Sphere 3D Corp. (ANY)

[ztockings]

Before, I thought, how balsy it is for Sphere 3D to parade Next GENERATION virtualization and storage over their website and conferences such as in the Credit Suisse investor presentation. And we were all googo over Dell and Sphere while Microsoft was actually the TIGER they want to grab...and they grabbed it all right.
Here's my weekend summary again bear with me...the recent roadshow PR gave a lot of clues that I'm sticking to my nose. Was it COMA that was asking about the Hyper V container? YES YES YES!
I'm certainly not a techy, but I've read enough from Microsoft gurus that it this new container tech has been dimmed out of the limelight, so MS can work their way up where Google and Amazon is in the cloud. While they were using Docker and Core OS...MS was busy with ANY.
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Last October, Microsoft and Docker, Inc. jointly announced plans to bring containers to developers across the Docker and Windows ecosystems via Windows Server Containers, available in the next version of Windows Server. We will be unveiling the first live demonstration in a few weeks, starting at the BUILD conference. Today, we are taking containerization one step further by expanding the scenarios and workloads developers can address with containers:

Hyper-V Containers, a new container deployment option with enhanced isolation powered by Hyper-V virtualization.
Nano Server, a minimal footprint installation of Windows Server that is highly optimized for the cloud, and ideal for containers.
First-of-Their-Kind Hyper-V Containers
Leveraging our deep virtualization experience, Microsoft will now offer containers with a new level of isolation previously reserved only for fully dedicated physical or virtual machines, while maintaining an agile and efficient experience with full Docker cross-platform integration. Through this new first-of-its-kind offering, Hyper-V Containers will ensure code running in one container remains isolated and cannot impact the host operating system or other containers running on the same host.
While Hyper-V containers offer an additional deployment option between Windows Server Containers and the Hyper-V virtual machine, you will be able to deploy them using the same development, programming and management tools you would use for Windows Server Containers. In addition, applications developed for Windows Server Containers can be deployed as a Hyper-V Container without modification, providing greater flexibility for operators who need to choose degrees of density, agility, and isolation in a multi-platform, multi-application environment.

http://azure.microsoft.com/blog/2015/04/08/microsoft-unveils-new-container-technologies-for-the-next-generation-cloud/
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If you're wondering what the "new container technologies" in Windows Server Next will be, join the club. I thought Microsoft might be using its Microsoft Research Drawbridge technologies to provide this functionality, but I hear from my contacts that this is not the case. Microsoft officials are not providing any specifics at this time about the coming container technologies. Maybe we'll hear more on this front when Microsoft makes the next major preview available of Windows Server Next — something sources say is targeted for January 2015 or so.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/docker-container-support-coming-to-microsofts-next-windows-server-release/
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In essence, Microsoft has created a software isolation layer that is not as rigid or heavy as a Hyper-V virtual machine but that can wrap around a bunch of Windows processes and behave like a Docker container, at least conceptually. This Hyper-V Container is not the same thing as a Windows Server Container, which is Microsoft’s implementation of Docker, but rather a different kind of virtualization animal. The main point Microsoft wants to stress without giving away too much is that the Docker Engine it is creating in conjunction with Docker for Windows Server will be able to control both Windows Server Containers and Hyper-V Containers.

http://www.theplatform.net/2015/04/08/with-nano-server-and-containers-microsoft-takes-on-linux/
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Sphere 3D and Microsoft "Technologies to Power the Next Cloud" Events

Please join Sphere 3D and Microsoft for an exclusive event to discover the technologies that will drive the “Next Cloud” for your business Sphere 3D

You are invited to the Sphere 3D / Microsoft roadshow. The events will be held at Microsoft Technology Centers in Silicon Valley, New York, London and Toronto, and provide an overview of Sphere 3D’s technologies and solutions for the "Next Cloud" featuring Glassware 2.0 Windows container technology for application delivery and the latest in virtual storage technology.

Adoption of cloud-based deployment models continues to accelerate and so does the need for the evolution of the associated architectures and business models to ensure success. This means enabling new and innovative capabilities that support public, private, and hybrid deployments in the cloud.

At these events attendees will explore how new technologies are enabling organizations to easily virtualize and migrate legacy and Windows-based applications to the cloud. In addition, attendees will be able to participate in demonstrations of new container based technologies for virtualizing applications, regardless of their hardware or operating system platform dependencies, and get a glimpse at new virtual storage options for the enterprise.

Thats all folks! As I said, this last PR put it all together. And they are unveiling this next week??? And ANY is in town??? Coincidence? Don't think so. MS may not be naming Sphere as above but the pieces of this puzzle is coming together. Excited for my self and for all the longs!