Intel announces its collaboration with VMware to strengthen the security on the cloud
Although companies are expanding the use of cloud computing in order to find higher agility and efficiency, security concerns continue to represent the main obstacle in the way to adopting this computing. Intel Corporation announced a new collaboration with VMware that will produce a new safe cloud platform, which combines the Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT) with the recently launched VMware vSphere 5.1, the main platform for the creation of cloud infrastructure. The combination of Intel TXT with VMware vSpehre 5.1 provides a highly integrated platform that is more secure to execute critical applications in the atmosphere of private and public clouds with the improved security capacities for Hardware integrated to the processor.
Integrated platform for the protection and control of data
In Data Centers in the clouds, normally the serves are virtualized and shared by various departments or clients, and are not dedicated to certain business lines or specific businesses. This generated new security concerns. The difference in the security can be compared to living in your own house or having a rented apartment. When one is the owner of a house, there is a certain control over protection and security, from locks to gates, even home security systems. This is the same to the current security of IT at companies. However, when one rents an apartment, it is like living with various other renters, where a diverse group of people share the same space, generating concerns about security. Security concerns are increased when there is the possibility that someone can enter the apartment through the fire escape or that the landlord will enter when the renter is not there. This situation is similar to having less control over the computing environment in the cloud.
In a recent global survey of IT professional on cloud security, and done by Intel, 61% of the IT professional expressed concerns about the lack of control and the capacities of these shared resources in the virtualized Data Centers. The IT professional also expressed concerns about not having the adequate tools to protect against virtual attacks, and 57% will not accommodate confidential data that must meet specific compatibility requirements in the Data Centers in the cloud.
Intel TXT is a security capability incorporated into the servers based in the processors Intel Xeon E3, E5 and E7 series. Organizations will better equip to face these challenges when combined with the VMware vSphere 5.1, through improved integrated infrastructure and better control over the security state of those servers in the virtualized clouds. The companies can also obtain operation efficiency by easing the movement of virtual machines in between clouds in pools of trusted servers known as the “Known good”, at the same time meeting compatibility requirements and automating the remote auditing process. In order to facilitate the implementation of these security capabilities, Intel and VMware developed a reference structure for solutions, or recipes, through the program Intel Cloud Builders.
“The Intel TXT provides Hardware reinforcement to help overcome some of the more challenging security aspects of the cloud, including the detection and prevention of attacks to the BIOS and evolving forms of hidden Malware, like the Rootkits”, said Jason Waxman, General Manager of the Cloud Infrastructure Group at Intel. “VMware vSphere 5.1 support for the TXT is essential for creating an infrastructure base and trusted virtualized clouds and is ready for implementation.”
“VMware is happy about the alliance with Intel to back up the Intel TXT in the VMware vSphere®5.1”, said Bogomil Balkansky, Senior Vice President of Cloud Infrastructure Products at VMware. “These combined capacities resulted in a trusted security solution for cloud environments. With VMware vSphere 5.1 and Intel TXT we are allowing that our clients have confidence in placing their confidential data and critical workloads in the cloud”.
Case Study: Dupont
Dupont, one of the largest research and development organizations in the world, with more than 9,500 scientist and engineers, is a leader in high performance cloud computing. Research and development projects can take various months to various years. Dupont need a platform that offered demand infrastructure, and then return resources back to the pool once the project was over. They also needed infrastructure that met regional regulations and maintained the most confidential information in secure way and inside the geographic border because the research and development efforts were spread all across the world.
“By expanding the cloud in a global manner, the compatibility and the regulation, require resources, such as geographic barriers, sequence speed and cryptography when the migration is made to a public cloud, as well as the service support in the cloud with suppliers where the terms and agreements play a fundamental role”, said Dr. Hai Zhu, Manager of the Research and Development Center at Dupont. “The compatibility mechanism can be supported by the same platform with the Intel TXT technologies to monitor these systems”.
