Performive Rebrands as CloudFirst, Forging a Services Powerhouse

MELVILLE, NY – January 08, 2026 – In a move that solidifies a major strategic combination in the managed services sector, Performive has officially adopted the CloudFirst brand, effective immediately. The rebranding marks the final phase of integration following Performive's acquisition of CloudFirst Technologies Corporation last year, creating a unified company poised to compete as a specialized leader in complex cloud hosting and IT solutions.

The combined entity, now operating entirely under the CloudFirst name, brings together decades of experience to serve mid-market and enterprise clients. This strategic unification is designed to leverage the deep technical expertise of both legacy organizations across cloud infrastructure, data protection, compliance, and IT resilience, presenting a single, cohesive identity to the market.

A Strategic Unification Years in the Making

While the name change is recent, its origins trace back to a significant acquisition in 2025. In a deal valued at $40 million, Performive LLC, a portfolio company of private equity firm Renovus Capital Partners, acquired CloudFirst Technologies Corporation from its parent, Data Storage Corporation. The acquisition, which closed in September 2025, brought together Performive’s robust managed services with CloudFirst’s renowned specialization in high-availability environments, particularly for mission-critical IBM Power Systems (IBM i and AIX) workloads.

Initially, the plan was for the two entities to operate with their existing brands intact. However, the decision to consolidate under the CloudFirst banner represents a calculated strategic pivot. It leverages the strong market recognition of the CloudFirst name within the specialized enterprise niche it serves. The move signals a clear intent to go to market not as a partnership of two companies, but as a single, fully integrated provider with a comprehensive and differentiated service catalog.

"This brand unification reflects who we already are today, one team with a shared commitment to technical excellence and customer success," said Sal Esposito, CRO of CloudFirst, in a statement. "Together, we're better positioned to innovate, scale, and deliver the resilient, secure IT services our customers depend on."

Leading the unified organization is Wayne Kiphart, formerly the CEO of Performive, who now serves as CEO of the new CloudFirst. The leadership team also includes key figures from the acquired company, such as Hal Schwartz, who continues as President, ensuring a blend of expertise and vision from both sides of the merger. This integrated leadership structure is critical to steering the company's unified strategy.

"Adopting the CloudFirst brand allows us to go to market with a clear, unified identity that represents the full breadth of our capabilities and the value we deliver," stated CEO Wayne Kiphart. "Simply put, it helps us serve customers and partners better, faster,stronger, and smarter."

Carving a Niche in a Crowded Cloud Market

The rebranding positions CloudFirst to compete more effectively in a dynamic and crowded marketplace dominated by hyperscale providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Rather than competing head-on for general-purpose cloud infrastructure, CloudFirst is doubling down on its identity as a specialist for organizations with complex, hybrid environments and mission-critical systems that demand high availability and resilience.

The company’s core focus remains on managed services for Windows, Linux, and, most critically, IBM Power Systems. This expertise in legacy but vital platforms like IBM i (formerly AS/400) and AIX is a key differentiator. Many enterprises rely on these systems for core business applications and find that hyperscalers lack the deep, specialized support required. CloudFirst aims to fill this gap, offering modernization pathways and secure, high-performance cloud hosting for these workloads.

This strategy is well-timed with market trends. While the public cloud market is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2026, a significant portion of enterprise workloads remains in private data centers or requires specialized hosting environments due to performance, security, or compliance requirements. Furthermore, the Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) market is expanding rapidly, with analysts projecting it to reach over $44 billion by 2029. By enhancing its DRaaS offerings, CloudFirst is tapping into a critical need for business continuity in an era of increasing cyber threats and operational risks.

Expanded Services and Customer Continuity

For customers of both former companies, the rebranding comes with the promise of an expanded and more integrated service portfolio without disrupting existing relationships. The company has emphasized that contracts, billing, support channels, and account teams will remain unchanged, a message designed to reassure clients of a seamless transition.

The true value proposition for customers lies in the newly combined capabilities. The unified CloudFirst now offers a broader suite of services, including:

• Advanced IBM Power Cloud Services: Leveraging the original CloudFirst’s deep expertise, the company provides cloud modernization, hosting, and management for IBM i and AIX workloads, with direct, low-latency connectivity to hyperscale clouds for hybrid architectures.
• Enhanced DRaaS: The portfolio now includes Intel Disaster Response Recovery as a Service, complementing its existing data protection and business continuity solutions across all supported platforms.
• Integrated Security: With the addition of managed Microsoft Security services, the company strengthens its ability to protect clients across the widely used Microsoft enterprise ecosystem, from endpoints to the cloud.

By integrating these offerings, the provider can deliver a more holistic solution for organizations looking to secure, modernize, and ensure the resilience of their entire IT infrastructure. This single-source approach simplifies vendor management and provides a more cohesive strategy for clients managing a mix of legacy and modern systems.

The unification also extends to its channel partners, who now gain access to a wider array of services to bring to their own customers. With a broader portfolio and stronger technical enablement, partners are better equipped to address complex client challenges and deliver differentiated solutions in the market.

With the Performive name now retired, the combined organization moves forward under the CloudFirst banner, armed with a unified team, a broader service portfolio, and a clear vision focused on mastering the complexity of modern enterprise IT.