Data Center Out of the Box: VCE Vblock Platform Overview

    Private clouds built on the basis of virtual infrastructures are beginning to gain more and more popularity among the IT departments of various organizations. However, building a virtual private cloud is not an easy task and requires serious time and financial investments. As a solution to this problem, the MUK group of companies recommends Vblock, a fully integrated platform for building converged data center infrastructure.



    Much has been said and written about the benefits of using private clouds in building data centers over traditional approaches. This means reducing costs, increasing the flexibility and scalability of infrastructure, and increasing the availability of information. However, building a private cloud and virtualizing infrastructure in practice is not an easy task. The selection, integration and configuration of the components of the future data center can be a serious headache for the IT department of the company. Do not forget about possible compatibility issues that lead to a significant increase in implementation time and entail an increase in the cost of operating the solution. VCE introduced its approach to solving these problems. This is the Vblock platform,



    What is in the package?

    Vblock is a fully integrated solution for deploying a fully virtualized cloud infrastructure. Platforms from VCE combine equipment and technologies from leading world manufacturers - Cisco, EMC and VMware, combined into preconfigured Vblock Systems:
    • the network data transfer and storage infrastructure is formed by Cisco switches;
    • Computing resources are provided by Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS) equipment;
    • virtualization technologies are presented by VMware vSphere and vCenter platforms;
    • data storage infrastructure implemented on EMC equipment - storage systems of the Symmetrix VMAX or VNX model range;
    • EMC Ionix Unified Infrastructure Manager Management Tool;
    • additional equipment for the organization of racks, cable connections and power supply.

    Vblock systems provide various storage volumes and performance levels of computing and network resources, and also support add-ons such as advanced security mechanisms and business continuity tools. Each platform is pre-configured and optimized for specific tasks. In addition, the systems are pre-tested for various applications.

    Simplicity and Reliability: Vblock Platform Benefits

    The main advantage of the Vblock platform is the complete integration of all its components. All equipment is assembled in racks and equipped with the necessary cable connections and batteries, that is, it is actually delivered ready for deployment and use. This approach can significantly reduce the time to install and configure the system and makes it possible to deploy the infrastructure in the shortest possible time. In addition, the platform is tuned by VCE engineers based on pre-specified customer specifications. In this way, IT administrators will be able to deploy new applications faster. This reduces the total cost of ownership compared to purchasing, deploying, and managing comparable IT infrastructure as separate components.

    When integrating disparate components to build a single complex, the solution to emerging problems may be delayed due to the need to contact the support service of the respective vendors and, even in the case of a single vendor solution, to coordinate the work of individual departments. But not in the case of Vblock. VCE is the single point of contact for all support issues. The service employs specialists with knowledge of all aspects of the functioning of the Vblock Systems infrastructure, with deep expertise in integrating solutions from Cisco, EMC and VMware. When filling out a service request, a technical support specialist will contact the customer - the only contact person you will need to contact. This specialist will work on the customer’s problem until it is resolved.

    Another important advantage of the platform from VCE is the centralized management of the system. In a virtualized infrastructure, with a large number of tasks, the complexity of servicing them begins to arise. EMC Ionix Unified Infrastructure Manager software enables simplified package management, including resource allocation, configuration, change, and regulatory compliance. The centralized console allows you to manage the consoles of all Vblock devices from a single control panel, which eliminates the need for engineers for each type of equipment in the company's IT department.



    Possible system configurations

    Vblock infrastructure platforms are scalable, delivering the right performance and capacity to meet the needs of business applications. At the moment, there are two main families - Vblock Series 300 and Vblock Series 700, which include several models of the complex.

    The Vblock 300 line is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of companies. The architecture of the platform is comprised of EMC VNX storage systems, Cisco UCS blade servers and switches, EMC Ionix UIM / P resource allocation technology, and VMware vSphere virtualization. This platform supports scaling for small and medium sized CRM and SCM systems, email, file sharing and printing, and collaboration. The 300 series includes four models - EX, FX, GX and HX. The main differences between the models are the possibilities of scaling storage systems and computing power.



    The Vblock 700 family is designed to deploy very large virtualization infrastructures. This platform will meet the most stringent requirements of ERP, CRM, database, collaboration tools and messaging services. Vblock 700 Series systems are based on Cisco UCS blade servers, Nexus and MDS network switches, EMC VMAX or VMAXe storage arrays, EMC Ionix UIM / P provisioning technology, and VMware vSphere virtualization platform. The Vblock 700 series includes two models - LX and MX.



    Distributor's role in promoting Vblock platforms

    Since the fall of 2011, the VCE authorized distributor in Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova and other countries has been the MUK group of companies - the project distribution leader with competence in all technologies used in the Vblock platform. In accordance with the VCE affiliate program, sales are carried out exclusively through the affiliate network. MUK is ready to actively assist partners in obtaining their VCE partner status, training their technical specialists and sales managers. The company has certified implementation and service engineers who can provide competent assistance in planning and deploying infrastructure, as well as in solving various problems that have arisen.



    As an afterword

    In the end, I would like to give a few numbers. VCE conducts regular studies with randomly selected customers, the purpose of which is to develop more efficient architectural and operational solutions, as well as collect statistics on customer satisfaction. The latest report was generated by IDC in May 2012. Among other things, it collected Vblock reliability statistics:


    * Downtime and incidents for the whole year.
    Source: IDC white paper “Converging the Datacenter Infrastructure: Why, How, So What?” Table 3. The full report is available at: www.vce.com/noindex/pdf/idc-vce-converging-datacenter-infrastructure. pdf

    In the last few years in the IT sector, there has been an increase in demand for converged systems. This is confirmed by the presence of various integrated solutions in the portfolios of many developers, although they cannot be directly compared with the Vblock platform. This is due to the fact that competitive solutions describe only the architecture recommended by the vendor, the purchase of the necessary equipment and the construction of infrastructure is still entrusted to the final consumer. Using Vblock platforms allows companies to significantly reduce the cost of managing and maintaining infrastructure. Examples of successful implementation of the complex from VCE are already among domestic companies, in particular in the banking sector.



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