AFORE CloudLink Expands Integration

AFORE Solutions is expanding its previously announced CloudLink SecureVM integration with VMware (VMW) vCloud Hybrid Service to include full support for Microsoft (MSFT) BitLocker encryption. AFORE’s integration with Microsoft marks the third largest cloud platform CloudLink integrates with, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and vCloud Hybrid Service.

CloudLink SecureVM was originally announced in February, with AFORE promising to give users the ability to additional encryption options to compliment the company’s existing CloudLink SecureVSA software. In May, AFORE announced its SecureVSA integration with vCloud Hybrid Service, which allows vCloud users to encrypt their hybrid clouds to protect sensitive data from prying eyes.

“Enterprises see cloud security as a top priority, but data encryption solutions must leverage existing platforms and operating environments that are already in use in the organization,” said Jonathan Reeves, AFORE chairman and chief strategy officer in a prepared statement. “The CloudLink data security platform protects workloads at multiple layers, enabling businesses, healthcare organizations and governments to confidently reap the economic benefits of cloud adoption.”

With CloudLink SecureVM, users can eliminate the need for keys to be stored in hardware, which enables native OS encryption to be used in virtual desktop infrastructure and virtualized server deployments, the company noted. The service secures both boot and data volumes with a centralized approach to allow IT admins to manage their OS boot security policy without having to rely on individual users. By providing enterprises with complete control over the encryption keys for their Windows and Linux virtual machines (VMs), SecureVM helps to validate the integrity of their VMs before they are allowed to boot.

With the addition of BitLocker to its list of integrated systems, AFORE has expanded its sphere of influence to include some of the biggest virtualization providers in the industry. CloudLink customers now can utilize the software’s VM encryption for both VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V private clouds, giving users the flexibility to choose the service that best fits their business needs. And with the ability to utilize a common CloudLink platform across multiple operating systems, cloud architectures and use cases, AFORE’s customers can effectively protect both their VMware and Microsoft private clouds with a single service.