Cisco and IBM Announce Relationship to Simplify the Data Center and Accelerate Business Transformation.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif. and ARMONK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2004 Cisco Systems “Cisco” redirects here. For other uses, see Cisco (disambiguation). Cisco System,Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO, HKSE: 4333 ) is an American multinational corporation with 54,000 employees and annual revenue of US $28.48 billion as of 2006. , Inc. and IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) Cisco switch for BladeCenter among new products and technologies that can help reduce IT complexity, increase performance and save customers money Cisco Systems, Inc. and IBM today introduced a new solution designed to tightly integrate elements of Cisco's networking technologies and products with IBM's systems and software, helping to enable business transformation. As part of their global, strategic alliance, the two companies have worked to better optimize Cisco's Business Ready Data Center for IBM's on demand operating environment In computing, an operating environment is the environment in which users run programs, whether in a command line interface, such as in MS-DOS or the Unix shell, or in a graphical user interface, such as in the Macintosh operating system. and cooperated on a number of technology initiatives, enabling customers to benefit from an interoperable IT and network infrastructure. The new solution, Cisco Business Ready Data Center Optimized with IBM for the on demand operating environment, will include a series of new hardware and software products, including additions to IBM's industry-leading eServer BladeCenter system(1). Working together, Cisco and IBM can now provide customers a comprehensive networking and systems solution specifically designed for the data center. The new solution can enhance data center server, network and storage deployments which can help improve systems management, cost effectiveness and overall performance. These new hardware, software and services offerings will include: -- The Cisco Systems Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet An Ethernet standard that transmits at 1 Gbps. Used mostly to connect high-end workstations and servers as well as for network backbones, Gigabit Ethernet transmits full duplex from point to point using switches and half duplex in a shared environment (CSMA/CD) using a hub. Switch Module (IGESM IGESM Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (Cisco) ) for IBM eServer This article is about the IBM family of computer servers. For the open access electronic text archive, see EServer.org. IBM eServer was a family of computer servers from IBM Corporation. BladeCenter. Integration of the Cisco Systems IGESM switch extends the Cisco Business Ready Data Center environment into the BladeCenter -- helping to reduce infrastructure complexity and simplifying management. This allows IBM's industry leading BladeCenter to take advantage of Cisco's leadership in intelligent switching technology. The IGESM can provide customers with enhanced security, improved quality-of-service and multicast capability, as well as seamless integration An addition of a new application, routine or device that works smoothly with the existing system. It implies that the new feature or program can be installed and used without problems. Contrast with "transparent," which implies that there is no discernible change after installation. with existing management tools. Cisco and IBM will jointly provide design guidance, practices and recommendations as part of the Business Ready Data Center blueprint. -- Enhanced application performance and response times through intelligent server load balancing The fine tuning of a computer system, network or disk subsystem in order to more evenly distribute the data and/or processing across available resources. For example, in clustering, load balancing might distribute the incoming transactions evenly to all servers, or it might redirect them . IBM Enterprise Workload Manager and the Cisco Content Switching Module (CSM CSM - ["CSM - A Distributed Programming Language", S. Zhongxiu et al, IEEE Trans Soft Eng SE-13(4):497-500 (Apr 1987)]. ) will be able to exchange application-level load and health information via the new Server Application State Protocol (SASP SASP Separation and Airspace Safety Panel SASP State Agencies for Surplus Property (distribution of government surplus property) SASP Small Arms Serialization Program SASP Special Ammunition Supply Point SASP Surface Air Sampling Program ), enabling better data center performance based upon real-time network, server and application conditions. -- Tivoli Provisioning Manager, a component of the IBM Virtualization Engine In computing, a virtualization engine is the concept of giving a holistic view of all the resources in the entire network infrastructure. The holistic view is independent of the physical data storage devices and their geographic location. , has been enhanced to support automated provisioning across the Cisco intelligent data center network with support for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Content Switching, Firewall and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) The leading security protocol on the Internet. Developed by Netscape, SSL is widely used to do two things: to validate the identity of a Web site and to create an encrypted connection for sending credit card and other personal data. services modules; the Cisco IGESM; and the Cisco MDS MDS, n See temporomandibular pain-dysfunction syndrome. MDS 1 Maternal deprivation syndrome, see there 2 Myelodysplastic syndrome, see there 9000 SAN switch family. This can help lower administrative costs administrative costs, n.pl the overhead expenses incurred in the operation of a dental benefits program, excluding costs of dental services provided. and better optimize resource utilization. -- Tivoli SAN Manager has been enhanced to support integrated management of virtualization An umbrella term for enhancing a computer's ability to do work. Following are the ways virtualization is used. Hardware Virtualization Partitioning the computer's memory into separate and isolated "virtual machines" simulates multiple machines within one physical computer. services on the Cisco MDS SAN switch platform including Virtual Storage Area Networks (VSANs) and the IBM TotalStorage SAN Volume Controller virtualization software hosted on the Cisco MDS Caching Services Module. This can help reduce cost and complexity, better optimize storage performance/utilization, and ease storage consolidation. -- Extension of the IBM Autonomic Computing Readiness Engagement to include an assessment of the Cisco network. This can help accelerate deployment of the solution. "Cisco is dedicated to helping its customers protect, optimize and grow their business by increasing the security, reliability and quality of service of their networks," said Pierre-Paul Allard, vice president, Enterprise Marketing, Cisco Systems, Inc. "Our Business Ready Data Center solution, as integrated with IBM's on-demand operating environment, brings the network computing strengths of both companies together for the benefit of our mutual customers." "This unique combination of IBM and Cisco technologies delivers a comprehensive solution to help customers transform their businesses," said Mark Shearer, vice president, strategy and marketing, IBM Systems and Technology Group. "By maximizing on our respective strengths, we will enable our customers to deploy state-of-the-art technology that can help increase productivity, reduce operating expenses Operating expenses The amount paid for asset maintenance or the cost of doing business, excluding depreciation. Earnings are distributed after operating expenses are deducted. and gain a competitive advantage." The solution will also be specialized to meet the needs of various industries such as education, financial services and banking, with other industries to follow. "Two years ago, we installed with the assistance of IBM Global Services IBM Global Services is the world's largest business and technology services provider. It is the fastest growing part of IBM, with over 190,000 professionals serving customers in more than 160 countries. an end-to-end Cisco network on our campus," said Harry Williams, director of technology and systems, Marist College. "We are currently upgrading our network with key elements of the new IBM - Cisco data center solution that is being announced today and we anticipate a significant improvement in customer service and a reduction in support costs." Cisco Business Ready Data Center optimized with IBM for the on demand operating environment includes a full suite of solutions needed by customers to deploy a best-in-class data center. As part of the solution, Cisco will provide: a high-performance IP network comprised of Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches with its portfolio of Intelligent Virtualized Services Modules addressing security and data center requirements; Application Optimization; intelligent open systems; and mainframe Storage Networking via the MDS9000 SAN Family and Data Center Security solutions. IBM will provide: the eServer BladeCenter; Tivoli Suite of Management Products; IBM Storage Subsystems and Virtualization Engine software; WebSphere Internet infrastructure software; and the Lotus Application Suite. In addition, IBM Global Services is launching a suite of service and support offerings customized for this new solution, including readiness assessment, design and integration. Elements of the Cisco Business Ready Data Center optimized with IBM for the on demand operating environment solution are planned to be available starting in June 2004 from Cisco and IBM. New IBM Global Services offerings will be available starting in June 2004. Today's announcement builds on the existing Cisco-IBM global strategic alliance which offers customers industry-leading, integrated e-business solutions. About the Cisco Business Ready Data Center The Cisco Business Ready Data Center is an initiative to address the need for an intelligent network architecture that facilitates the evolution to a next-generation data center. Business Ready Data Center provides the solutions, services, partners and tested architectural design and deployment guides that help allow customers to protect applications and information, share computing and storage resources and support emerging service-oriented architectures. About Cisco Systems Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : CSCO CSCO Cisco Systems Incorporated (stock symbol) CSCO Chief Supply Chain Officer ) is a worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at http://www.cisco.com. About IBM IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with more than 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. For more information, see http://www.ibm.com. The IBM eServer brand consists of the established IBM e-business logo with the following descriptive term "server" following it. The following are either trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both: IBM, the IBM e-business logo, eServer, BladeCenter and TotalStorage. All other company, product or service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of others. Statements concerning IBM's future development plans and schedules are made for planning purposes only, and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. (1) IBM is the number one ranked blade server vendor in the industry in terms of both revenue and shipments according to IDC's 4Q 2003 Server Tracker Report. Report issued Feb. 27, 2004 |
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