ceph technology to provide unified, software-defined, scale-out storage that works with block, file and object formats at a low cost per Gigabyte. The company late last year also started providing storage software appliances using the Intel DAOS technology to provide low-latency storage for high-performance environments.
Ctera Networks
Oded Nagel
CEO
Ctera provides technology for secure file services via a platform that manages enterprises file storage, control and governance requirements. The Ctera Enterprise File Services Platform unifies endpoint, branch office and cloud file services via a cloud-native global file system to enable multi-cloud data management with full control over data residency, security and edge-to-cloud acceleration.
DataCore
Dave Zabrowski
CEO
Datacore is one of the pioneers in software-defined storage, offering its storage technology in software-only form for use with customers own hardware platforms. The company most recently extended its software-defined object storage capabilities to the edge via its Agile Containerized Deployments and introduced SANsymphony Adaptive Data Placement for automatic tiering.
DDN
Alex Bouzari
Chairman, Co-Founder, CEO
DDN, the worlds largest privately held storage vendor, develops a comprehensive portfolio of storage systems targeting data-intensive workflows across on-premises and cloud infrastructures for use cases in oil and gas, supercomputing, AI, financial services, manufacturing, telecom and more. DDN in November unveiled DDN Infinia, which provides multitenancy, containerization and performance aimed primarily at accelerated computing for generative AI.
Dell Technologies
Michael Dell
Founder, Chairman, CEO
Dell remains the worlds largest storage vendor thanks to multiple acquisitions, but it is not resting on its laurels. The company is plunging head-first into as-a-service and subscription storage via its Dell Apex portfolio with elastic file, block and backup storage services. The companys PowerScale storage systems in November were validated on Nvidia DGX SuperPod for AI storage.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Antonio Neri
President, CEO
HPE has been the second-largest storage vendor for years, primarily on the strength of its HPE Alletra portfolio. Alletra is the center of its HPE GreenLake cloud and as-a-service offerings, including moves in early 2024 to introduce HPE GreenLake services for block storage and file storage. The company in November also unveiled a collaboration with Nvidia for GenAI.
Hitachi Vantara
Sheila Rohra
CEO
Hitachi Vantara, which in 2017 was formed by the combination of Hitachi Data Systems storage and data center infrastructure, Hitachi Insight IoT, and Pentaho big data businesses, reorganized again last November to focus on its block, file, object, mainframe, and software-defined storage and hybrid cloud-centric data infrastructure services portfolios. The company also has a leading storage virtualization technology.
Huawei
Zhengfei Ren
Director, CEO
China-based Huawei remains one of the worlds largest producers of storage systems despite having virtually no U.S. market share due to concerns about alleged China government ties. Huawei late 2023 introduced two new all-flash arrays, including the OceanStor Pacific 9920 scale-out array with up to 768-TB capacity in 2U, and the OceanStor Dorado 2100 all-flash active-active NAS system.
IBM
Arvind Krishna
Chairman, CEO
IBM develops a wide range of storage hardware, software and software-defined storage aimed at general storage, AI, hybrid cloud and data resilience requirements, much of which starting last year has been integrated with open source Ceph technologies from IBMs Red Hat acquisition. The company has most recently added several AI-focused storage systems to its line card.
Icedrive
James Bressington
Founder, CEO
IceDrive is a developer of cloud storage designed to look as if attached to a PC. The company provides Web-based, desktop and mobile apps for sharing and collaborating on a customers stored data. Its encrypted cloud storage uses the twofish algorithm, which the company says is more secure than AES.
Impossible Cloud
Kai Wawrzinek
Co-Founder, CEO
Impossible Cloud develops a decentralized cloud storage architecture built on a global network of enterprise-grade data centers. The company says that its architecture provides secure storage for big data, data backups and archives at a lower cost than hyperscalers can offer. With its S3 API compatibility, it integrates with a wide range of cloud storage applications.
Infinidat
Phil Bullinger
CEO
Infinidat develops enterprise-grade storage technology for AIOps and DevOps, data storage, cyber resiliency, data protection and recovery, business continuity and sovereign cloud storage. All of the companys storage capabilities are based on the same fundamental technology foundation that offers high availability, high performance, and low total cost of ownership at multi-petabyte scale.
Ionir
Jacob Cherian
CEO
Ionir develops a Kubernetes-native storage and data management platform the company says adopts to technology changes and evolving customer requirements without the need for forklift upgrades. Its technology lets businesses run any applications wherever and whenever needed without the need to worry about whether the data is there or not.
iXsystems
Mike Lauth
Co-Founder, CEO
iXsystems develops the open-source storage technology behind TrueNAS, which with over 15 million downloads is the worlds most deployed NAS technology, the company says. The TrueNAS platform is based on the ZFS file system, which provides scale-up and scale-out unified storage. iXsystems is a profitable, self-funded company with no outside investors.
Lenovo
Yuanqing Yang
Chairman, CEO
Originally posted here:
The 50 Coolest Software-Defined Storage Vendors: The 2024 Storage 100 - CRN