Unisys secures the cloud

With the concerns surrounding securing the cloud for business and mission-critical applications, Unisys has placed security at the centre of its new cloud strategy with the introduction of its 'Stealth' security technology, reports Computerworld.

Paul Allen, director of real-time infrastructure at Unisys Asia Pacific, says the Stealth technology works by bit-splitting data and encrypting it using defence certified AES encryption. This secures the data from sniffing, allowing it to be sent safely through open networks.

Companies can use the technology secure networks, removing the need for multiple virtual private networks to reduce telecommunications costs, says Allen.

App Store this week crossed a major milestone when the number of approved applications available for download passed the 100 000 mark, according to Channel Web.

The site predicts that Apple's App Store will hit 200 000 applications in 2010. In 16 months, the App Store has surpassed its competitors for the number of consumer and professional-based applications for smartphones.

The reasons it gives include the Apple App Store making it easy to download applications, its big brand-name applications, and that it is easy for developers to use.

Microsoft has created price cuts in its hosted business applications offerings while attempting to go after its share of the cloud computing market, reports Channel Web.

Microsoft reduced the price of its Business Productivity Online Suite, from $15 per seat monthly to $10 per seat monthly. Microsoft also reduced the price of the standalone Exchange Online offering from while increasing the mailbox capacity.

The move is seen as an effort to bring the features and pricing of its hosted business applications in line with those of Google Apps Premier edition. Google recently made $7.25 million with the Los Angeles city and its Google Apps Premier solution.