Brocade recently announced that it has been selected by EMC as a networking partner for the storage vendor’s new EMC VSPEX Proven Infrastructure initiative.
The ‘Proven Infrastructure’ solutions are aimed at customers with midsize enterprise IT environments looking to accelerate their journey to the cloud and virtualisation. According to the company, the platform integrates technologies from Brocade, Cisco, Citrix, Intel, Microsoft and VMware, including server, storage, networking, hypervisors and applications.
Brocade ICX and VDX switches and 6510 Fibre Channel Switches have been pre-validated by EMC for interoperability and featured in EMC’s new VSPEX Labs, the companies said.
The EMC-Brocade partnership is an ideal fit as customers can leverage Brocade’s cloud-optimised networking technologies alongwith EMC’s unified storage and next generation backup architecture, while choosing a server and hypervisor of their own choice, representatives said.
“Brocade’s decade-plus partnership with EMC has generated a solid relationship built upon the successes of mutual partners and customers, as well as the common belief that certain technology solutions should be offered on an open-standards basis,” said Gregg Ambulos, senior VP, global channel sales, at EMC Corporation. “Through the years, we’ve worked together to integrate best of breed products from across Brocade’s vast networking portfolio with outstanding results, so we’re very excited about the inclusion of Brocade technologies within VSPEX Proven Infrastructure to deliver flexibility and choice to customers.”
The open approach of EMC VSPEX is in line with Brocade’s long standing ‘open ecosystem’ philosophy and Brocade has therefore established partnerships and a deep collaboration with a number of vendors within the VSPEX ecosystem, according to Ambulos. “This instills in customers confidence about interoperability between the various components,” he said.
“With its deep technology expertise and strong consultative nature, the channel is the logical point of integration for data centre architecture design and private cloud deployments,” said Barbara Spicek, VP of global channels at Brocade. “EMC’s move toward offering modular, pre-validated virtualisation solutions fully aligns with Brocade’s strategy and philosophy to enable its partners to create open, multi-vendor solutions that help customers make a smooth transition toward the cloud.”
Both companies announced that the channel will play a very important role in consulting and deployment of this technology. To leverage the channel’s valuable expertise and technical know-how, VSPEX solutions will be integrated and available via authorised Brocade Alliance Partner Network (APN) and EMC’s network of Velocity partners.
Brocade has announced the availability of programs and incentives designed to assist and reward resellers in the selling of VSPEX solutions including discounts on demo units to assist partners in populating proof-of-concept labs and increased trial deployments, extra percentage points for deal registration to protect partner opportunities and specialised Brocade Rewards bonuses to further incentivise VAR sales representatives.
These programs, in conjunction with EMC’s efforts to drive end-to-end enablement through the channel, provide partners with an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities in the cloud and virtualisation space and capitalise on these current industry trends, EMC and Brocade announced.
