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Big Blue lures big biz object storage teams with VersaStack, COS

IBM and Cisco gear? So you're saying two wrongs can make a right?

IBM has found a new route for its channel into enterprise data-intensive workloads, courtesy of its Cisco VersaStack deal.

VersaStack is a reference architecture for converged infrastructure systems, built from Cisco servers and networking and IBM storage. This is a FlexPod-type system, with the channel selling pre-tested, validated components as a single supported system.

The VersaStack solution employs IBM's Cloud Object Storage (COS) using Cisco's S‑Series S3260 storage server as its physical storage array, with Cisco UCS C220 rack servers, Nexus 9000 switch and a 40Gbit Ethernet fabric.

Existing customers with on-premises Cisco hardware and server management tools can manage this new COS capability. The storage capacity scales from terabytes to petabytes and IBM COS can be extended to use IBM's SoftLayer public cloud, with capacity going outwards and upwards to exabytes.

IBM's general manager for COS, Phil Buckellew, emphasized this point: "Providing IBM Cloud Object Storage for Cisco hardware customers ... allows them to use their existing investments to gain massive scalability for large volumes of data or changing business needs, with the option to extend into the IBM Cloud if and when it makes sense for them."

Target use cases include active archive, backup, content repositories, enterprise collaboration and cloud application development.

Big Blue also stressed that the new COS VersaStack simplifies the integration process for Cisco customers, who can use their existing Cisco purchasing agreements and support structure to implement an IBM COS environment.

We might expect NetApp and Cisco's FlexPods to offer similar functionality. ®

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