Cisco Systems' plans to OEM NAS appliances from EMC not only brings the networking vendor its first core storage device to complement its storage networking offerings, but it also brings the company into competition with technology partner Network Appliance.
Cisco last week said it will start OEMing EMC's NAS appliances next quarter as part of a solution to allow centralized data backup from remote offices over IP networks. Under the agreement, Cisco will OEM EMC's NS500 and NS700 NAS appliances to sell through its own channels, said George Kurian, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Caching Services Business Unit.
The NAS units will be bundled with the Cisco File Engine, an appliance introduced last month based on its Wide Area File Services (WAFS) technology for high-speed movement of data across a WAN. Cisco obtained the WAFS technology when it acquired Actona last June.
Cisco plans to offer the new bundle through its field sales force and direct solution providers next quarter, with sales through its tier-two channel partners expected to start sometime after that, Kurian said.
Certification and specialization requirements for solution providers have not yet been finalized.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
