NetApp and Cisco announce next evolution of FlexPod

NetApp and Cisco have announced the evolution of FlexPod with the introduction of FlexPod XCS, providing one automated platform for modern applications, data and hybrid cloud services.

FlexPod is composed of pre-validated storage, networking, server technologies from Cisco and NetApp. The new FlexPod XCS platform is designed to accelerate the delivery of modern applications and data in a hybrid cloud environment.

FlexPod XCS is the first and only hybrid cloud solution natively integrated across all three major public cloud providers, the companies state.

Additionally, organisations will have the option to use FlexPod-as-a-Service, a pay-as-you-grow pricing model for financial and operational flexibility.

FlexPod XCS is designed to simplify hybrid cloud operations by increasing accessibility and scalability, extending the infrastructure from an on-premises and edge standard to the hybrid cloud.

This new offering lays the groundwork for continued joint innovation that will bring new solutions to market for hybrid cloud, containers, and modern workloads.

FlexPod XCS provides a new set of capabilities to the FlexPod platform including the following:

Hybrid Cloud Connectivity: By extending organisations' data fabric, customers gain the operational certainty of putting the right apps and data in the right place at the right time.

Automation: Comprehensive infrastructure automation across all lifecycle phases using Cisco Intersight Cloud Orchestrator and NetApp automated scripts and workflows to simplify day-to-day IT operations including configuration, deployment, expansion, and infrastructure consumption and optimisation.

Visibility: Providing an enhanced and unified view of all FlexPod components through Cisco Intersight, enabling organisations to respond to their business needs more quickly with more intelligent resource decisions.

FlexPod-as-a-Service: Lowering initial costs for flexibility and tailoring purchasing options based on budgets and usage.

New Reference Architecture with NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP (CVO) instances in AWS: FlexPod XCS and ONTAP integration with automation via Cisco Intersight FlexPod XCS also allows IT departments to gain new insights with full-stack visibility and customised automation capabilities to increase operational productivity.

The new FlexPod-as-a-Service consumption model enables customers to have more financial and operational flexibility by aligning costs based on usage, according to a statement.

Cisco vice president cloud and compute product management Siva Sivakumar says, "Our strategic relationship with NetApp continues to create value for businesses through deep technology integration aimed at solving our customers' biggest challenges.

"FlexPod XCS powered by Cisco Intersight delivers key new capabilities for our customers such as automation, visibility and hybrid cloud operations into a single unified platform for modern apps, data, and hybrid cloud services."

NetApp vice president hybrid cloud infrastructure and OEM solutions Mike Arterbury says, "We are proud of our continued innovation with Cisco as we expand FlexPod's capabilities that solve for organisations' unique business challenges.

"Building on our twelve-year partnership with Cisco, FlexPod XCS combines our best-in-class technologies to simplify the delivery of data and applications, enabling enterprises to run new services more efficiently at the edge, core or in the cloud."

FlexPod XCS is in preview for partners and customers and is expected to be generally available globally in mid-2022.