Cisco, NetApp unveil ExpressPod for SMBs

Westcon business unit Comstor is to distribute Cisco and NetApp’s latest cloud platform, ExpressPod, in EMEA.

ExpressPod is a version of the vendors’ FlexPod offering, but targeted towards SMB and midmarket customers. It consolidates common applications such as email, collaboration, or content management into single servers, so businesses can more easily manage complex virtualisation resources.

“FlexPod was a game-changer in datacentre technology,” explains Ed Baker, director of datacentre and virtualisation channel, Cisco EMEAR. “ExpressPod now takes this vision one step further, offering an easy-to-deploy datacentre 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.”

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,” says Andreas Dohmen, executive VP 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 virtualisation.”

“Virtual infrastructure deployment is generally too complex and cost-prohibitive for many companies," says Thomas Ehrlich, VP partners and pathways EMEA, NetApp. “But ExpressPod changes the rules of the game, permitting more businesses to exploit all virtualisation has to offer.”