Cisco and HP Integrate Cisco Switches Into HP Blade Architecture

Cisco and HP today announced they have integrated Cisco's switch technology into the HP BladeSystem architecture, a move the companies claim will enable customers to optimize network and blade system performance, reliability, and ease of ownership.

The new Cisco Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module was designed by Cisco to be fully compatible with existing HP BladeSystem p-Class enclosures. The enhanced HP BladeSystem with the Cisco switch is expected to be available in February, only through HP and its reseller channels.

The companies claim that the new system delivers lower infrastructure costs, often 16 percent less expensive upfront than the company's traditional rack-mount infrastructures with automated control, as well as lower annual support costs.

The new Cisco switch for the HP BladeSystem is designed to provide a wire-once, virtualized solution that can dynamically scale and re-provision resources without re-wiring individual components. The switch fits into a customer's current Cisco network infrastructure without incurring additional operating expenses or the need to learn a new network operating system.

"By incorporating Cisco advanced switching technology into our blade offerings, HP continues to offer the industry-leading standards-based solution our blade customers demand, simplifying network and management integration while reducing complexity and cost," Rick Becker, vice president and general manager, BladeSystem Organization, HP, said in a statement.