Fujitsu fast-tracks the software-defined data centre with PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation

Issued by CoCre8
Munich, 18 Oct 2016

News facts:

* Turnkey system enables rapid deployment of software-defined data centres.
* PRIMEFLEX solution built on Fujitsu x86 servers, which lead in 16 of 21 VMmark 2.0x virtualisation benchmarks, and on Brocade networking.
* Powered by VMware Cloud Foundation software, VMware's unified SDDC platform for the hybrid cloud.

Fujitsu is fast-tracking the creation of enterprise software-defined data centres (SDDC) with its Integrated System solution PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation. Customers can deploy a large-scale SDDC for Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IAAS) or virtual desktop use cases in just hours rather than weeks, as this new ready-to-run hyper-converged system includes all the required hardware and software.

PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation provides a turnkey solution for SDDC, giving enterprises the highest levels of IT system flexibility, efficiency and agility. PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation delivers enterprise-ready capabilities by combining certified Fujitsu hardware with VMware Cloud Foundation, which brings together VMware software-defined compute, storage and networking into a unified, easy to operate stack.

This latest addition to the Fujitsu PRIMEFLEX line-up of integrated systems is optimised for VMware's enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for private and public clouds, and leverages certified Fujitsu PRIMERGY servers with Brocade VDX switches. PRIMEFLEX takes advantage of VMware SDDC Manager - VMware's new lifecycle automation software included in VMware Cloud Foundation - to help shorten set-up time and reduce ongoing maintenance through the automation of operational tasks including system monitoring, software patching and updates.

Ease of implementation is one reason why enterprises are increasingly turning to preconfigured PRIMEFLEX systems. Customers are taking the fast track to productivity as they recognise that do-it-yourself approaches to building their own hyper-converged systems can be incredibly complex to deploy and manage.

Uwe Neumeier, Vice President and Head of Data Center, EMEIA Product Business at Fujitsu, comments: "Enterprise IT teams have to continuously respond to changing demands by delivering unprecedented levels of scalability and agility. They have increasingly turned to virtualisation, first in the compute space, and now to fully virtualised, hyper-converged infrastructures that embrace software-defined storage and networking. For these environments, PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation provides for the fastest possible deployment of a fully software-defined data centre infrastructure. This infrastructure can be deployed on premises or in a hybrid cloud service."

PRIMERGY servers are the system bedrock within the Fujitsu PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation. Designed for virtualisation and optimised for VMware, these PRIMERGY servers are part of Fujitsu's x86 portfolio, which has a long and proven track record with VMware deployments and has led industry benchmarks for half a decade. Currently, the Fujitsu x86 portfolio leads 16 of 21 VMmark 2.0x benchmarks1, which are recognised as a true indicator of performance in virtualization platforms.

John Gilmartin, vice president and general manager, Integrated Systems Business Unit, VMware says: "Data centre infrastructure deployments are getting increasingly complex, making it challenging to keep track of all the elements. Fujitsu's new PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation promises to provide the high-performance hardware platform that is optimised to bring out the best in virtualised environments."

Brocade enhances the high-performance Fujitsu PRIMEFLEX infrastructure stack with a networking foundation based on the Brocade VDX family of high-performance, low-latency data centre switches. Leveraging Brocade switches, VMware SDDC Manager is able to fully integrate compute, storage and networking into a holistic, software-defined hyperconverged system. This increases flexibility and agility, allows for seamless scale-out across racks and removes many of the network challenges associated with virtualisation to create a critical foundation for cloud deployments.

Jason Nolet, senior vice president, Switching, Routing and Analytics Products Group at Brocade, adds: "Brocade has been collaborating with Fujitsu and VMware to help enterprises deliver more responsive IT services through SDDC deployments. PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation is another milestone of our growing alliance. Together, we can help customers simplify and accelerate their route to virtualisation so they can transform their infrastructure as well as their data centre cost and operational structures."

PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation brings additional flexibility to enterprises thanks to its huge scalability. Starting from a deployment of only eight servers, customers can scale to meet growing demands up to a total of 192 servers and 1.8 Petabyte of storage running approximately 9600 virtual machines. Ease of deployment reduces cost from the outset, but ongoing savings are realised thanks to automated update and upgrade services.

PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation joins a growing line-up of VMware-related solutions, alongside PRIMEFLEX vShape - a traditional converged infrastructure solution with external SAN storage - and PRIMEFLEX for VMware Virtual SAN, a hyper-converged infrastructure solution that comprises software-defined compute and storage.

Pricing and availability

PRIMEFLEX for VMware Cloud Foundation is available to order today, with the first systems expected for customer delivery by the end of January 2017.

1 VMmark is a free tool used by hardware vendors, virtualisation software vendors, and others to measure the performance, scalability, and power consumption of virtualisation platforms. It is designed to:

* Allow accurate and reliable benchmarking of virtual data centre performance and power consumption.
* Allow comparison of the performance and power consumption of different virtualisation platforms.
* It can also be used to determine the performance effects of changes in hardware, software, or configuration within the virtualisation environment. For more information, see http://www.vmware.com/products/vmmark.html

FUJITSU Integrated System PRIMEFLEX

Fujitsu's comprehensive Integrated System PRIMEFLEX portfolio is focused on enabling IT organisations to be more responsive and agile in meeting the needs of their end-users, through adding new levels of simplicity in the data centre around virtualisation, private cloud, big data and High Performance Computing. Furthermore, PRIMEFLEX is ideally suited for running solutions that address SAP and Oracle environments. More information is available at http://www.fujitsu.com/global/products/computing/integrated-systems/

Online resources

* Find out more about FUJITSU's PRIMEFLEX: http://www.fujitsu.com/global/products/computing/integrated-systems/
* Read the Fujitsu blog: http://blog.ts.fujitsu.com/
* Follow Fujitsu on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Fujitsu_Global
* Follow us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/fujitsu
* Find Fujitsu on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FujitsuICT
* Fujitsu pictures and media server: http://mediaportal.ts.fujitsu.com/pages/portal.php
* For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom: http://ts.fujitsu.com/ps2/nr/index.aspx

Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 156 000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. Fujitsu uses its experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with its customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$41 billion) for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2016. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

Fujitsu EMEIA

Fujitsu enables customers to capitalize on digital opportunities with confidence, by helping them to balance robust ICT and digital innovation. Fujitsu's full portfolio of products, solutions and services gives its customers a competitive advantage in the era of digital transformation. In Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) the company employs more than 26 000 people. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com/fts/about/

All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

VMware, Cloud Foundation, VMware SDDC Manager, and Virtual SAN are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware in the United States and other jurisdictions.

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