Cisco, NetApp Partner on Data Centers

LONDON -- NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) and Cisco today announced that they are teaming up to provide customers with unified, dynamic data centre solutions that are based on Ciscos Unified Computing System and NetApp® Unified Storage Architecture. Cisco and NetApp are working together to certify the combined solution, and the companies will also collaborate on customer support and marketing activities.

The Cisco Unified Computing System unites compute, network, storage access, and virtualisation resources in a cohesive new data centre architecture. This allows customers to reduce the complexities often associated with data centre virtualisation, lower costs, and improve asset utilisation. Through Cisco Validated Design, NetApp will provide flexible and powerful storage solutions for the Cisco Unified Computing System that will be tested for interoperability in virtualised data centre environments. Customers benefit from the unified storage model across the entire NetApp product portfolio, application integration technologies such as the NetApp SnapManager® product suite, and advanced storage efficiency features. As a result, customers can take advantage of NetApp’s unique advanced storage efficiency capabilities to drive down raw storage requirements, lower costs, improve utilisation in virtualised environments, and simplify administrative tasks. Additionally, NetApp’s leadership in Ethernet storage technology complements the Cisco Unified Computing System, which is based on a 10Gb per second Unified Fabric that supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE).

Cisco and NetApp will also collaborate on joint marketing efforts, such as the multi-city “Virtualised Dynamic Data Centre Roadshow” with VMware and other select solution integration partners. NetApp will also participate in Cisco’s Data Centre of the Future program. Both of these programs will focus on educating customers about NetApp and Cisco data centre offerings.

“As more and more customers move to a virtualised infrastructure, they require the necessary storage, compute, and network solutions needed to transition to a truly dynamic data centre,” said Nick Thurlow, Vice President, EMEA Sales for NetApp. “Through our long-standing collaboration with Cisco, we are enabling customers to tap deep into the power of their virtualised environment through a unified and scalable platform for a more efficient and streamlined experience.”

NetApp Inc. (Nasdaq: NTAP)Cisco Systems Inc.