GSA calls for Apps.gov update

The US federal government's cloud computing Web site, Apps.gov, hasn't met the General Services Administration's (GSA) initial expectations, writes Information Week.

To handle the expectations, the GSA has requested enhanced sections: infrastructure-as-a-service, informational section, GSA-based social media hosting, and the redesign of Apps.gov's user interface and content is to be added.

"From our research, people aren't buying much, but are using it as a source of government information," says Katie Lewin, GSA's cloud computing programme manager.

Swedish telecom operator TeliaSonera and Cisco Systems will jointly offer cloud computing services for business customers, says Nasdaq.

TeliaSonera and Cisco will sell virtual conferencing services which they say will allow users to access Web meetings through mobile handsets, share documents and replay conferences on demand.

“The global market for cloud services is expected to generate revenue of $60 billion in 2012, compared to around $15 billion in 2008,” says Niklas Andersson, head of Cisco Sweden.

DediPower is offering UK companies a fast-track to enterprise-ready private cloud hosting, states Host Review.

The company has expanded its managed private cloud solutions to include configurations in a move to appeal to a broader range of enterprises, citing the use of virtualisation techniques and improving system performance can reduce data overheads by as much as 25%.

"No matter what type of business you're in, digital information is now the lifeblood of all. Even the smallest companies or divisions consider data availability as mission-critical," says Craig Martin, CEO of DediPower.