VCE has expanded its converged infrastructure portfolio with the launch of its VxRack Systems, as its ongoing push to help end-users speed up the deployment of scale-out mobile and cloud apps continues.
The systems allow users to start out with a handful of servers in a rack, which they can add more to as their business needs increase, and – in turn – support the growth of applications that need to be rapidly scaled up at short notice.
To further enhance the ability of these systems to scale, they can be – effectively – knitted together using VCE’s Vscale Architecture, which allows users to draw on the computing power of VxRacks in other locations.
Two types of VxRacks
The EMC-owned converged infrastructure firm is initially planning to release two different VxRacks. The first of these, the 1032, will offer users a choice of hypervisors, and will feature EMC ScaleIO software-defined storage and Cisco networking kit.
It will be available to order in July, VCE confirmed, with shipping expected in Q3.
The second will also be available to order in Q3, and is designed specifically for use in VMware environments, and features the virtualisation giant’s hypervisor technology, along with its virtual SAN software.
Each one will be pre-engineered and pre-validated by VCE before it’s delivered, saving users time as they won’t have to assemble and configure the systems themselves, said David Goulden, CEO of EMC's Information Infrastructure business, during the opening keynote of EMC World in Las Vegas.
“One of the most fundamental ways to speed up the delivery of an enterprise hybrid cloud is to get users out of the components assembly business, because how many of us in IT have time for this?
“So, we find the best way to implement an enterprise hybrid cloud is to use a foundation of converged infrastructure,” he added.
VCE investments
The storage giant acquired a controlling interest in VCE during October 2014, after buying out Cisco’s stake in the joint venture. This had previously seen the pair – along with VMware – bring to market a series of private cloud-enabling, converged infrastructure systems called Vblocks.
Speaking at the event, VCE CEO Praveen Akkiraju, was keen to stress that the arrival of these new "hyper-converged" VxRack systems would not spell the end for its flagship Vblock technology.
Particularly as both systems are designed to handle subtly different workloads, with VxRacks suited to “born in the cloud applications” accessed via mobile devices, while Vblocks tend to underpin core enterprise applications written in older programming languages.
And, with many companies using a mix of these application types, there is a place for both converged infrastructure systems, he said.
“Vblock today is the number one market leader and continues to set the pace in the marketplace,” he said.
“We are going to continue to invest and innovate on our Vblocks because this is our flagship platform."
