New cloud platform targets enterprise-focused providers
Cisco Systems and Microsoft expanded their previously announced cloud and data center partnership with the launch of a new platform combining Microsoft’s Windows Azure Pack and Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure.
The new platform, descriptively dubbed Cisco Cloud Architecture for the Microsoft Cloud Platform, is designed to help cloud providers deliver hybrid cloud services, simplify operations and reduce costs.
Cisco and Microsoft initially announced the multiyear partnership last July, which called for both companies to “invest in sales, marketing and engineering resources to drive global alignment, while delivering deeper technology integration across cloud and data center markets.” The latest push is designed to allow those cloud providers to create a combined infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service into a single platform for customers.
The companies said the new offering will provide prepackaged policy management libraries that can allow cloud providers to more rapidly implement applications with consistent policy management. The service will also integrate Microsoft’s Systems Center 2012 R2 with Cisco’s Unified Computing System Manager to simplify management. Overall, Cisco and Microsoft said the deal will allow for the delivery of services at “devops” speed, which can reduce total cost of ownership and accelerate time-to-revenue.
The platform targets traditional enterprise applications, but is said to also complement Cisco’s OpenStack-based architectures for cloud native workloads and provide hybrid cloud capability for connecting to Intercloud and Azure. The first reference architecture is scheduled to be published next month.
Cisco announced its OpenStack-based Intercloud program last year, which was bolstered through the acquisition of Metacloud. Analysts noted the Metacloud deal was a strong step by Cisco in boosting its Intercloud initiative.
“Time will tell how seamless and robust the OpenStack additions to the Intercloud portfolio will be. Customers will decide,” said Paul Parker-Johnson from ACG Research. “However, if one were looking for signs that the Intercloud fabric might have the versatility and flexibility in deployment options the cloud computing community so highly values, the Metacloud acquisition would appear to be a compelling signal heading in that direction.”
As part of the latest announcement, Cisco also announced that 14 cloud providers have joined its Intercloud partner program, bringing that program’s total count to more than 60 companies. The newest partners include Bezeq International, City Cloud Technology, CTC – Itochu Techno Solution, Freudenberg IT, Iland, Proximus, QSS, QTS, Skyscape Cloud Services, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Troila Technology Development, ViaWest and Yunan Nantian Electronic Information.
Cisco earlier this month announced several network virtualization and cloud deals with mobile operators tied to the Mobile World Congress event.
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