HyTrust Appliance Controls Virtual Insanity

Technology startup HyTrust Inc. launched today with a goal of enabling enterprises to virtualize their critical production applications by ensuring operational readiness of virtual infrastructure. At its launch, the company introduced HyTrust Appliance, which serves as a central point of control, management and visibility for virtualized environments. HyTrust is sold directly and indirectly through resellers and systems integrators.

Due to a higher rate of change in virtual infrastructure, automated controls are necessary to ensure that security and operational readiness is on par with that of physical environments. HyTrust Appliance provides centralized control, directory integration, compliance and security.

“The HyTrust platform sets in place a firm foundation upon which virtualization can thrive and grow dynamically, while maintaining control as well as a secure and compliant environment,” said Eric Chiu, president and CEO, HyTrust. “HyTrust empowers companies to realize the tremendous productivity and cost benefits of virtualization by consistently enforcing policy as well as automating current manual procedures to achieve best practices.”

HyTrust’s technology partners include VMware, a provider of virtualization solutions; Symantec, a provider security, storage and systems information management solutions; Cisco Systems, a supplier of networking equipment and network management for the Internet; and Citrix Systems, maker of XenServer.

HyTrust Appliance (Enterprise Edition) is now available. Pricing is based on the number of protected hosts (on a per CPU-socket basis) and HyTrust Appliance license. Protection license for a 2-CPU VMware ESX host is $1,000; the HyTrust virtual appliance is $3,000; and the physical appliance is $7,500. Maintenance and support are charged on an annual basis.

HyTrust will soon make available the new HyTrust Appliance: Community Edition — a free virtual appliance available for download via the Web. Due out at the end of April, Community allows protection for up to three hosts and offers an excellent way for small companies to bring automated virtualization best practices into their environments.

HyTrust also today announced Series A funding in the amount of $5.5 million. The launch is backed by blue-chip venture firms Trident Capital and Epic Ventures.