Layer 7 Technologies has announced the availability of the Layer 7 SecureSpan Virtual Appliance for cloud governance. The Virtual Appliance offers all the features of the SecureSpan family of hardware appliances, including sophisticated runtime governance, agent-less SOA management and industry-leading XML security in a VMware or ESX-based soft appliance. The Layer 7 Virtual Appliance for cloud governance allows organizations to secure cloud-based interactions, monitor service level conformance and adapt to changing conditions and needs.

Traditionally, Layer 7 customers have deployed the SecureSpan Virtual Appliance as a budget-friendly alternative to hardware appliances. The SecureSpan Virtual Appliance for cloud governance incorporates the new Layer 7 Enterprise Service Manager (ESM), which is a lightweight method of centrally managing, tracking and measuring application services no matter where those services reside: in enterprise SOAs, as part of a Software-as-a-Service offering or in cloud (both public and private) initiatives. With the Virtual Appliance for cloud governance, Layer 7 customers can seamlessly reuse their existing, on-premise SOA governance solution for their cloud-based initiatives.

“Cloud governance is uniquely demanding because of the complexity related to vendor contracts, expectations regarding service level agreements (SLAs) and the increasingly complex regulatory environment,” said David Linthicum, cloud and SOA expert and founder of Blue Mountain Labs. “Traditional hardware appliances and monitoring tools were not intended for deployment in a cloud computing environment. They are unable to provide a centralized, accurate snapshot of the entire global network and they cannot give the ROI of a virtual appliance. Layer 7, on the other hand, offers an innovative and effective solution for private and public cloud deployments, while also providing centralized management, tracking and measurement of services. Layer 7 is the ‘real deal’ when it comes to runtime governance solutions for the extended enterprise, including SOA and cloud initiatives.”

“Many organizations are reluctant to move forward with a cloud strategy because of justified concerns related to security and control. Layer 7 guides businesses and government agencies into the cloud in a controlled and secure manner,” said Scott Morrison, chief architect for Layer 7 Technologies. “Layer 7’s governance program provides the means to control, monitor and adapt application services, regardless of whether they reside on-premises or in the cloud. These capabilities clear the way for organizations to embrace cloud computing in a secure, managed and incremental fashion.”

In addition to cloud governance, Layer 7 enables organizations to control, monitor and adapt application services in a variety of enterprise settings, including internal environments and between external domains (such as partners or branch offices). Only Layer 7’s highly automated and interoperable gateway solutions, available as hardware, software and virtual (VMware) appliances, are capable of holistically governing today’s complex and ever-changing ecosystem of application services, no matter where they reside.