Cisco and NetApp have teamed up to offer FlexPod XCS, which features new capabilities designed to keep data centers running optimally with less IT management oversight and lower costs overall. The system helps create automation for modern apps and services across on-prem data centers, cloud environments and the edge.
FlexPod product marketing specialist Bruno Messina recently announced the general availability of FlexPod XCS on the NetApp blog calling it “the first installment in both full-stack visibility and automation and single pane of glass management for FlexPod customers.”
Messina also notes that FlexPod XCS will continue to increase in value to customers over time as new features and automation building blocks are added to the development cycle.
Through its integration with the Cisco Intersight cloud ops platform, FlexPod XCS can catalog all FlexPod assets, including on-premises installations and those installed around the globe. This enhanced visibility allows clients to streamline planning, save time, reduce costs and increase accuracy.
FlexPod’s deep visibility also extends to NetApp storage. Customers can quickly survey vital information, including volumes, ONTAP versions, virtual machines, nodes, disks and ports. With these tools, admins can more quickly and efficiently assess platform health, metrics and available capacity from a single point of monitoring.
Automation is a marquee component of FlexPod XCS. Automating important tasks takes the pressure off system administrators and can bring greater efficiency to data center operations. For example, end-to-end automation can accelerate deployment times, simplify daily operations and streamline infrastructure lifecycle management.
Among the many possibilities automation brings to the table, Messina notes some of the most powerful:
- NetApp storage orchestration combined with VMware virtualization tasks such as setting up storage virtual machines, logical interfaces and volumes using reference workflows
- Employing out-of-the-box workflows
- Creating and editing customized workflows and tasks
To find out more about how the FlexPod platform can help you and your customers streamline operations and lower costs, visit netapp.com/flexpod or reach out to the NetApp global sales team.