Rackspace expands cloud native services to accelerate value from public cloud

Expanded Rackspace Kubernetes-as-a-Service offering

Containerised environments are expanding, with Gartner predicting that “by 2022, more than 75 per cent of global organisations will be running containerised applications in production, which is a significant increase from fewer than 30 per cent today.” However, transitioning to a modern application framework is a complex undertaking, while it is hard to both train and retain technical talent that can build, manage, and continually evaluate and optimise the container environment.

Rackspace is duly expanding its Kubernetes-as-a-Service (KaaS) to support customers as they outline their container strategy, build containerised applications, and transition them into ongoing management. KaaS with OpenStack Private Cloud will also deliver the required IaaS services and infrastructure that customers require to avoid vendor and cloud lock-in, and support customers as they adopt containers and KaaS as a tool to accelerate cloud adoption.

Cloud Native Security Services

Rackspace is launching Managed Security Services for cloud native environments, offering a consulting service that provides around-the-clock monitoring and rapid remediation of security threats in cloud environments by certified security experts in the global Rackspace Security Operations Centre (SOC).

Customers’ threat information and alerts will be drawn directly from built-in security tools in public cloud platforms to Rackspace’s SOC Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. Establishing a comprehensive view and analysis of customer environments will enable the Rackspace SOC team to always stay one step ahead of security threats to public cloud environments.

In addition, Rackspace has joined forces with Alert Logic to help SMB and mid-market Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers improve their security posture with an AWS Security Review program.

Rackspace, combined with the insight and analytics of Alert Logic’s SaaS-based Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solution, will offer customers a consulting engagement that provides a window into the state of their environment’s security. Rackspace is the first AWS Premier Security Hub consulting partner with a list of Cloud Native Security services and features to support customers. As an AWS Premier Consulting Partner, Rackspace security experts provide a consultation to review the findings with customers and a customised recommendation plan to remediate gaps for on-going protection.

Expanded Service Blocks portfolio

Rackspace Service Blocks is the modular cloud services portfolio comprised of customisable services provided on a flexible consumption model, allowing customers to only pay for the cloud services they need at any given time. Through the recent expansion of the Service Blocks portfolio, Rackspace is empowering its customers to capitalise on new services and innovative features of public cloud, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), and Serverless Computing.

The recently available Service Blocks include:

• Hybrid Transformation with VMware Cloud on AWS – A grouping of managed and professional services designed to provide customers with the tools and expertise needed to make a smooth transition to hybrid cloud with VMware Cloud on AWS.
• Data Modernisation – This configuration helps customers streamline analytics processes, uncover deficiencies within processes, and derive meaning from data to enable better data-driven business decisions and serve their customers with accurate and timely information. 

Lee James, EMEA CTO at Rackspace, said: “Businesses expect faster, more agile environments and this can be afforded through cloud native services. At Rackspace, we are constantly evolving our offerings to ensure we are the leading partner to companies that want to accelerate the value that they’re deriving from the cloud, and take advantage of the innovation and transformation it affords.”

Jesse McLaughlin, Chief Technology Officer at loveholidays, said: “Rackspace has been a trusted partner on our journey towards becoming cloud native. From supporting our migration to Google Cloud Platform in under six months to handle a seven-fold increase in partner traffic, to providing consultancy and helping us develop custom tooling for Kubernetes to drive the customer metrics we truly care about. Rackspace has been an instrumental partner as we transform our infrastructure and IT management – and the resulting architecture and design is still paying off dividends.”