Groundbreaking Cisco UCS X-Series and FlexPod: A winning team for your hybrid cloud
Kris Cornwall
Today, Cisco introduces its next forward-looking advancements in compute, the Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System. Cisco hit a homerun in the data center World Series with its first-generation UCS servers. In its first compute chassis, Cisco pioneered stateless management and a unified fabric. Shortly after, Cisco and NetApp together introduced the best-in-class FlexPod® converged infrastructure to extend Cisco UCS with industry-leading storage and to offer a complete data center and edge solution. 
With the new Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System powered by Cisco Intersight and with Cisco UCS X210c Compute Nodes, Cisco has scored another win in a data center World Series baseball game. The UCS X-Series Modular System enables you to:
- Respond at scale with cloud-operated infrastructure.
- Adapt quickly with a system that’s designed for modern applications.
- Feel safe investing in a system that’s designed for the future of compute and networking.
FlexPod extends UCS X-Series for an optimal hybrid cloud solution
The FlexPod system embraces and extends the UCS X-Series as the optimal overall solution for your enterprise and modern workloads. FlexPod builds on X-Series with a foundation of joint success by:- Adding to the existing 200 reference architectures, including nearly all data center versions, enterprise and modern workloads.
- Embracing new technology as it emerges, without the need for a forklift upgrade.
- Providing an extensive network of partners with deep expertise in using FlexPod as a cloud-connected data center solution.
NetApp also improves and builds on the Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System advantages with some of its own unique innovation:
- Delivers hybrid cloud connectivity with a data fabric that’s powered by industry-leading NetApp® ONTAP® software in the FlexPod system.
- Manage ONTAP with the Cisco Intersight cloud operations platform. In addition, the NetApp Cloud Manager provides a centralized control plane to manage, monitor and automate data in hybrid cloud environments with FlexPod.
- You can quickly expand your FlexPod hybrid cloud within all three hyperscalers:
- Take less than 5 minutes to build a hybrid cloud from a FlexPod infrastructure.
- Spend 2 minutes to set up cloud backup for your on-premises data.
- Automatically tier cold data to public clouds.
How FlexPod brings the team together to win
In any sport, you need individual players and their soaring accomplishments. But a comprehensive team approach, coaching staff, and analytics are what keep a team on top. FlexPod brings these advantages to the new Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System, Cisco Nexus and MDS switches, and the Cisco Intersight operations platform.A sports team also needs a long-term strategy and short-term tactics to stay ahead of the competition. In the same way, a data center needs a strategy and tactics, proven ability, proven players, and a comprehensive and cohesive team.
And if you want a superior compute infrastructure and overall solution, take a look at the UCS X-Series Modular System in a FlexPod solution. It’s like hitting a grand slam in a World Series baseball game.
Beat the competition in the the hybrid cloud game
Turn individual product greatness into a team sport. Use the groundbreaking Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System with the FlexPod system. FlexPod brings the solutions, the expertise, the channel, the best-in-class technologies, and a simple, superfast connection for your hybrid cloud. Turn the best compute platform into a complete, hybrid, cloud-connected solution.To learn more, visit: www.netapp.com/flexpod www.cisco.com/go/flexpod www.flexpod.com www.cisco.com/go/ucs
Kris Cornwall
Kristine Cornwall is responsible for product marketing strategy and execution for the company’s enterprise storage portfolio. A 25-year storage veteran with positions at Sun Microsystems and EMC/Dell Technologies in roles of increasing scope and responsibility, Kris is a graduate of the University of Washington and holds an MBA from The Wharton School.
