ExpressPod – Infrastructure Solution for Small and Midsize Organisations

For growing small and medium-sized organisations that are beginning to virtualise their networking, storage, and computing environments, ExpressPod offers prepackaged and tested solution bundles. Integrated and delivered by joint channel partners, ExpressPod integrates Cisco UCS® C-Series servers, NetApp FAS2220 or FAS2240 storage, and Cisco Nexus® 3048 switches with infrastructure management, into an affordable, easy-to-deploy infrastructure solution. ExpressPod supports an open ecosystem of management and hypervisor solutions.

FlexPod – Enhancements to Scalability, Capacity and Performance

Servicing the needs of large enterprise data centres, FlexPod now features support and validation for VMware vSphere^® on NetApp Data ONTAP^® 8 operating in Cluster-Mode. Now, organisations can drive growth by adding nodes to their storage cluster creating large storage pools that span storage devices and can scale almost infinitely. The storage pool resources can be dynamically allocated and securely isolated to support multi-tenancy. NetApp storage clustering also enables nondisruptive data migration of hundreds of virtual machines at a time to facilitate load balancing, system maintenance and device upgrades without interrupting the running applications. 

Additionally, for companies that are virtualising Oracle RAC databases with VMware vSphere and vCenter™, Cisco and NetApp offer validated design support, including documented deployment best practices. The Oracle RAC on FlexPod solution, validated with VMware, features secure multi-tenancy, application and data mobility, integrated data protection, and automated provisioning. These features provide organisations with a prevalidated, virtualised production solution to manage more databases in less time and space. 

In November, FlexPod celebrates its second anniversary. Today more than 1,300 organisations in 35 countries have accelerated their transition to the cloud with FlexPod, and more customers are evaluating the innovative benefits of storage cluster management, including Ignition Creative, a full-service multimedia entertainment marketing company. Founded in 2003, Ignition has created trailers, billboards, posters, television spots, and Internet and print ads for some of the most recognised Hollywood movies, hit TV shows, and blockbuster video games. The company is in the process of implementing FlexPod to consolidate operations onto a single platform.

“Our agency was managing and maintaining three separate data centre infrastructures,” said Rich Oldfield, chief technology officer, Ignition Creative. “We are working with Cisco and NetApp to converge our infrastructure onto the FlexPod data centre platform and massively simplify operations. By deploying FlexPod, we’re confident we’ll be able to scale our infrastructure without limit, and without disruption to our business, as our needs grow.”

Enabling an Ecosystem of Successful Channel Partners

Critical to the success of FlexPod and ExpressPod customers are the more than 660 certified FlexPod Partners, including 33 Premium Partners in EMEA and the Americas, who help them deploy their infrastructure faster and easier. In addition to a wide range of sales, and marketing resources designed to help partners grow their businesses and accelerate customer success, Cisco and NetApp offer a Plan, Design and Implement Help Desk that allows partners to collaborate with NetApp and Cisco on solving real world implementation challenges.

To support partners who are looking to deploy ExpressPod, Cisco and NetApp will offer readiness and enablement packages to help them play a critical consulting role with midsized customers. Clear deployment guidance and training, coupled with industry-leading support, marketing, and demand-generation resources from Cisco and NetApp, provide the tools to help partners build and extend successful infrastructure solution practices to IT departments globally. ExpressPod implementation guides will be available to partners beginning in November 2012.

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