Westcon Group’s Comstor Teams With Cisco and NetApp

Westcon Group, Inc., a VAD of category-leading unified communications, network infrastructure, data center, and security solutions with a network of specialty resellers, announced its Comstor business unit is teaming with Cisco Sytems, Inc. and NetApp, Inc. to open markets for their newest cloud platform, ExpressPod.

By selling the architecture to partners and through NetApp and Cisco distributors across EMEA, the companies are helping SLMBs simplify deployment of cloud infrastructures.

ExpressPod is a customer-tested solution developed by Cisco and NetApp to facilitate implementation of next-generation server, storage and network resources. Consolidating an IT infrastructure and application portfolio leveraging virtualization, the affordable platform lowers risks associated with installing new resources, while offering greater efficiencies and reduced complexity.

"FlexPod was a game-changer in data center technology," said Ed Baker, director of Data Center and Virtualization Channel, Cisco EMEAR. "ExpressPod now takes this vision one step further – offering an easy-to-deploy data center platform for customers with little or no IT experience. Backed by a successful partnership with Comstor, today’s announcement is a tremendous boost for small- and medium-sized businesses."

The package lowers risks of installing new IT resources, but brings greater efficiencies and reduced complexity. ExpressPod is available in a pre-packaged and tested solution bundle integrated and delivered by Comstor. It integrates Cisco UCS C-Series servers, NetApp FAS2220 or FAS2240 storage, Cisco Nexus 3048 switches, and infrastructure management with cooperative support.

"ExpressPod opens doors for small- and medium-sized businesses looking to gain new efficiencies through next-generation data center technology," said Andreas Dohmen, EVP EMEA, Comstor. "When we began with FlexPod less than six months ago, partners responded with a significant pipeline of activity. We’re pleased to be working with Cisco and NetApp yet again to further embrace the promise of virtualization."

Mid-sized customers can reduce the number of servers in their environment through virtualization. ExpressPod consolidates common applications – such as e-mail, collaboration, or content management into single servers – ensuring businesses can easily manage complex virtualization resources.

ExpressPod components support open APIs – driven by a range of management, automation, and orchestration platforms. The architecture runs via a Cooperative Support Model, helping collocated experts mix-and-match available product components, reproduce complex customer environments, and expedite issues.

"Virtual infrastructure deployment is generally too complex and cost-prohibitive for many companies," said Thomas Ehrlich, VP Partners and Pathways EMEA, NetApp. "But ExpressPod changes the rules of the game – permitting more businesses to exploit all virtualization has to offer. With broad-based data center experience, Comstor is a perfect partner to bring this platform to a broader global audience."