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Last month, Cisco added the VersaStack solution to our integrated systems portfolio. The new VersaStack solution leverages Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure with IBM Storwise V7000 storage. Cisco continues to partner with both leading and emerging storage technology vendors to deliver solutions built on Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure. Customers want choice. By choice, we mean that Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure is available with many different storage vendors, including NetApp, EMC, HDS, IBM and Nimble. In other words, the customer doesn’t have to switch storage vendors, they can continue with their current storage or mixed storage vendors and gain the surprising benefits of Cisco UCSCisco Nexus, and UCS Director. We realize customers have technology preferences and administrative skill sets that may lead them to a specific solution. Customers also want to seamlessly implement the latest and greatest technology with minimal risk. Cisco’s strategy is to provide that choice with our latest innovations and back it up with Cisco Validated Designs to ensure a faster and more reliable infrastructure deployment.

Our strategy is clearly working – IDC recently released their Q3CY14 integrated infrastructure quarterly tracker and Cisco is the leader in the integrated infrastructure segment with the top two solutions, Vblock and FlexPod, being based on Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure. Vblock and FlexPod have a combined 45% market share! Cisco’s market share is even greater when we add in the participation of Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure with Cisco Solutions for VSPEX and the Unified Compute Platform solution. Emerging storage vendors, Nimble Storage and Pure Storage, also build integrated systems leveraging the innovation and leadership provided by Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure.

In fact, hyper-converged infrastructures such as Simplivity and StorMagic are also leveraging Cisco UCS. Customers want to accelerate and simplify the deployment of IT infrastructure. This is a common customer pain point that is driving the market for both hyper-converged systems and integrated systems. The choice between the two comes down to performance, scale, manageability, and enterprise data management requirements. The great news is that Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure can be a common platform for both integrated and hyper-converged systems.



Authors

Tim Stack

Product Marketing Manager

Data Center and Virtualization