Dell and Cisco data centre collaboration | | 2009-01-29 | | | Dell and Cisco are to expand their existing partnership in a bid to simplify data centre infrastructure in a virtual environment.The deal involves additions to the Solution Technology Integrator agreement which will see Dell add Cisco’s Nexus 5020 switches to its PowerEdge server and EqualLogic, PowerVault and Dell/EMC storage systems. This combined platform will simplify the management of next-generation data centres by pooling storage and computing resources over a unified networking fabric, consolidating local area network, storage area network (SAN) and server cluster network environments into a single high-speed 10Gb Ethernet fabric that can support protocols such as Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and iSCSI.Dell has also qualified the Catalyst 4900 Top-of-Rack Switches (ToR) for its EqualLogic SAN arrays. The Catalyst 4900 ToR switches are now a supported switching platform for the EqualLogic SAN arrays.Dell will install and support the Cisco products alongside its own and EMC’s equipment. This should give customers lower overall purchase costs, as well as reducing maintenance costs, as Dell will support the entire installation. Dell expects the new Cisco switches to be integrated with its datacentre products within the next two months. | |
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