Vblock Simplifies Virtualization

The Vblock Infrastructure Package is the product of the Virtual Computing
Environment (VCE) coalition, formed by the collaboration of three IT industry
leaders — Cisco, EMC and VMware. The coalition aims to simplify and accelerate
virtualization and help customers transition to private cloud infrastructures.

With the advanced technologies of Cisco, EMC and Vmware, Vblock removes much
of the design, planning, and integration phases of IT infrastructure deployment
and can be easily deployed and brought into production. It combines with
networking, compute, storage, security and management with an end-to-end vendor
accountability.

It enables customers to rapidly migrate existing applications to Vblock as
part of a re-hosting and supports the broadest range of operating systems and
applications.

"A significant benefit of the Vblock Infrastructure Package is that customers
of any size and scale will have the ability to quickly deploy a virtualized
infrastructure. Since Vblock Infrastructure Packages are provisioned with
flexible storage capacity, processing, network performance and capabilities, the
packages are sufficiently nimble to support futuristic and incremental
requirements like enhanced security and business continuity," said Manoj Chugh,
President, EMC India and SAARC, and Director, Global Accounts, EMC Asia Pacific
and Japan.

A customer can acquire a Vblock solution through channel and service
integrator partners, which will augment, sell and deliver Vblock Infrastructure
Packages to enable the journey to pervasive virtualization and private cloud.
According to Chugh, once the customer has purchased a Vblock Infrastructure
Package and corresponding support services, technical support can be provided to
them through a jointly staffed post-sales seamless support function to assure an
integrated support experience to the Vblock customers.

The initial wave of cloud computing is best spearheaded by technology leaders
who can quickly demonstrate the value of a highly automated datacenter. The
coalition between Cisco, EMC and VMware offers a shared vision of the private
cloud and the journey customers will take to get there. Chugh thinks, that this
will benefit the customers who want to rapidly transform their existing
computing environments, by helping them to reduce risk and cost, while
streamlining operations. More importantly, it has advantages for partners as a
services-led engagement.

In addition, Vblock can be integrated with existing servers and storage
portfolio and customers can provide their existing OS, applications, database
and data (for back-up and restore) for established or new implementations. "All
the efforts in the VCE coalition are collaborative. The VCE coalition has
developed a virtual support center that combines the expertise of the three
companies to enable fast technical assistance and response. Customers can access
this support through a single contact point directly connecting them with a
virtual team of VCE solution technical experts," Chugh said. He further added,
"Within, the cloud computing, there is a significant scope for the private cloud
as it offers increased agility and responsiveness to changing priorities, better
use of datacenter real estate, and consolidation and simplification of IT
budgets. This is a great opportunity for system integrators, channel partners
and solution providers, especially those who are looking for continued IT
infrastructure engagements. In addition to selling Vblock Infrastructure
Packages, the VCE coalition enables partners to offer services."

Cisco and EMC, together with VMware, have committed to develop a joint
partner ecosystem. The companies will work with select group of partners,
growing over time, which will augment, sell and deliver Virtual Computing
Environment solutions to enable the customer's journey to pervasive
virtualization and private cloud. "Vblock Partner Ecosystem is currently under
development that will enable partners to develop services using Vblock's
extensibility framework to offer unique differentiation within their respective
markets," said Chugh.

Muntazir Abbas

muntazira@cybermedia.co.in