Fujitsu Climb Aboard VMware EVO: RAIL Hyper-Scale Train

Fujitsu Ltd.‘s partners looking to grow datacentre sales are being given the opportunity to offer customers one of the first implementations of VMware’s EVO: RAIL software-defined hyper-scale architecture, which combines computing, networking, and storage resources into a single hyper-converged infrastructure appliance.

The Fujitsu integrated system appliance for VMware EVO: RAIL is designed to address the issues of ICT system bottlenecks and slow deployment of additional resources that are needed without delay. It is also a great platform for the development of professional services business.

Prime targets will be corporate organisations that need to scale-up their compute capability fast, or deploy VDI. Organisations looking to scale-out their online presence and service providers that need to meet rising demand will also be prospective buyers.

The idea of EVO: RAIL is to create an all-in-one solution that will deliver a stable virtualised infrastructure with up to 100 average-sized VMs and up to 250 standard VMs for VDI, and theoretically unlimited storage. Fast deployment means EVO: RAIL addresses the massive frustration that slow implementation of causes for customers. It also means costs are definable and projects won’t spiral out of control.

Craig Parker, head of product marketing, technology products group, Fujitsu UK and Ireland, says: “Fujitsu is the first major channel-focused vendor to offer a VMware EVO: RAIL solution, and as a name that’s known and trusted in the enterprise market, our offering presents partners with a really great opportunity to get ahead of the competition. By going to market early with the Fujitsu Integrated System Appliance, they can also mark themselves out as thought-leaders and innovators in data centre solutions, and generate professional services income.“

The Fujitsu Integrated System Appliance for VMware EVO: RAIL is based on optimised its PRIMERGY CX400 rack servers. It fits into a standard data centre rack. Fujitsu’s cool-safe advanced thermal design technology drives down energy costs by up to 27%. Second-generation appliances – due later this year – will run at higher ambient temperatures, reducing power costs for cooling.

Fujitsu x86 servers are running virtualised VMware environments, as confirmed by Fujitsu’s current position in nine of the 13 VMmark benchmarks. Later versions of the integrated system appliance will offer even higher performance by making use of next-generation of Xeon E5-2600 v3 processors and DDR4 support.

The Fujitsu Integrated System Appliance for VMware EVO: RAIL can be ordered as a standardised configuration. Customers looking for additional capacity can simply scale out by adding more appliance units.

A number of early-adopter units are available and Fujitsu expects to have full availability for deployment in January.