Nimble Storage Enables Private Cloud Deployments

Nimble Storage, Inc., provider of flash-optimized hybrid storage solutions, announced a validated reference architecture for private cloud deployments on Microsoft Corp.‘s technology.

                 Nimble Storage SmartStack
     for Windows Server with Cisco and Microsoft

The Microsoft Fast Track virtualization reference architecture was validated to support up to 75VMs. The Nimble Storage SmartStack for Windows Server and System Center reference architecture consists of a 3U unit CS200 Series, the Cisco UCS C-Series rack-mount server platform, Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V, and Microsoft System Center 2012.

The Microsoft private cloud Fast Track is a reference architecture for building private clouds. It combines Microsoft software, consolidated guidance and validated configurations with computing, network and storage architecture partners. It utilizes the capabilities of the Windows Server 2012 OS and Hyper-V technology to deliver the building blocks of a private cloud infrastructure.

Highlights of the Reference Architecture

• The flash hybrid CS-Series-based reference architecture leveraging the Cisco UCS C-Series rack-mount server platform has been validated in a Microsoft private cloud Fast Track reference architecture for 75 VMs – speeding up deployments, and with lower project risk, while improving responsiveness of critical applications.
• The CS-Series allows consolidation of storage for multiple different applications virtualized by Windows Server Hyper-V technology on a single 3U array, reducing power, cooling and space by as much as 75% compared with the requirements of legacy storage platforms.
• Scale-to-fit functionality matches and scales to the flexibility of the Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V and Cisco UCS platforms, allowing non-disruptive and independent scaling of performance and capacity.
• The resiliency and integrated data protection features of the CS-Series complement the HA and live migration features of Windows Server 2012’s Failover Clustering capabilities – delivering a high degree of system availability.
• Management tools and proactive wellness support offerings reduce time spent on management duties, improving IT productivity without impacting service levels.

Configuration
For deployments requiring up to 75 Windows Server Hyper-V virtual machines in a highly available environment:

Storage

• CS-200 Series

Compute

• Two Cisco UCS C220 M3 Rack Servers (minimum) – this architecture can scale up to four servers
• Two Cisco UCS fabric extenders and Cisco UCS fabric interconnects

Microsoft

• Windows Server 2012 with Hyper-V Windows Server 2012 Failover Clustering

Claude Lorenson, director of product Management, Microsoft, said: "Microsoft’s vision of the cloud OS gives customers groundbreaking technology to deploy cloud infrastructure using Windows Server 2012, System Center 2012 and SQL Server 2012. The Microsoft private cloud Fast Track reference architecture with Nimble Storage gives IT a pretested and validated approach to deploying their optimized datacenter. The architecture of the Nimble Storage CS-Series complements the rich functionality built into Windows Server 2012 and Hyper-V."

Brian Jang, director of sales and business development, ZAG Technical Services, said: "The Nimble Storage SmartStack for Private cloud with Cisco, validated by the Microsoft private cloud Fast Track program using Windows Server Hyper-V technology, is an ideal fit for our customers. This end-to-end solution using best-of-breed servers, storage and software is a great way for us to meet our customers’ dynamic business and technical requirements. Our customers have benefited from lower costs, great flexibility to accommodate change, and higher IT productivity."

Brenda Thrasher, director of IT, Intevac, Inc., said: "The combination of Nimble Storage, Windows Server Hyper-V and ZAG Technical Services has helped us make the transition to a flexible virtual environment. With this solution, we’ve been able to enhance our end-users’ experience with faster application response and improve IT productivity with simple management and data protection. ZAG Technical Services was able to guide us through the process from start to finish, resulting in the project being deployed as planned."

Radhika Krishnan, director of marketing, Nimble Storage, said: "The Nimble Storage SmartStack for Windows Server and Hyper-V with Cisco and Microsoft is a great way for IT organizations to make the move to a virtual datacenter while gaining greater flexibility and lowering costs. We are excited to work with Microsoft to bring this pre-validated reference architecture leveraging Cisco UCS through our joint channel resellers."