CloudFirst
CloudFirst is a managed cloud and business-continuity provider specializing in IBM Power Systems (IBM i, AIX), Linux, and Windows workloads, serving regulated enterprises in financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing across 20+ global Tier 3 data centers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersMelville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CloudFirst does
CloudFirst is a managed cloud infrastructure and business-continuity provider specializing in IBM Power Systems (IBM i, AIX) alongside Linux and Windows workloads. Founded in 2001 as one of the original IBM Business Partners, the company operates a Tier 3-certified, multi-tenant platform spanning 20+ data centers across the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia, and Japan, with N+1 redundancy and a 100% infrastructure uptime SLA. It serves regulated, mission-critical enterprises — primarily financial services and healthcare, with secondary exposure to manufacturing, retail, government/education, and logistics — that run legacy IBM Power estates lacking a clear cloud migration path.
The product surface is a modular managed-services portfolio: Managed Cloud Hosting (public, private, hybrid), Managed Data Protection (BaaS, DRaaS, HAaaS, Ransomware Recovery), Managed Security (IBM i Security, Protection Suite, SOC monitoring, threat detection, endpoint), and Managed Services (Systems Management, Automation Suite, IBM Power VS, Managed Microsoft Services). Proprietary elements include the EDGE Framework (an ITIL 4 / Lean IT onboarding and service-review methodology), SmartSpend (CPW-based consumption pricing claiming 25–40% lower TCO than IBM Power Virtual Server), and Direct Connect (secure links from IBM Power to AWS/Azure). The platform carries ISO 27001/27701, SOC 1/2 Type II, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR credentials, and references FedRAMP Moderate alignment.
Revenue is predominantly recurring, generated through subscription/OpEx pricing with consumption-based compute and storage, supplemented by managed-services fees and professional services (migration, modernization, API development). Go-to-market is sales-led: enterprise field sales with dedicated account managers, an inside sales team covering US and Europe, and a channel-partner program with deal registration. The company reports 94% client retention, 500+ IBM environments migrated, and 99.98% uptime maintained over 24 months. CloudFirst was a subsidiary of Data Storage Corporation (NASDAQ: DTST) until September 2025, when it was sold for $40 million and combined with Performive under the unified CloudFirst brand.
CloudFirst firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CloudFirst
- Legal name
- CloudFirst
- Website
- https://cloudfirst.host
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CloudFirst is a managed cloud and business-continuity provider specializing in IBM Power Systems (IBM i, AIX), Linux, and Windows workloads, serving regulated enterprises in financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing across 20+ global Tier 3 data centers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CloudFirst industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Managed Cloud Hosting and Data Protection Services
- NAICS
- Computer Facilities Management Services (541513), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cloud Managed Services (Operations, Monitoring, Patching) (BPAEACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cloud Operations Outsourcing (Cloud Managed Operations) (BPAEAMAC), Cloud Security Managed Services (CSPM/CWPP/CNAPP) (BPAEADAF), Cloud Managed Services (M365/Azure/AWS/GCP) (BPAEABAE)
Keywords
Where CloudFirst is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices23 records
Markets served
CloudFirst business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Managed Cloud Hosting Services: Fully managed cloud hosting for IBM i, AIX, Linux, and Windows workloads with 100% uptime SLA, proactive monitoring, and 24/7 support. Revenue is generated through subscription-based OpEx pricing with flexible, consumption-based compute and storage components.
- Managed Data Protection: Backup as a Service, Disaster Recovery as a Service, and High Availability as a Service offerings. Automated daily incremental and weekly full backups stored in secure offsite cloud storage with annual restore testing. Includes ransomware recovery capabilities.
- Managed Security Services: 24/7 SOC monitoring, threat detection and response, vulnerability scanning, real-time incident response, endpoint security, and compliance enforcement for hybrid environments. Includes IBM i Security and Protection Suite.
- Systems Management & Automation: Proactive monitoring, performance optimization, automation suite powered by AI, and governance across hybrid platforms. Handles OS administration, patching, storage management, and performance tuning.
- Professional Services: Cloud migration services, application modernization, API development, database optimization, and implementation support. Part of the EDGE Framework onboarding process with dedicated project management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription-based OpEx model with consumption-based pricing for compute, storage, and services |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Flexible subscription with no long-term contracts required |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
CloudFirst product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CloudFirst provides fully managed cloud hosting, data protection, and security services for IBM i, AIX, Linux, and Windows workloads across 20+ Tier 3 data centers worldwide. Its portfolio spans managed cloud (hosting, private cloud, hybrid cloud, migration), managed data protection (Backup, Disaster Recovery, High Availability, Ransomware Recovery), managed security (IBM i Security, Protection Suite, SOC monitoring, threat detection, endpoint security), managed services (systems management, automation, Microsoft services), and AI-enabled offerings such as AI for Business and SmartSpend. Services are sold primarily to enterprise and mid-market organizations under subscription-based, consumption-priced OpEx agreements with 100% uptime SLAs.
Product overview
CloudFirst is an enterprise cloud hosting provider offering a comprehensive modular platform of managed cloud services. The core offering centers on Managed Cloud Hosting (supporting IBM i, AIX, Linux, and Windows on Tier 3 infrastructure with 100% uptime SLA), complemented by a layered portfolio of Managed Data Protection services (Backup as a Service, Disaster Recovery as a Service, High Availability as a Service, Ransomware Recovery), Managed Security solutions (IBM i Security, Protection Suite, Security Monitoring, Threat Detection and Response, Endpoint Security, Microsoft Security), and Managed Services (Automation Suite, Systems Management, IBM Power VS, Managed Microsoft Services). The platform also includes AI-powered capabilities (AI for Business, SmartSpend) and specialized solutions like Direct Connect for multi-cloud integration. CloudFirst differentiates through its EDGE Framework methodology combining ITIL 4 and Lean IT, deep IBM Power Systems expertise, and flexible consumption-based pricing models.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Managed Cloud Hosting
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% client retention rate
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CloudFirst
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CloudFirst technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability6 records
Feature7 records
CloudFirst partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- IBMcoreIBM PartnerPlus certification with specialized competencies in Power Systems. Provides access to IBM technical resources, early access to updates, and preferred support channels. CloudFirst is one of the original IBM Business Partners with decades of relationship.
- SophossupportingManaged security monitoring and response software provider. Used for security services including threat detection and managed firewall capabilities.
- MicrosoftsupportingProvides Microsoft 365, Azure, and Teams integration capabilities. CloudFirst offers managed protection for Microsoft environments including security policies, compliance, licensing, and optimization.
- SalesforcesupportingCustomer sales and communication platform used by CloudFirst for CRM and customer engagement.
- Teamwork CrewsupportingCustomer support platform provider enabling CloudFirst's 24/7 support services. Processing location: US-multiple regions.
- Google AnalyticssupportingWeb analytics platform used for tracking visitor interactions, site usage, and traffic analysis. CloudFirst uses analytics cookies (_ga, _gid) to measure and improve site performance.
- VeeamsupportingBackup software provider for data protection solutions. Partnerships with leading backup software providers enable CloudFirst to offer best-of-breed integrated solutions.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CloudFirst competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- IBM Cloud: IBM Cloud, and specifically IBM Power Virtual Server, is the underlying platform CloudFirst manages on top of, and competes with CloudFirst for enterprise IBM Power workloads. Comparable at the platform layer despite being much larger and broader.
- Dataprise: Dataprise is a managed IT services provider covering cloud, security, and infrastructure for mid-market and enterprise clients. Broader portfolio than CloudFirst but overlapping on managed cloud and security services.
- Rackspace Technology: Rackspace is a broad incumbent cloud-managed-services provider across hyperscaler platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and on-prem stacks. Overlaps with CloudFirst's managed-services layer and multi-cloud integration capabilities, but Rackscale serves a much wider portfolio of customers.
Direct peers
- 365 Data Centers: 365 Data Centers provides colocation and managed cloud/hosting services including for IBM and Windows workloads. Comparable to CloudFirst in offering managed infrastructure with security and compliance overlays for regulated enterprises.
- Connectria: Connectria offers managed hosting and cloud services with a strong IBM i specialization, including DR and compliance support. Directly comparable on IBM Power managed hosting and regulated-industry positioning.
- Skytap: Skytap provides cloud environments for IBM Power and AIX workloads, the closest direct competitor to CloudFirst's core managed hosting offering for legacy IBM estates. It serves a similar regulated enterprise customer base needing on-demand IBM Power capacity.
- Corexpand: Corexpand delivers managed cloud hosting with a focus on IBM i, AIX, and HA/DR for regulated industries. Competes head-to-head with CloudFirst on IBM Power managed services, particularly in healthcare and financial services.
- Navisite: Navisite provides managed cloud, hosting, and managed services for enterprise workloads including IBM i and SAP on Power. Directly comparable to CloudFirst in its managed-services-led delivery for mission-critical enterprise systems.
- Infralogic (iPower): Infralogic operates the iPower managed cloud platform for IBM i and AIX, providing hosting, DR, and HA. Closely comparable niche peer competing for the same regulated IBM Power customer segments.
- iTech Workshop: iTech Workshop specializes in IBM i managed hosting, DR, and HA services for mid-market and enterprise customers. Closely comparable to CloudFirst in target workloads, customer profile, and managed services delivery model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CloudFirst social profiles
Digital presenceCloudFirst compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
CloudFirst financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CloudFirst leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
CloudFirst subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
CloudFirst funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CloudFirst M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A7 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CloudFirst
What does CloudFirst do?
CloudFirst provides fully managed cloud hosting, data protection, and security services for IBM i, AIX, Linux, and Windows workloads across 20+ Tier 3 data centers worldwide. Its portfolio spans managed cloud (hosting, private cloud, hybrid cloud, migration), managed data protection (Backup, Disaster Recovery, High Availability, Ransomware Recovery), managed security (IBM i Security, Protection Suite, SOC monitoring, threat detection, endpoint security), managed services (systems management, automation, Microsoft services), and AI-enabled offerings such as AI for Business and SmartSpend. Services are sold primarily to enterprise and mid-market organizations under subscription-based, consumption-priced OpEx agreements with 100% uptime SLAs.
Is CloudFirst a public or private company?
CloudFirst is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was CloudFirst founded?
CloudFirst was founded in 2001. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CloudFirst based?
CloudFirst is headquartered in Melville, United States, in the North America region.
How does CloudFirst make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Managed Cloud Hosting Services are the primary driver. The others are managed Data Protection, managed Security Services, systems Management & Automation and professional Services.
Who are CloudFirst's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are IBM Cloud, Dataprise and Rackspace Technology. Direct peers are 365 Data Centers, Connectria, Skytap, Corexpand, Navisite, Infralogic (iPower) and iTech Workshop.
Does CloudFirst have an API?
No public API is recorded for CloudFirst.
What industry is CloudFirst in?
CloudFirst's product category is Managed Cloud Hosting and Data Protection Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEACAF, Cloud Managed Services (Operations, Monitoring, Patching), with a secondary code of BPAEAMAC, Cloud Operations Outsourcing (Cloud Managed Operations). Its NAICS code is 541513 and its SIC code is 7373.