Cisco and IBM Speed Data Center Transformation with New Integrated Infrastructure Solution Delivered by Business Partners

SAN JOSE, Calif. and ARMONK, N.Y., Dec. 4, 2014 /CNW/ -- As cloud, big data and the Internet of Things drive the modernization of the data center, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the availability of an integrated solution that combines the innovation of Cisco UCS Integrated Infrastructure with the efficiency of the IBM Storwize storage system.

Available through qualified Business Partners globally, the VersaStack™ solution is designed to deliver high levels of ease, efficiency and versatility for cloud, big data and analytics, and mobility deployments. Over time, the platform will be optimized for IBM business applications, while integrating Cisco innovations such as Cisco® Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and Cisco Intercloud Fabric.

CIOs looking for solutions that offer fast deployment and management options are increasingly turning toward integrated systems in which the full stack of data center technologies is combined into a pre-tested and supported system that is designed to operate and be managed as a whole. As a result, the popularity of integrated infrastructure solutions is growing fast. According to IDC¹, total worldwide spending on integrated systems is growing at 32.8 percent annually and will reach approximately $14.37 billion in 2017 (up from $5.4 billion in 2013).

"Organizations today require IT infrastructure to be easy, efficient, and versatile," said Satinder Sethi, Vice President, Data Center Solutions, Cisco. "VersaStack will help our mutual customers streamline deployment and operation of their IT infrastructure. It will also provide a foundation for innovation between Cisco and IBM—from mobility and data analytics to Intercloud and application centric infrastructure."

"As cloud, mobile, and big data continue to challenge and transform data centers, more organizations are turning to innovative solutions, like the VersaStack, for help," said Laura Guio, Vice President, Business Line Executive Storage Systems, IBM. "For its part, IBM Storwize is designed to help clients ease management and improve data center performance through virtualization and the automatic movement of data to the most strategic storage tier."

Cisco and IBM have collaborated for over 15 years, delivering combined solutions to more than 25,000 customers around the world. Today, Cisco and IBM collaborate around numerous customer opportunities, including big data and business analytics, cloud, collaboration, data center, Internet of Things, and software defined networking.

Highlights

• The VersaStack solution combines the performance and innovation of Cisco UCS Integrated Infrastructure with the versatility and efficiency of the IBM Storwize V7000 storage system to deliver a more responsive model for IT.
• Cisco UCS® Integrated Infrastructure, which includes the Cisco Unified Computing System™ (Cisco UCS), "ACI-Ready" Cisco Nexus® and Cisco MDS switches, and UCS Director, can accelerate the deployment of applications and can improve the ability to adapt to business change.
• The IBM Storwize V7000 includes technologies that both complement and enhance virtual environments with built-in functions such as Data Virtualization, Real-time Compression, and Easy Tier, which automatically migrates data between tiers based on real-time usage patterns, for extraordinary levels of performance and efficiency.
• The initial VersaStack solution targets data center and private cloud deployments as well as big data and analytics for large commercial and enterprise customers. Cisco and IBM will look to introduce additional reference architectures over time.
• The VersaStack platform is based on Cisco Validated Design (CVD) reference architectures, enabling channel partners and customers to deliver applications quickly and with great confidence, while helping to reduce risk. 
• The VersaStack solution will be sold globally through qualified Business Partners who are experienced in Cisco data center technologies and IBM Storwize storage systems.
• IBM Global Technology Services will offer services from strategy through maintenance. Solution support services will be available from Cisco, IBM and qualified Business Partners.
• IBM Global Financing and Cisco Capital® each offer a full range of financing capabilities for all aspects and components of the VersaStack solution, including hardware, software, and services. Through simplified payment options, clients can accelerate return on investment and manage their IT lifecycle.

Additional Information

• Watch Cisco and IBM Executives Discuss the VersaStack Solution.
• Read the Cisco Blog - VersaStack: A Foundation for Innovation
• Read the Cisco Blog - Five Things Channel Partners Need to Know About VersaStack
• Read the Avnet Blog - How Avnet Partners Can Benefit from Cisco and IBM's New VersaStack Solution
• For additional information on the VersaStack Solution visit our website.

About Cisco

Cisco is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to http://thenetwork.cisco.com.

About IBM

For more information on IBM visit www.ibm.com; for more on IBM Storage, visit www.ibm.com/storage and follow us on Twitter @ibmstorage.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, and IBM Storwize are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. For a current list of IBM trademarks, please see www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.

¹ IDC, Worldwide Integrated Systems 2014-2017 Forecast, March, 2014.

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SOURCE IBM