Cloud App Development, Cloud Security, Cloud App Management

Accela Helps Five Florida Counties Migrate to the Cloud to Deliver Better Services

Accela Helps Five Florida Counties Migrate to the Cloud

On March 14, 2023, Accela, a leading cloud solutions provider reported successful cloud migrations for five Florida cities and counties using its suite of cloud solutions. Charlotte County, Hillsborough County, Polk County, Tampa, and Weston are just a few of these local and state governments.

As digital transformation continues to accelerate across governments, agencies are turning to modern govtech solutions that can help them deliver essential services faster, easier, and more cost-effectively. Accela's SaaS platform and cloud solutions make things easier for residents and staff and create new digital efficiencies that save time and money when doing things like opening and running a business, applying for permits, and scheduling inspections.

Jonathon Knight, Chief Customer Officer at Accela, said, "When I speak with our government partners, I consistently hear they are passionate about finding solutions that help them deliver essential services faster, easier and more cost-effectively – and this is all possible with the cloud." He also said, "Migrating to the cloud is one of the most responsible uses of IT funds and plays a critical role in building stronger, more resilient communities. It breaks down organizational barriers and establishes a 'one-stop-shop' to best service agencies and residents alike."

(Source - CISION PR Newswire)

The company has reported that it will help over 33 jurisdictions migrate to the cloud from 2021 through the fiscal year 2023. Additionally, 16 other jurisdictions are currently in the migration pipeline. The successful cloud migrations are part of the continued growth of Accela, which closed the last quarter with 17% growth in its annual recurring revenue and outstanding net retention well above 110%.

About Accela

Accela is a provider of cloud solutions that helps governments worldwide to accelerate their digital transformation, deliver vital services, and build stronger communities. The company's purpose-built solutions and platform provide users with a consumer-like experience, data sharing across departments, and world-class security. Accela's government software meets agencies' requirements wherever they are on their modernization journey and helps them prepare for the future. The company has won several awards, including the Microsoft US Partner Award and the Inc.'s Best in Business award for SaaS. It was founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices globally, and over 300 million residents worldwide benefit from their solutions.

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Cloud Security

Lookout Increases Strategic Investment in Data-centric Cloud Security

Business Wire | October 27, 2023

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Lookout’s data-centric cloud security innovation helps safeguard customers’ sensitive information as it moves across networks, clouds, applications and devices: Discover and onboard all private apps with enterprise app discovery:When it comes to protecting sensitive corporate data, ZTNA offers a far more secure approach compared to traditional VPNs.Unlike VPNs that provide access to the entire network for example, ZTNA offers granular access control, which limits users to specific applications. This reduces the overall attack surface and prevents lateral movement of threats, minimizing the risk of compromised accounts or devices compromising the entire infrastructure.Lookout Secure Private Accessdiscovers and helps onboard private applications running on an organization’s network hosted on-prem or in the cloud, and currently being accessed by a VPN. Using this functionality, IT can now see all private applications being accessed by their users and take steps to seamlessly define and enforce access and data protection policies for these apps. Extend zero trust protection with firewall as a service:The Lookout Cloud Security Platform has an integrated cloud firewall that extends inspection of incoming and outgoing traffic across all ports and protocols, enabling granular visibility and access control into non-web traffic to stop zero-day threats. With this enhancement, customers can apply more granular security and access policies across all of their apps (web, TCP, UDP, ICMP) and both internet and intranet traffic. Expand data classification and protection capabilities in Google Drive:Google Labels Classification expands data classification capabilities across the Lookout Cloud Security Platform through an integration with Google Drive labels. This integration helps Lookout customers classify sensitive data with Google Drive labels and enforce security policies based on these labels to protect sensitive data stored in Google Drive’s API mode. Secure traffic and enforce policies on guest networks and IoT devices:Organizations need visibility and control over all endpoints and users within their network in order to reduce the risk of malware infections and data exfiltration through these channels. Lookout has enhanced traffic inspection capabilities, expanding data and threat protection to guest users of company networks and traffic coming from IoT devices. This helps ensure company networks are not compromised from these access points, thereby preventing data exfiltration. Advanced threat protection from phishing and zero-day threats:Lookout has enhanced its integration with remote browser isolation (RBI) and cloud sandboxing to improve the user experience and provide robust threat protection for organizations, preventing users from accessing malicious sites and content. “In today’s digital world, data is the lifeblood of every organization,” said Pete Finalle, Research Manager, IDC. “It is vitally important that organizations protect their data and ensure that it is secure, no matter where it resides or how it is accessed. Lookout's new cloud security features offer greater assurance to IT organizations that their data is safe and their users are protected.” Lookout continues to innovate the Lookout Cloud Security Platform in ways that strengthen the protection of users and data from security threats and enhance the end-user experience, said Aaron Cockerill, Executive Vice President of Product, Lookout. We are the only vendor that unifies cloud and endpoint security into one platform. With this latest release, Lookout continues to build upon our strategic vision to put data security at the intersection of today’s workplace and modern cybersecurity threats. About Lookout Lookout, Inc. is the data-centric cloud security company that delivers zero trust security by reducing risk and protecting data wherever it goes, without boundaries or limits. Our unified, cloud-native platform safeguards corporate data across devices, apps, networks and clouds and is as adaptive and simple as the modern digital world. Lookout is trusted by enterprises and government agencies of all sizes to protect the sensitive data they care about most, enabling them to work and connect freely and safely. To learn more about the Lookout Cloud Security Platform, visit www.lookout.com and follow Lookout on our blog, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Cloud Security

Aviatrix’s Distributed Firewall: A Breakthrough in Cloud Security

Aviatrix | October 13, 2023

Aviatrix, a leading provider of secure cloud networking solutions, unveiled the results of a comprehensive technical assessment conducted by TechTarget's Enterprise Strategy Group, highlighting the efficacy of its revolutionary distributed cloud firewall in fortifying cloud-based cybersecurity. The report underscores the growing need for a simplified and comprehensive security architecture to safeguard applications on public cloud infrastructure as organizations increasingly leverage multiple cloud providers. According to the evaluation, the Aviatrix Distributed Cloud Firewall significantly reduces the complexity of securing public cloud infrastructure, streamlining crucial aspects such as threat blocking, policy definition, enforcement, and microsegmentation. This is a significant development considering the challenges posed by traditional firewalls that struggle to adapt to the dynamic nature of cloud computing. Alex Arcilla, Senior Validation Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, reportedly remarked, Many organizations are still working with traditional data center network firewalls that have been virtualized to work in the public cloud, and they're now finding that they're saddled with the same – if not more – challenges than they faced when deploying firewalls on premises. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Aviatrix's innovative Distributed Cloud Firewall, a key offering within its Secure Cloud Networking suite, revolutionizes network security in the cloud by enabling distributed inspection and enforcement. This approach enhances security, scalability, and agility while substantially reducing costs. Notably, the distributed architecture allows for a cost reduction of over 30% while delivering a 14-fold increase in aggregate security throughput compared to conventional, centralized firewall architectures commonly adapted for cloud environments. It was proven that the Aviatrix Distributed Cloud Firewall can create a zero-trust security posture in multicloud environments by protecting the current perimeter, locking down environments with policy configurations based on cloud resource attributes and tags, and filtering traffic from one service to another. These features ensure comprehensive security measures for east-west service-to-service traffic within cloud environments and internet egress traffic. Rod Stuhlmuller, the Vice President of Solutions Marketing at Aviatrix, emphasized that the introduction of Aviatrix's Distributed Cloud Firewall earlier that year had signaled the beginning of a new era for cloud network security. He further noted that customers were rapidly embracing this solution. Additionally, he highlighted that the technical analysis by Enterprise Strategy Group underscored the value that Aviatrix was providing to enterprises struggling with contemporary cloud security challenges and associated expenses. However, the Aviatrix Distributed Cloud Firewall, with its intricate functionalities and sophisticated network security configurations, may present a considerable obstacle for users less familiar with such intricate setups. Consequently, the successful deployment of this firewall may require the involvement of specialized experts to ensure its optimal performance. Moreover, the initial financial investment and the intricacies involved in the integration process of the Aviatrix Distributed Cloud Firewall may create barriers for smaller organizations, potentially limiting their access to the advantages it offers. Notwithstanding these challenges, the Aviatrix Distributed Cloud Firewall effectively addresses the continually changing security requirements of modern cloud environments. It presents a seamless and cost-effective solution for establishing comprehensive cybersecurity measures within a cloud-based infrastructure, thereby enhancing the overall security posture and minimizing potential risks. About Aviatrix Aviatrix, a Santa Clara-based software development firm, caters to a global clientele of over 500 companies, providing secure cloud networking solutions that foster innovation and cost control. Its pioneering Aviatrix Certified Engineer (ACE) Program facilitates digital transformation for businesses. Specializing in hybrid cloud networking, VPC peering, and cloud security, Aviatrix is recognized for its expertise in simplifying and streamlining networking architectures across multiple cloud service providers.

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Cloud Infrastructure Management

Britain's TSB Bank Selects Lacework for Enhanced Cloud Protection

Lacework | September 25, 2023

Lacework, the data-driven cloud security firm, has been selected by TSB Bank, a prominent British banking institution, to safeguard its cloud infrastructure. TSB Bank's decision to choose Lacework as its cloud security provider demonstrates its commitment to protecting sensitive data and ensuring the highest level of security for its customers. With Lacework's expertise in data-driven security solutions, TSB Bank can confidently rely on their cloud infrastructure being safeguarded against potential threats and vulnerabilities. TSB's Chief Information Security Officer, Paul Branley, expressed his excitement about the development, stating that the Lacework Polygraph data platform would transform the way their security teams operate. He mentioned that it would enable their developers to concentrate on value-added tasks while also substantially reducing security alerts. TSB, a longstanding player in the banking sector with over two centuries of heritage, is serving over five million customers through various channels, including digital, phone, and branches across the UK. With a growing digital business, TSB needed a unified cloud security platform to support its multi-cloud landscape. Lacework will facilitate secure and innovative cloud scaling, eliminating vulnerabilities across various cloud configurations and applications. Andreas Schneider, Field-CISO at Lacework, reportedly mentioned, Partnering with Lacework, TSB will be able to reduce complexity in their tool landscape, and our anomaly detection will allow them to embed security at any speed and scale." [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Lacework's platform will enable TSB to automate audit and compliance processes while seamlessly integrating into DevOps and CI/CD pipelines, ensuring security acts as an enabler of innovation velocity. The adoption of Lacework’s technology by TSB Bank may entail integration challenges, risks related to automation, and uncertainties about real-world effectiveness that could affect TSB's security strategy. TSB Bank's selection of Lacework promises improved cloud security, enhanced developer focus, and support for its multi-cloud landscape, with automation and integration into DevOps pipelines to boost innovation. About Lacework Lacework, a leading cloud security company, offers innovative and scalable solutions for robust cloud security. Their flagship product, the Polygraph Data Platform, automates security processes, providing comprehensive risk insights for security and development teams. Lacework's unique ability to analyze data across AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes environments is a significant advantage for businesses worldwide. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, Lacework excels in breach detection, audit and compliance, and container security.

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Cloud App Management

Couchbase Shines: Ranks 9th in Battery Ventures’ Top Cloud Firms 2023

Couchbase | October 09, 2023

Couchbase, Inc. has earned a spot on Battery Ventures' 2023 list of the highest-rated cloud computing companies to work for. Battery Ventures, a technology-focused investment firm, compiled this ranking using feedback from Glassdoor. Couchbase secured the ninth position among the top 25 B2B cloud computing companies, boasting an impressive overall company ranking of 4.45 compared to Glassdoor's broader average of 3.7. The recognition is based on employee-reported satisfaction levels at work, highlighting Couchbase's commitment to fostering a values-driven organization. Fidelma Butler, Chief People Officer at Couchbase, emphasized the company's mission to simplify modern application development and expressed gratitude for the dedicated team that contributes to Couchbase's positive workplace environment. Couchbase has also received other recent workplace awards, including the UK's Best Workplaces in Tech 2022 and Fortune's Best Workplaces in the Bay Area 2022. The company remains dedicated to building an engaged, diverse, and inclusive global team. Neeraj Agrawal, a cloud-computing investor and Battery general partner, commended the companies on the list for maintaining strong corporate cultures during challenging times in the tech industry and shifting workplace norms post-COVID. Brandon Gleklen, a Battery principal, stressed the importance of company culture in attracting top talent and staying competitive. To make the 2023 list, a cloud company had to receive a minimum of 30 company reviews on Glassdoor between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. For public companies, the criteria included being listed on a U.S.-based stock exchange and having a total enterprise value of at least $500 million as of the end of Q2, 2023. About Couchbase Couchbase, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a software development company specializing in NoSQL, document-oriented, key-value, mobile databases, SQL, cloud databases, and DBaaS. It aims to simplify application development and deployment through its cloud database platform, Capella. Over 30% of Fortune 100 companies trust Couchbase to power their modern applications, delivering exceptional customer experiences.

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