NTT DOCOMO has commenced a proof-of-concept (PoC) video IoT solution that will enable the interpretation and analysis of video data sourced from surveillance cameras using edge computing. DOCOMO will test the effectiveness of using edge computing to interpret and analyze video data. The edge computing will supplement processing performed in the cloud. As a first step, the PoC will test and evaluate the sourcing of data from surveillance cameras, aiming to develop a solution that uses existing cameras, requires no wired connectivity and does not involve the transmission of large quantities of data.
DOCOMO also confirmed a strategic investment in Cloudian, a Silicon Valley-based leader in enterprise object storage systems and developer of the Cloudian AI Box, a compact, high-speed AI data processing device equipped with camera connectivity and LTE / Wi-Fi capabilities, facilitating edge AI computing with both indoor and outdoor communications.
DOCOMO said the transfer and processing of large volumes of video data to the cloud have been a lengthy process involving significant delays and placing a considerable burden on cloud infrastructure and communication networks. Edge computing could help deal with these shortcomings and herald a new era of high-speed image recognition.
Cloudian raises $94 million for hyperscale data fabric
Cloudian, a start-up offering a hyperscale data fabric for enterprises, raised $94 million in a Series E funding, bringing the company’s total funding to $173 million.
“Cloudian redefines enterprise storage with a global data fabric that integrates both private and public clouds — spanning across sites and around the globe — at an unprecedented scale that creates new opportunities for businesses to derive value from data,” Cloudian CEO Michael Tso. “Cloudian’s unique architecture offers the limitless scalability, simplicity, and cloud integration needed to enable the next generation of computing driven by advances such as IoT and machine learning technologies.”
The funding round included participation from investors Digital Alpha, Eight Roads Ventures, Goldman Sachs, INCJ, JPIC (Japan Post Investment Corporation), NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Inc. and WS (Wilson Sonsini) Investments.
“Computing now operates without physical boundaries, and customers need storage solutions that also span from the data center to the edge,” said Takayuki Inagawa, president & CEO of NTT DOCOMO Ventures. “Cloudian’s geo-distributed architecture creates a global fabric of storage assets that support the next generation of connected devices.”
Cloudian brings its S3 API interface to Azure Blob Storage
Cloudian, a start-up based in San Mateo, California, is extending its hybrid cloud object storage system into Microsoft Azure.
Cloudian HyperCloud for Microsoft Azure leverages the company’s S3 API interface to Azure Blob Storage. Cloudian said the world’s largest Industrial Internet enterprise is using Cloudian HyperCloud for Azure to connect its Industrial Internet of Things solution to Azure Blob Storage.
“Cloudian HyperCloud for Azure is a game-changer for public cloud storage, enabling true bi-modal data storage across multiple cloud environments,” said Michael Tso, Cloudian CEO and co-founder. “For the first time, customers have a fully supported, enterprise-ready solution to access their choice of cloud platforms from their S3-compliant applications. Customers can be up and running in minutes by launching HyperCloud from the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.”
