Cisco Gets Into Cloud Computing with Unified Service Delivery

Cisco strengthened its foray into cloud-based domain with the launch of Cisco Unified Service Delivery (USD). The solution will aid service providers to build a platform for cloud services by combining Cisco’s datacenter portfolio and Unified Computing architecture to deliver data and video services to any place and device. Elaborating on the Cisco DataCentre 3.0 strategy, Rajesh Chainani, Country Director- Service Provider, Cisco India said, “From datacenter 2.0 focusing on client server and distributed computing, the market has evolved into third phase of datacenter services which revolve around service oriented and web 2.0 based virtualized environment.”

USD is an extension on Unified Computing Systems as solution providers can now offer better services and further monetize these services, Chainani said. The definite benefits of USD include resource optimization, quality assurance, reduced Opex, scalable solution and secure virtual experience for enterprises. Service Providers will have the choice to offer USD as a SaaS, IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) or network as a service depending on customer needs.

Speaking on company’s roadmap for its partner alliances, Chainani said, “We are keen to align with tier 1 service providers and specialized data service providers like Tulip, Sify etc for USD. Since the line between telcos and datacenters has blurred to a large extent, these service providers can enhance its customer services through our cloud based offerings.” Apart from mapping global accounts and large enterprises, Cisco would initiate joint calls with service providers. “We are mainly targeting BFSI and telecom verticals at the start purely due to their business needs and mass data volume. Going on cloud will reduce Capex and Opex of these organizations to a large extent.”

Cisco observes that most service providers are expanding their gamut of services via broadband, wired, wireless, Internet and converging into each others playfield. Virtualization over cloud further optimizes asset utilization and operational costs of data centers. Chainani said “Delivering maximum content with reduced Opex is the game play for this community.”

Cisco is also open to align with MSPs or tier II solution providers. However, Chainani informed, “These partners will usually host customer application out of a third- party datacenter. And we are targeting IDC (Internet Data centre) and EDC (Enterprise Data centre) for USD. As enterprises mature to host their applications on the cloud; solution providers will no doubt form an important link for USD.”