On Tuesday Centrify Corporation announced that it has been selected by Savvis, Inc., to enhance the security of the Savvis Symphony Virtual Private Data Center (VPDC ), a recently launched public cloud service that allows enterprises to quickly and securely design and deploy a complete set of enterprise-class data center services for a variety of applications.

Savvis plans to include Centrify DirectControl as part of the standard configuration when a customer orders Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). By including Centrify DirectControl, Savvis makes it easy for customers to integrate their new RHEL server into an established Active Directory Domain.

"Centrify provides an important security option for enterprises moving their applications into the cloud using Savvis Symphony VPDC," said Ken Owens, vice president of security and virtualization technologies at Savvis.

Cloud-based computing models offer the promise of a highly scalable computing infrastructure without having to acquire, install and maintain any additional hardware. One of the primary benefits of cloud computing is the dynamic nature of the environment in which compute capacity can quickly scale to support the growing demands of the business. In order to secure this environment the security infrastructure must also be dynamic and scalable. Centrify DirectControl leverages Active Directory to automatically enforce security policies and centrally control access to UNIX and Linux systems running on any type of platform, including physical, virtual or cloud environments. Once joined to Active Directory, DirectControl automatically enforces UNIX and Linux specific security policies, locks down privileged accounts, and automates and grants authorized access to the appropriate user accounts. See Centrify's solution for Active Directory Authentication for Red Hat Enterprise Linux for more information.

"Savvis delivers a vital service for global enterprises with its flexible, secure Symphony VPDC cloud computing service," said Frank Cabri, vice president of marketing and business development for Centrify. "By including Centrify Suite, Savvis is delivering the ironclad security and controls that help organizations easily embrace cloud computing models while allowing them to protect their systems and comply with regulations."