NaviSite, a large U.S. service provider that started out hosting websites, Microsoft Exchange servers and Oracle applications, is entering the lists of infrastructure-as-a-service providers by offering a VMware-based cloud.
It’s a feather in VMware’s cap that it can cite a major third-party addition to its hybrid cloud lineup as VMworld, its annual user group conclave, convenes Aug. 25-29 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. About 22,000 attendees are expected. NaviSite is an Andover, Mass.-based service owned by Time Warner, which acquired it in early 2011 as telecom companies like Verizon, NTT and CenturyLink started gobbling up IaaS providers.
VMware already has several U.S.-based, compatible public cloud suppliers, including BlueLock, CSC and Verizon Terremark. In Europe, it has Colt; in Japan, Softbank; in Singapore, SingTel.
“Over the past three years, we’ve seen an increase in the amount of capabilities asked for, capabilities such as more flexibility, more accessibility to the platform through an API,” said David Grimes, cloud technology designer and visionary, in an interview. In a traditional managed service, the hosting service handles provisioning and management of the running application. IaaS changes that by turning the responsibilities over to the customer in exchange for lower pricing.