PARC Spin-Out PowerCloud Systems Raises $6 Million from Qualcomm

 PowerCloud Systems, a spin-out of Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) that offers a ‘networking-as-a-service’ platform for OEMs and service providers, has raised $6 million in Series B funding in a round led by Qualcomm Ventures, with prior backers Walden Venture Capital, Javelin Venture Partners and PARC participating.

The capital will be used to enhance the company’s online software platform, CloudCommand.

The CloudCommand platform enables networking OEMs and service providers to integrate cloud capabilities with their wireless and wired networking equipment and to deliver networking-as-a-service-based solutions for SMBs.

CloudCommand’s initial implementations support Wi-Fi networking, and in 2012 the company says it will expand into additional networking categories.

PowerCloud Systems is not only a spin-out from PARC, but its technology is also supported by intellectual property developed at the research center, including 10 patents in areas ranging from cloud-virtualized network controllers to usable security.

The company has raised approximately $10 million to date.

Read the article.

Press Release: PowerCloud Secures $6 Million in Series B Funding Led by Qualcomm

 We’re pleased to announce our Series B funding with new lead investor Qualcomm (QCOM) through its investment arm, Qualcomm Ventures.  All existing investors participated as well.

Qualcomm, the world leader in next-generation mobile technologies, has built its reputation by repeatedly identifying and investing in next-generation technologies poised to transform the mobile industry.

Today’s announcement validates that Networking as a Service (NaaS) is poised to transform the networking sector and that PowerCloud is a market leader in the space.

PowerCloud Systems Secures $6 Million in
Series B Funding Led by Qualcomm

Funding Fuels Growth of Networking as a Service (NaaS) Platform
for OEMs and Service Providers

Palo Alto, Calif., December 14, 2011 – PowerCloud™ Systems, the leading software platform provider for enabling Networking as a Service (NaaS), today announces $6 million in Series B financing. The round was led by Qualcomm via its venture investment arm, Qualcomm Ventures.  PowerCloud Systems’ existing investors – Walden Venture Capital, Javelin Venture Partners and PARC – all participated in the round.

Key Facts

• PowerCloud Systems will use the funds to enhance the capabilities of its patented CloudCommand™ online software platform and to expand the company’s sales efforts worldwide.
• The CloudCommand platform enables networking OEMs and service providers to integrate cloud capabilities with their networking equipment and to deliver NaaS-based solutions for SMBs.
• Qualcomm Ventures focuses on early-stage technology companies with disruptive technologies that can transform the global wireless ecosystem.  PowerCloud Systems is enabling an industry shift to NaaS by applying cloud technologies to wireless and wired networking infrastructure.
• PowerCloud Systems is the industry’s leading NaaS platform provider, and in 2011 it delivered CloudCommand solutions to products developed by D-Link, ZyXEL, Ubiquiti Networks, Amer Networks and Arada Systems while additionally securing technology partnerships with Qualcomm Atheros and others.
• Powerfully Simple Networking™ solutions powered by CloudCommand are customized by each partner and deliver compelling features such as multi-customer remote administration, hardware self-configuration, multi-location coverage, customizable hotspot functionality, enhanced device security, real-time monitoring and performance reporting.
• PowerCloud Systems is a spin-out from PARC, a premier center for innovation, and the technology underpinning the CloudCommand platform is supported by intellectual property developed at PARC, including 10 patents in areas ranging from cloud-virtualized network controllers to usable security.
• CloudCommand’s initial implementations support Wi-Fi networking, and in 2012 the company will expand into additional networking categories while continuing to develop innovative cloud features.

Comments

Quinn Li, Senior Director of Qualcomm Ventures

“Qualcomm Ventures is focused on funding transformative business opportunities,” said Quinn Li, senior director of Qualcomm Ventures.  “PowerCloud’s technology platform enables powerfully simple networking-as-a-service solutions that can redefine the small-business networking market. PowerCloud’s innovative business model is compelling for both vendor and channel partners, and we’re excited to help propel its growth.”

Jeff Abramowitz, Founder and CEO of PowerCloud Systems

“PowerCloud is extremely pleased to add Qualcomm Ventures to our board,” said Jeff Abramowitz, president and CEO of PowerCloud Systems.  “Qualcomm has a tremendous track record in boosting the business growth of companies with broad enabling technologies.  We have a backlog of opportunities, and we are now poised to accelerate our market leadership.”

Read the Press Release.

RETAIL Solutions: RideNow Powersports of Tempe, Arizona

RideNow Powersports is the country’s  premier motorcycle, ATV and watercraft dealership group with 22 locations across United States and more than 600 employees.  Managing both corporate and branch-office IT responsibilities from the company’s Tempe headquarters, IT Director Joe Hennessy knew he needed a cloud-based solution that would be easy to deploy and provide a unified Wi-Fi network across all locations.  He selected D-Link’s CloudCommand-powered solution for its blend of affordability and management features.

Hennessy configured the network sitting at his desk, and he’s halfway through the installation.  After registering the access points through his CloudCommand dashboard, he ships them to the store managers who plug them in and allow them to self configure.  In minutes, another dealership comes online and is fully operational.  Back in Tempe, Hennessy can monitor the status of each location.  To ensure network privacy, he uses CloudCommand’s highest security setting, IDA.

“We are a large, geographically diverse operation and we’re bringing Wi-Fi online for the first time,” Hennessy said.  “Some dealerships may have technical expertise, but many don’t.  It was critical to deploy a cloud-based solution that I could manage remotely in real time.  Not only is the CloudCommand-based solution affordable, but it delivers the core management features I need to provide business wireless.”

EDUCATION Solutions: Forestville Central School District in New York

The Forestville Central School District (FSCD) near Buffalo, NY, relies on a CloudCommand-powered network from Amer Networks to deliver secure Wi-Fi to its student body, staff and administrators.

The district’s 14-unit installation supports several hundred users at multiple locations and provides administrators the tools to manage and monitor connectivity.

Leveraging CloudCommand’s patented Individual Device Authentication (IDA™), Technology Coordinator Murphy individually identifies, secures and monitors every device that accesses his network.  He maintains a separate guest network for public events.  Murphy has assigned additional administrators to the manage the network in case he’s unavailable and he receives real-time alerts when issues arise.

“Every public school district needs to take a serious look at Amer Networks’ CloudCommand-powered solution,” said Murphy.  ”It was designed for the budgets and needs of the education market.  It not only delivers excellent Wi-Fi, but gives me multiple tools to manage my network.  We saved money and we got the network we needed.”

PowerCloud Is Hiring!

Do you have the passion and drive to transform an industry and bring cloud-powered Networking as a Service (NaaS) to the mainstream?  PowerCloud Systems is looking for talented team members who are ready to join the NaaS revolution.

We’re fast paced, high energy and excellent to work with.  We’re based inside the famous PARC research labs, a center of innovation and thought leadership.  Here are the some of the available positions:

• Senior Web Applications Developer (multiple positions)
• Web Applications Developer (multiple positions)
• Senior Embedded Software Engineer
• Senior UX/UI Designer
• QA Automation Engineer
• Field and Support Engineering Manager

Visit our Career Page on our website and check back often!

Coming to Market: ZyXEL Explains the Advantages of Cloud-Managed Wi-Fi

 In November, we announced our partner ZyXEL had begun shipping its first CloudCommand-powered product, the NWA1100N-CE.

Here’s an animated overview from ZyXEL highlighting the features, benefits and affordability that our CloudCommand platform delivers to SMBs:

Click to watch the video.

New Video: Turnkey Instant Hotspot Solutions by CloudCommand

Our latest CloudCommand video highlights how managed services providers (MSPs) create powerful, cost-effective hotspot solutions using CloudCommand Hotspot, the first turnkey, cloud-managed hotspot solution for small- and medium-sized businesses.

Key Benefits

• Deploy commercial hotspots in minutes
• Build revenue-generating service plans
• Process online credit-card payments with no setup required
• Simultaneously offer different plans to different users
• Limit user access by session duration and/or total bandwidth usage
• Customize branded login portals, terms of use and more

Watch the Video.

eWeek Covers the Debut of ZyXEL’s New CloudCommand-Powered Device

 eWeek & Nathan Eddy highlight the debut of ZyXEL’s NWA1100N-CE:

Zyxel Announces Cloud-Managed Access Points

The price for the platform is $159, and a one-year subscription for cloud-management service has a price of $129.

ZyXEL Communications, a provider of secure broadband networking, Internet connectivity and routing products, announced the availability of its cloud-enabled access point, NWA1100N-CE, and a promotion with PC Connection. Customers who purchase a three-year cloud-management service for $299 at PC Connection will receive the NWA1100N-CE at no additional cost.

The NWA1100N-CE offers the dual-management option of being controlled either via local user interface or remotely through cloud services. Zyxel also offers all NWA1100N-CE customers a free one-month trial of the cloud-management service.

The NWA1100N-CE leverages PowerCloud Systems’ CloudCommand technology. Designed to meet the needs of the small to medium-size business (SMB) market, CloudCommand delivers cloud capabilities to networking devices and provides the NWA1100N-CE with management functionality.

In addition, the solution offers recurring revenue opportunities for managed services providers (MSPs) that serve the SMB market. The NWA1100N-CE allows MSPs to administer multiple customers’ WiFi networks remotely and in real time. According to AMI Partners, SMBs will spend nearly $100 billion by 2014 on cloud computing and the cloud offers SMBs numerous benefits, including pooled resources for lower cost per user, on-demand access to services, the ability to centralize and simplify management, and constant access to resources.

The platform allows midmarket companies to create a single virtual wirelessnetwork across multiple locations, and employees can access a network at any location without changing client settings. Companies can enforce uniform access rules and policies for their business from a single point. The access point also allows businesses to remotely manage multiple networks in real time from anywhere via a browser-based dashboard, and administrators can perform all management activities remotely, upgrade all APs with a single click, and receive real-time alerts to emails and cell phones.

Learn how the cloud-managed NWA1100N-CE delivers affordable enterprise-level features to Wi-Fi.

Press Release: ZyXEL Launches the NWA1100N-CE Cloud-Managed Access Point

ZyXEL today announces the immediate availability of the newest CloudCommand-powered networking device to come to market, the NWA1100N-CE Access Point.

It’s a great milestone for PowerCloud Systems as yet another OEM leverages CloudCommand to deliver breakthrough networking solutions that combine business-grade networking features with unprecedented affordability.   ZyXEL focuses its business on SMBs and the MSPs that support them, and the NWA1100N-CE is designed to meet their specific needs and budgets.

ZyXEL Announces Availability of the NWA1100N-CE Cloud-Managed Access Point, Offers Free Device With Cloud-Management Service Purchase

Enterprise-Grade Wireless-N Access Point Enables Affordable Cloud-Management Option for SMBs, Plus Recurring Revenue Opportunities for Solution Providers

ANAHEIM, CA – Nov 01, 2011 – ZyXEL Communications Inc., a leading provider of secure broadband networking, Internet connectivity and routing products, today announced the availability of its cloud-enabled access point, NWA1100N-CE, and an exclusive promotion with PC Connection.

Customers who purchase a three-year cloud-management service for $299 at PC Connection will receive the NWA1100N-CE at no additional cost. The NWA1100N-CE is the first access point to offer the dual-management option of being controlled either via via local user interface or remotely through cloud services. ZyXEL also offers all NWA1100N-CE customers a free one-month trial of the cloud-management service.

“The NWA1100N-CE provides small and mid-sized businesses the perfect blend of business-class wireless hardware with the convenience of cloud-management capabilities,” said Steven Joe, executive vice president of channel business for Americas at ZyXEL.

According to AMI Partners, SMBs will spend nearly $100 billion by 2014 on cloud computing. The cloud offers SMBs numerous benefits, including: pooled resources for lower cost per user; on-demand access to services; the ability to centralize and simplify management; and constant access to resources. The NWA1100N-CE offers these cloud-management advantages at an attractive price point.

In addition, the solution offers recurring revenue opportunities for managed services providers (MSPs) that serve the SMB market. The NWA1100N-CE empowers MSPs to efficiently administer multiple customers’ Wi-Fi networks remotely and in real time, thereby improving their efficiency, while expanding their managed services to include Wi-Fi.

The NWA1100N-CE leverages PowerCloud Systems’ patented CloudCommand™ technology. Designed to meet the specific needs and budgets of the SMB market, CloudCommand delivers comprehensive cloud capabilities to networking devices and provides the NWA1100N-CE with enterprise-level features and management functionality — for a fraction of the cost of a traditional enterprise solution. ZyXEL’s cloud service offers businesses and MSPs several enhancements including the ability to:

• Create a single virtual wireless network across multiple different locations. Employees can access a network at any location without changing client setting. Companies can enforce uniform access rules and policies for their entire business from a single point.
• Deploy networks in minutes using automatic self-configuration features, and easily expand their wireless network as their business grows.
• Remotely manage multiple networks in real-time from anywhere via a browser-based, easy-to-read dashboard. Administrators can perform all management activities remotely, upgrade all APs with a single click and receive real-time alerts to emails and cell phones, simplifying operations for businesses and MSPs.
• Deliver enhanced network security and management with patented, two-factor Individual Device Authentication (IDA™) that empowers administrators to identify and secure connecting devices individually. With IDA, administrators can add or remove individual users from a network without disrupting network settings.

Read the Release.

Press Release: Amer Announces World’s First Complete Cloud-Managed Wi-Fi Portfolio Tailored to Education Market

Affordable, Easy-to-Manage Wi-Fi Solution Provides Indoor, Outdoor and Extended-Range Options to Schools of All Sizes

TORONTO, Oct. 24, 2011 — Amer Networks, a manufacturer and global distributor of networking, storage and security products, today extends the world’s first cloud-managed Wi-Fi solution designed specifically to meet the connectivity, budgetary, and ease-of-use needs of the education market to include outdoor and extended-range Wi-Fi products.

Amer Networks delivers affordable, business-grade indoor Wi-Fi solutions to school districts and schools throughout North America.  By adding outdoor and extended-range access points to its product portfolio, it now provides complete district- and campus-wide connectivity across indoor classrooms, outdoor playgrounds, public-access sites, sporting fields and all other areas.

CloudCommand™, a customizable online-software platform from PowerCloud™ Systems, powers Amer Networks’ portfolio.  The CloudCommand platform enables solutions that are simple to configure and deploy, remotely manageable, capable of being monitored in real time and able to deliver enhanced security.

Key Facts

• Amer Networks provides the world’s first complete portfolio of cloud-managed access points to support the indoor, outdoor and extended-range connectivity needs of the education market.
• The Amer Networks’ portfolio is ideal for K-12 school districts that require reliable Wi-Fi across multiple spaces and features such as enhanced security, event reporting and a secure hotspot.
• The portfolio expansion builds on the early success of Amer Networks’ cloud-managed indoor access point, which since its launch in 2Q 2011 has become the most successful product in the company’s 15-year history.
• The Amer Networks’ portfolio leverages CloudCommand, a customizable online software platform developed by PowerCloud Systems that provides comprehensive cloud capabilities.  CloudCommand-powered networks deliver enterprise-class management features but are simple to deploy and easy to administer.
• Amer Networks’ simple and affordable offering works equally well for cost-conscious businesses seeking managed Wi-Fi solutions, particularly in the retail, hospitality and health care markets.

Key Benefits of Amer Networks Solutions Powered by CloudCommand

• Deploy and manage complete indoor and outdoor business-grade Wi-Fi networks using a single solution.
  Deploy multiple, self-configuring access points in minutes.
• Concurrently and remotely configure and manage all access points via a simple browser with no additional hardware.
• Operate a primary network for staff and teachers and a separate student hotspot network that has customizable usage limits, login screens and auto-scheduling functionality.
• Automatically secure connecting laptops and other devices with patented Individual Device Authentication (IDA™), a two-factor authentication process.
• Allow connected users to securely roam across buildings or networks.
• Respond quickly to real-time alerts about network issues.
• Monitor network usage, generate reports and review statistics.

Comments

Wai Lee, CEO of Amer Networks:

“By expanding our cloud-managed wireless portfolio, Amer Networks demonstrates its commitment to providing campus-wide wireless connectivity and network management to K-12 schools and school districts of every shape and size.  We recognize that digital learning is a critical component of today’s classroom and we offer the best solution on the market for delivering Wi-Fi that is secure, affordable and specifically designed for the school environment.”

Read the release.