In May the Microsoft solutions supported Microsoft SQL server for data warehousing and on-line transaction processing and each solution was designed to help customers accelerate software deployment , reduce IT complexity, and lower overall total cost of ownership by using Cisco UCS.

Now to ensure choice and interoperability for joint customers, HP and Cisco announce another option to bridge their data center server and networking architectures.

The solution offers tighter integration for customers investing in HP BladeSystem and Cisco Nexus switch environments by preserving investments with existing data centre technology.

Co-engineered by HP and Cisco, this solution allows customers to easily connect and configure their HP BladeSystem c-Class infrastructure and Cisco Unified Fabric. The Cisco FEX benefit for HP BladeSystem includes:

•   increased network bandwidth and resiliency, which is needed for delivering mission-critical applications running on multiple server links;
• expanded flexibility to address changing business demands with consolidated migration paths from 1GbE to 10GbE networks;
• reduced network provisioning and maintenance required by IT administrators from the Cisco Nexus parent switch to as many as 24 fabric extenders

Seen as bitter data centre and network rivals, reports "Gasp" Networkedworld, this collaboration is considered curious as HP in 2009 had acquired its networking with the pioneer 3Com and is leading provider of blade switches for data centre servers, just as it currently keeps its PC leadership.

"Both HP and Cisco recognize that we have a large base of joint customers," explains (left) Soni Jiandani, senior VP of Cisco's Server, Access and Virtualization Technology Group.

" Many customers have HP servers and enclosures while investing in Cisco's networking infrastructure. For those customers, it is important to ensure they have choice. Cisco has traditionally been a part of the HP BladeSystem portfolio with Catalyst 3020 and 3120 series and the MDS9124 Fabric Switches and we are now extending this to the Nexus FEX for HP BladeSystem."

The Cisco Fabric Extender for HP BladeSystem is available from HP with prices starting at £6,230.