SILICON VALLEY, Calif.-January 26,
2010-As enterprises move toward a data center that is 100
percent virtualized, Cisco, NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) and VMware (NYSE:
VMW) today announced that they are expanding their long-standing
collaboration to deliver new design architectures that help
customers evolve virtualized data centers to be more efficient,
dynamic and secure. The three companies introduced an end-to-end
Secure Multi-tenancy Design Architecture that provides enhanced
security in cloud environments by isolating the information
technology (IT) resources and applications of different clients,
business units or departments that share a common IT
infrastructure. As part of their collaboration, Cisco, NetApp and
VMware will also offer a cooperative support model for these
pretested and validated design architectures to help customers
quickly build a unified, virtualized infrastructure.
"It's clear that a tremendous opportunity
exists for Cisco, NetApp and VMware to enable real change in the
data center," said Tom Georgens, president and CEO of NetApp. "Our
visions are aligned around the concept of a dynamic data center
that will be the foundation of cloud computing and that
will enable enterprises, integrators and service providers to
deliver IT as a
service [ITaaS]. In this scenario, IT becomes a dynamic asset
that is more efficient and can better adapt to changing business
needs. This new era of IT has stringent infrastructure requirements
that our companies are ready to meet today-together."
"Virtualization of the network, server and
storage infrastructure is radically reshaping today's data center,"
said Paul Maritz, president and CEO, VMware. "The dynamic data
center built on VMware® vSphere™, along with Cisco and
NetApp® technologies, will provide the foundation for both
private and public clouds and the ability to move data and
applications between these clouds. A shared virtual infrastructure
requires that resources for different tenants are isolated while
delivering on promised service levels. We have integrated our
technology with Cisco and NetApp not only to accelerate our
customers' journey through their data center transition, but also
to deliver an outstanding customer experience."
"A unified architecture approach is more
important than ever before," says Tony Bates, senior vice president
and general manager, Enterprise, Commercial and Small Business at
Cisco. "Our joint vision with NetApp and VMware centers on
delivering a unified architecture for customers to design and build
a complete, virtualized data center that will streamline operations
and improve their business resilience."
New Secure Multi-tenancy Meets
Virtualization and Enterprise Cloud Security
Requirements
Secure Multi-tenancy Design Architecture is an end-to-end,
validated design architecture that isolates IT resources for
enhanced security in shared virtual and enterprise cloud
environments. The design architecture helps enterprise customers,
systems integrators and service providers develop internal and
external cloud services that isolate clients, business units,
departments or security zones for enhanced security across the
computing, networking, storage and management layers of a unified
infrastructure. The Secure Multi-tenancy Design Architecture
provides details about implementing and configuring the
architecture, as well as best practices for building and managing
best-in-class solutions from Cisco, NetApp and VMware. This
validated design architecture significantly increases business
agility by helping IT administrators to establish the appropriate
quality of service for each resource layer and to deliver
consistent service performance levels for the applications in each
layer.
"ExamWorks requires a flexible and dynamic
infrastructure that allows us to rapidly integrate disparate
technologies, virtualize key applications, and then offer them as a
service to our broad family of companies via a secure, internal
cloud infrastructure," said Brian Denton, chief technology officer,
ExamWorks. "By integrating best-in-class technologies, Cisco,
NetApp, and VMware have delivered unprecedented agility,
efficiency, and cost savings. A validated Secure Multi-tenancy
design architecture from these three industry leaders will be a
necessity for companies looking to develop cloud services that
isolate data across a highly secure, shared virtualized
infrastructure."
The Secure Multi-tenancy Design Architecture
is based on Cisco Nexus® Series Switches and the Cisco®
Unified Computing System, NetApp FAS storage with MultiStore®,
and VMware vSphere and vShield™ Zones. The design reference
architecture has been jointly tested and validated as a Cisco
Validated Design so customers can quickly assess their needs and
deploy integrated solutions from Cisco, NetApp and VMware that meet
the stringent requirements of their dynamic data centers. The Cisco
Validated Design Guide can be viewed at http://www.netapp.com/us/cisco-vmware/.
"The IT industry is in the midst of a radical
transformation as companies look for flexible, unified computing
architectures that can deliver dynamic, on-demand services cost
effectively," said Russ Fellows, senior partner, Evaluator Group.
"The driving force behind this shift is the need to align IT costs
with business by shifting from static single-purpose IT systems to
new on-demand IT services available in the data centers of the
future. These pretested and validated architectures will help IT
organizations achieve their goals faster, while minimizing the risk
of moving to a new virtualized data center."
Cooperative Professional Services and
Support to Enable ITaaS
As customers embark on their journey to ITaaS, Cisco, NetApp and
VMware will provide a cooperative set of professional services to
deliver an outstanding customer experience and help channel
partners deploy a Secure Multi-tenancy Design Architecture with the
least risk to their customers' current environment.
As part of this collaboration, Cisco, NetApp
and VMware also introduced a global 24-hour cooperative support
model. This model offers customers a more streamlined response from
Cisco, NetApp and VMware to identify and solve potential issues
related to the solutions used in the Secure Multi-tenancy Design
Architecture. This saves customers' time and resources when they
request product and technology support.
Availability
The unified storage,
unified computing, networking and virtualization solutions that
make up the Secure Multi-tenancy Design Architecture are available
today from Cisco, NetApp and VMware and in production data centers
around the world. Cooperative professional services and support are
also available today. To learn more about how Cisco, NetApp and
VMware and their mutual ecosystem of partners, including channel
partners, systems integrators and service providers, are working
together to help customers build and design their dynamic data
centers, visit http://www.netapp.com/us/cisco-vmware/.
Virtual Event
Cisco, NetApp and VMware will host a virtual event to discuss how
the companies are working together to help customers transform
their virtualized data centers with the Secure Multi-tenancy Design
Architecture. Hear an executive discussion with Tony Bates, Cisco;
Tom Georgens, NetApp; Paul Maritz, VMware; and a customer and
partner. Customers will also be able to participate in a live
Q&A session with technical experts from all three companies. To
register, visit: http://www.imaginevirtuallyanything.com.
About Cisco
Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that
transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this
year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational
excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about
Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news,
please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions
that accelerate business breakthroughs and achieve outstanding cost
efficiency. Discover our passion for helping companies around the
world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.
About VMware
VMware delivers solutions for business infrastructure
virtualization that enable IT organizations to energize businesses
of all sizes. With the industry leading virtualization
platform-VMware vSphere™-customers rely on VMware to reduce
capital and operating expenses, improve agility, ensure business
continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2009 revenues of
$2 billion, more than 170,000 customers and 25,000 partners, VMware
is the leader in virtualization, which consistently ranks as a top
priority among CIOs. VMware is headquartered in Silicon Valley with
offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.
Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Nexus and
Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco
Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and
certain other countries. The use of the word partner does not imply
a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.
NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go further, faster, MultiStore, and NetApp
Data Motion are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc.
in the United States and/or other countries. The use of the word
"partner" or "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership
relationship between NetApp and any other company. VMware, VMware
vShield, and VMware vSphere are registered trademarks and/or
trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other
jurisdictions. The word "partner" or "partnership" does not imply a
legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other
company. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as
such.
Press Contacts:
Pamela Ferrill
Cisco
Ph: (408) 527-9076
pamfe@cisco.com
Roger Villareal
NetApp
Ph: (408) 822-1959
rogerv@netapp.com
Nick Fuentes
VMware
Ph: (650) 427-1104
nfuentes@vmware.com
Addendum: Partner Quote
Sheet
Cisco, NetApp, and VMware are also working with many channel
partners, systems integrators, and service providers that deliver
best-in-class services that will use the Secure Multi-tenancy
Design Architecture and cooperative support model to deliver
customers a completely integrated solution and quickly help them
transform their data centers into a shared virtualized
infrastructure.
ECCOM Network Storage System
Ltd.
"Cisco, NetApp and VMware are the top
networking, storage and virtualization vendors in the IT industry,"
said Yue Liu, GM of ECCOM Network Storage System Ltd. "Their
customers have achieved great success based on their advanced
products and technology. Their joint collaboration will have an
even greater impact to their customers and the industry as a whole
with one complete solution for data center and cloud
infrastructures. As the professional service and solution provider
for information infrastructure, Cisco, NetApp and VMware will
enable ECCOM to provide an outstanding experience to our mutual
customers in building their next generation of data centers."
ePlus Technology
"Virtualized data centers empower
organizations to reduce costs, increase efficiency and better react
to today's dynamic business climate," said Chris Finney, vice
president, Data Center & Systems, ePlus Technology. "Cloud
computing is the next step in the data center and requires
best-in-class technology partners to continue to drive this
transformation. ePlus is pleased to work with Cisco, NetApp and
VMware to create leading cloud solutions backed by our own data
center solutions capabilities."
Forsythe
"Cloud computing and the move from a physical
to a virtual infrastructure continue to be among the most
significant IT transformations we see today," comments Richard
Zimmermann, Forsythe vice president of Network Solutions. "As an IT
infrastructure integrator, Forsythe has been helping its customers
integrate disparate technologies in complex physical, and now also
virtual, environments for a long time. Our focus is on helping
clients optimize the cost of operating their data centers.
Accordingly, we are excited to see collaborations such as Cisco,
NetApp and VMware that strive to simplify customers' implementation
and operation of converged virtual environments."
INX
"INX believes that cloud computing is the
next wave of IT infrastructure," said Jon Groves, vice president of
Professional Services, INX. "Enterprises are looking to cloud
computing to help reduce costs, increase business agility and
deliver an efficient environment through a virtualized, shared
infrastructure. We are very pleased to be working with world-class
technology partners such as Cisco, NetApp and VMware to provide
customers with best-of-breed cloud solutions backed by an
experienced IT services leader."
Lockheed Martin
"Cloud computing business models and
technologies hold great potential to help our government customers
meet their unique mission requirements. Secure cloud architectures
such as this collaborative multi-tenant design architecture from
NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, can serve to meet mission requirements
while at the same time, accelerating private, public and hybrid
cloud adoption in the federal marketplace. It is one more example
of innovation among the technology community to deliver seamless
security, which aligns with Lockheed Martin's Cyber Security
Alliance partner initiatives," said Curt Aubley, CTO Cyber &
NexGen Innovation, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global
Services.
Logicalis
"Logicalis welcomes this validated design
from Cisco, NetApp, and VMware to simplify the deployment of
'cloud' solutions for our enterprise and public sector customers,"
said Tom Kelly, Managing Director,6Logicalis UK. "What customers
need now are partners able to deliver these private cloud solutions
and willing to invest in building matched hosted solutions, and
Logicalis intends to step up to the mark on both counts."
Long View Systems
"Enterprises are being called on to cut
costs, scrutinize new investments and become highly efficient in
everything they do-and nowhere more so than in the data center,"
said Kent MacDonald, vice president, Infrastructure Solutions, Long
View Systems. "Long View Systems is excited to see the
collaboration of our strategic partners Cisco, NetApp and VMware
uniting three IT visionaries that have changed the way that
organizations manage their IT infrastructure. This is not a vision,
but a proven ability to execute together to drive down costs and
improve availability and responsiveness to business
challenges."
MSI Systems Integrators
"Cloud computing is the next step for
organizations looking to decrease costs, increase productivity and
provide agile IT services for their business," said Tony Regier,
executive vice president, Storage Solutions, MSI Systems
Integrators. "Sound solutions include technologies from
industry-leading IT manufacturers and systems integrators such as
MSI whose focus is on providing efficient and optimized IT
infrastructures. The relationship between Cisco, NetApp and VMware
allows MSI to provide world-class, cloud-based solutions for our
clients."
Presidio, Inc.
"Virtualized cloud computing has proven its
ability to reduce capital expenditures in the data center while
significantly improving reliability, scalability and management,"
said Kevin Watkins, vice president, Engineering, Presidio, Inc.
"When our customers extend the concepts of virtualization to their
network and storage infrastructures, the service improvements and
capital savings are even greater. Presidio is very pleased to be
working with Cisco, NetApp and VMware as we provide virtualized
data center solutions for our clients. Their advanced technologies,
combined with Presidio's architecture and engineering capabilities,
result in some of the most advanced, cost-effective data center
solutions in the industry."
World Wide Technology
"Enterprises are looking to public and
private cloud infrastructures to increase business agility and
deliver a highly efficient computing environment," said Bob Olwig,
vice president, Corporate Business Development, World Wide
Technology. "World Wide Technology is very pleased to join forces
with our world-class technology partners Cisco, NetApp and VMware
to provide our government, commercial, and service-provider
customers with best-of-breed, virtualized cloud solutions."