VIRTUAL DESKTOP STRATEGIES
OpsRamp | September 15, 2022
OpsRamp, the digital operations management company, has partnered with Virtual Service Operations (VSO), a leader in hybrid and multi-cloud managed services, to power VSO’s virtual Service Quality Operations Division (vSQOD) Managed Services offering. VSO is using OpsRamp’s digital operations management platform for monitoring and alerting of hybrid and multi-cloud workloads and patching-as-a-service across its customer accounts.
VSO manages a variety of technologies, both on-customer-premises and in public cloud environments, all unified in the OpsRamp platform. The OpsRamp multi-tier, multi-tenant SaaS-based platform allows VSO to monitor and manage Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, IBM Cloud, VMware, Kubernetes, and much more from a single pane of glass.
“The benefit of OpsRamp is that it goes across all of those different cloud environments and our on-premises footprint as well, We are able to monitor globally, by region, and by customer.”
Laura Richardson, Chief Technology Officer of VSO
VSO supports multiple environments 24/7 through its vSQOD service, using OpsRamp for alert handling, event correlation and escalation, integrated with Jira Service Management. Improved uptime, greater resiliency and security, and lower operational costs are all benefits customers have enjoyed from working with VSO, powered by OpsRamp.
“It all starts in OpsRamp,” said Richardson. “We use OpsRamp as a clearinghouse for alerts, then after event correlation it feeds Jira with actionable tickets. We can quiet the noise so the tickets that hit Jira get immediate focus.”
More than 60% of the vSQOD are veterans of the US Armed Forces. VSO founders Steve O’Keefe and John Birch launched the company at the start of 2018 with a veteran-centric mission propelled by their past experience working with highly-trained and adaptable service members. While some of vSQOD’s hires come to the firm with subject matter expertise in IT that they gained in the military, VSO offers transitioning service members with an interest in tech the opportunity to train with Skillbridge before separation from the armed forces. They can then advance their technical training through internal skill-mapping or partnership courses once in the field.
“We hire veterans, train them in teams and deploy them in teams,” said Richardson. “More than 200,000 people exit the military each year, after having spent years in one or more of the US military’s 4000 schools. It’s a great pool of talent to draw from. Veterans work well in teams, have excellent leadership qualities, and thrive as IT professionals. VSO’s Managed Services are outstanding because of them.”
“OpsRamp is honored to be the IT operations management platform of choice for VSO and support its mission of hiring and training veterans for careers in IT,” said Jim Lampert, vice president of global strategic accounts at OpsRamp. “OpsRamp helps MSPs to grow their business, improve customer outcomes and reduce operational costs.”
VSO is one of several recent customer success stories OpsRamp has announced in the MSP space including:
Liquid IT: Reduced alert noise by 95% resulting in lower mean time to detect and resolve incidents and increased service availability.
Pinnacle Technology Partners: Reduced alert floods so they now only have to respond to critical events, allowing them to reduce mean time to repair, and automate high-volume, time-consuming IT operations tasks.
WinWire: Reduced event noise by 90%, automated 70% of routine IT operations tasks and managed the same number of clients with 50% less staff effort.
About OpsRamp:
OpsRamp is a digital operations management software company whose SaaS platform is used by managed service providers and enterprise IT teams to monitor and manage their cloud and on-premises infrastructure. Key capabilities of the OpsRamp platform include hybrid infrastructure discovery and monitoring, event and incident management, and remediation and automation, all of which are powered by artificial intelligence.
About VSO:
Virtual Service Operations is a U.S.-based Managed Services and Engineering firm for infrastructure, cloud, and hybrid environments. Its military veteran workforce provides reliable, secure, and cost-effective solutions for companies in need of a flexible, affordable approach to hybrid architecture and data management.
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VIRTUAL SERVER INFRASTRUCTURE
ProArch | October 20, 2022
ProArch, a global IT services and consulting firm and top Microsoft Solutions Partner, has partnered with Nerdio the premier solution for organizations looking to deploy virtual desktops in Microsoft Azure and Rimo3 the leading innovator of intelligent, automated, testing and modernization solutions for enterprise Windows applications to fortify ProArch’s Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution.
Gartner projects the demand for DaaS to grow 253% between 2021 and 2024. Recognizing a market and skills gap, ProArch has enlisted Nerdio and Rimo3 to deliver a highly comprehensive DaaS solution that supports modern cloud strategies that enterprise IT leaders are looking to adopt.
“With experience working with enterprises across cloud, security, data and application development, we know every organization requires a unique approach to adopting Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), DaaS strategically moves workloads to a secure AVD environment and includes ongoing guidance from ProArch, so your team isn’t left wondering what to do next. Now, in partnership with Nerdio and Rimo3, we’re able to leverage automation to streamline migration and management so that enterprises can accelerate their cloud journey and be more flexible and secure.”
Ben Wilcox, CTO of security and cloud at ProArch
ProArch’s DaaS Solution is built on top of Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Nerdio Manager for Enterprise and Rimo3. The solution helps enterprises realize the benefits of a distributed workforce and build elasticity into their IT infrastructure to accelerate growth. It is currently available, and ProArch has begun working with enterprise organizations to execute the migration of workloads, AVD implementation and ongoing managed services.
ProArch’s DaaS Solution is unique in the market not only because of the strength of its technology stack but also because ProArch performs the migration of workloads while incorporating security best practices. In addition, ProArch’s 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) can be integrated into the service to monitor and respond to cyber threats in real time.
“We have always admired ProArch’s strong expertise in helping enterprises realize their cloud potential,” said Vadim Vladimirskiy, CEO and cofounder of Nerdio. “We are excited to propel their new DaaS solution alongside Rimo3 so that enterprise organizations can get up and running with Azure Virtual Desktop much more quickly and efficiently while feeling assured their investment is being guided, optimized and cared for by the experts at ProArch.”
“The full complement of ProArch’s service offerings and depth of subject matter expertise helps enterprises move to the cloud with confidence,” said Samit Halvadia, CTO of Rimo3. “Combining the industry-leading features of Nerdio and Rimo3 into their DaaS solution enables customers to accelerate their journey from legacy to modern and ultimately unlock the full benefits of AVD.”
About ProArch
ProArch is a global technology services firm that delivers transformative value through cybersecurity and compliance, cloud and infrastructure, data and AI, and software development. ProArch connects business goals with technology solutions and strategies to accelerate modernization, reduce risk, harness the power of data and create customer-centric digital products. ProArch’s mission is to listen closely, understand deeply and solve strategically for absolute value to our clients.
About Nerdio
Nerdio empowers Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and enterprises to build successful cloud practices in Microsoft Azure with Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. Nerdio Manager for Enterprise is a packaged Azure application that runs in users’ own tenants without compromising security and compliance by allowing third-party vendors access to the IT environment. Nerdio Manager for MSP empowers MSPs to deploy, manage and optimize virtual desktop environments in Microsoft Azure through easy multitenant management.
About Rimo3
Rimo3 provides unattended automation for Windows application migration, format modernization and readiness testing for Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, as well as identifying MSIX and multisession suitability. By leveraging automation to collect application insights, Rimo3 helps IT organizations speed the time to delivery and minimize risk in deploying security updates and ongoing changes in desktop and server environments across physical, virtual and cloud workspaces. Streamline operations, optimize resources, lower costs and improve end-user productivity.
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VPN
ExpressVPN | September 23, 2022
Leading consumer privacy and security company ExpressVPN today announces its first foray into hardware products with the launch of ExpressVPN Aircove.
Aircove is the first and only Wi-Fi 6 router that comes with built-in VPN by default and a user interface tailored for those seeking to protect their families with a VPN. With Aircove, users can enjoy holistic home security easily, with VPN protection straight out of the box.
"The average US home now has 25 devices connected to the home Wi-Fi network.[1] From laptops to smart TVs, things add up quickly and it becomes more difficult to keep track and know that every device is protected. That's why we built Aircove, to provide users with simple, flexible VPN-protected internet connection across every room, on every device, for every household member,"
Harold Li, vice president, ExpressVPN
According to a recent study, 98% of all IoT device traffic is unencrypted, potentially allowing attackers to easily extract personal and confidential data.[2] With its easy setup, Aircove lets users protect and encrypt every device in their home within minutes. This includes smart TVs, voice assistants, and other IoT devices that aren't usually compatible with VPN software.
Aircove was designed with user privacy and security as a top priority. For example, users can share their home Wi-Fi network with their visitors simply by scanning a QR code—no password sharing required. Aircove also has an auto update feature so that users always have the latest features and security enhancements to keep their network safe and secure.
ExpressVPN also invited cybersecurity firm Cure53 to conduct a penetration test and source code audit of Aircove prior to the launch. The test was conducted in June and July 2022.
Aircove uses Wi-Fi 6 for faster and more reliable wireless connectivity, which permits speeds up to 1,200 Mbps (600 Mbps for 2.4GHz and 1,200 Mbps for 5GHz). It covers homes up to 1,600 square feet and is available for sale in the U.S.A. on Amazon from today, at a special launch price of $169 (usual price $189).
ExpressVPN has over a decade of experience protecting users all over the world, and five years of experience in making market-leading router firmware. Aircove allows ExpressVPN to deliver the following to its users:
Better performance: ExpressVPN now has more control over the software-hardware compatibility and optimization, enabling them to deliver faster app updates for better speed, more reliable connections, and faster new feature rollouts.
Better experience: ExpressVPN's unique router app is already the best in the market, and now it's even better. With Aircove, the VPN router experience is further simplified for users. This means no more router flashing—VPN protection comes straight out of the box.
Better price: 1 in 3 of ExpressVPN's router app users spend at least US$250 on a VPN-compatible router. Aircove delivers an even better product and experience at a more accessible price point.
"We are reinventing digital home protection with Aircove's plug-and-play simplicity. It delivers our award-winning software in an easy-to-use router device, and we're excited to provide users with another way to leverage the best of ExpressVPN for their entire home," Li said.
Aircove is available now on Amazon at the special launch price of $169 for a limited time, while stock lasts (UP: $189.90).
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