Cisco (News - Alert) and NetApp are well-known names in the cloud business industry. Their technologies have helped several small and medium businesses simplify the deployment of cloud infrastructure. Recently, Westcon Group (News - Alert) announced its Comstor business unit is teaming with Cisco and NetApp to open markets for their newest cloud platform -- ExpressPod-- and sell the architecture to partners and through NetApp and Cisco distributors across EMEA.
Developed by Cisco and NetApp, ExpressPod helps facilitate the implementation of next-generation server, storage and network resources. It consolidates common applications - such as e-mail, collaboration, or content management into single servers – ensuring businesses can more easily manage complex virtualization resources.
Company officials say the platform also lowers risks associated with installing new resources while offering greater efficiencies and reduced complexity.
According to Andreas Dohmen, executive vice president EMEA, Comstor (News - Alert), ExpressPod opens doors for small- and medium-sized businesses looking to gain new efficiencies through next-generation data center technology.
ExpressPod is available in a pre-packaged and tested solution bundle integrated and delivered by Comstor. It integrates Cisco UCS C-Series servers, NetApp FAS2220 or FAS2240 storage, Cisco Nexus 3048 switches, and infrastructure management with cooperative support.
Westcon Group is a value-added distributor of category-leading unified communications, network infrastructure, data center, and security solutions with a global network of specialty resellers.
"FlexPod was a game-changer in data center technology," said Ed Baker, director of Data Center and Virtualization Channel, Cisco EMEAR, in a statement. "ExpressPod now takes this vision one step further – offering an easy-to-deploy data center platform for customers with little or no IT experience.”
The solution helps mid-sized customers reduce the number of servers in their environment through virtualization.
ExpressPod components support open APIs -- driven by a wide range of management, automation, and orchestration platforms. The architecture runs via a Cooperative Support Model, helping collocated experts mix-and-match available product components, reproduce complex customer environments, and expedite issues.
Thomas Ehrlich, vice president Partners and Pathways EMEA, NetApp, says ExpressPod changes the rules of the game permitting more businesses to exploit all virtualization has to offer. “With broad-based data center experience, Comstor is a perfect partner to bring this platform to a broader global audience."
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Edited by Amanda Ciccatelli