Cisco (News - Alert) and VMware announced a deeper partnership last August at VMworld. Together, they hope to create a next-generation cloud infrastructure by combing VMware’s cloud infrastructure and management stacks with Cisco’s Data Center Networking and Fabric Computing platforms.

“The next-generation data center will enable customers to capture the value of VMware cloud infrastructure and management stacks along with the next wave of Cisco innovations in hardware, ASICs, systems and network programmability to deliver unprecedented scalability, security, diagnostics and policy management,” explained Rob Lloyd, Cisco’s executive vice president.

Cisco and VMware plan to devote investment dollars toward creating an integrated division that will hire a new engineering team. The team will focus on creating next-generation cloud infrastructure, or the software-based data center.

Their joint solutions will focus on end-to-end visibility, workspace mobility, more agile network services and troubleshooting across both virtual and physical infrastructures. Specific examples include integrating Cisco’s Nexus 1000V switches into VMware’s vSphere 5.1 suite.

Additionally, the team plans to co-develop Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS), a cloud-based system bundling vSphere 5.1 and vCloud 5.1 with Cisco routers, firewalls and switches.

“The software-defined datacenter will deliver the next leap in software-based datacenter automation across server, storage and networking, but it requires equal hardware and systems-based innovation,” said Pat Gelsinger, VMware’s new CEO.

“We are very excited to further our partnership with Cisco, the industry-leading innovator in networking, as we believe it will bring significant value to our joint customers through the integration of the VMware cloud infrastructure platform with Cisco's intelligent network fabric.”

While companies like Cisco develop the most innovative equipment and solutions, many resellers like XS International can offer support, maintenance, installation and refurbishing at a significantly reduced cost. XSi also provides an alternative to Cisco’s SMARTnet as well as expertise in Cisco systems, thanks to its 10 years as a Cisco Business Partner.

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