Previous blogs in this series have covered the unique vision and strategy of the Cisco and Nutanix partnership and some key results of the two companies’ joint engineering efforts. In this blog, we’ll highlight our latest innovation: the new Cisco Compute Hyperconverged X-Series System with Nutanix, the industry’s first Nutanix HCI solution using a modular blade architecture. It is designed to simplify IT infrastructure and operations to address rapidly changing IT needs, including the emergence of new apps like generative AI and the growing importance of edge computing.
This hyperconverged solution combines the operational simplicity of the Nutanix cloud platform with the flexibility and efficiency of the Cisco UCS X-Series modular system. Organizations can now easily deploy, scale, and upgrade hyperconverged clusters while building a more sustainable and future-proof IT infrastructure. We also offer the Cisco Compute Hyperconverged X-Series Direct option, ideal for remote branch offices, regional offices, and small to medium-sized data center use cases. Cisco UCS X-Series Direct transforms the Cisco Compute Hyperconverged X-Series System into a standalone system with a pair of integrated fabric interconnects and up to eight server nodes.
Since its launch, the UCS X-Series has redefined and established a new standard for blade computing architecture. The UCS X-Series supports a highly modular, fabric-based approach that separates compute, storage, and input/output resources into modular units, allowing each component to scale and upgrade independently. This ensures optimal resource utilization and eliminates the need for over-provisioning of hyperconverged infrastructure.
The UCS X-Series is designed with a focus on investment protection and innovation to accommodate next-generation and next-generation features. The modular architecture simplifies expansion and upgrades, protecting customers’ investments in these platforms for the next 10 years or more even as their business and technology needs evolve. The Cisco Compute Hyperconverged X-Series System supports GPU acceleration using UCS Purpose computing use cases.
On the management side, the solution uses both Cisco Intersight and Nutanix Prism Central to deploy and manage hyperconverged environments. Our engineers have integrated these tools through APIs to build a common cloud operating model. Deployments are orchestrated in Nutanix Prism Central using Cisco Intersight policies, allowing you to deploy hyperconverged clusters in any location with a game-changing design.
Use cases that redefine hyperconverged infrastructure
Cisco Compute Hyperconverged X-Series System customers can take advantage of features such as integrated visibility, control, and automation to simplify deployment and management. This enables the following key use cases:
Zero touch deployment: In this joint cloud operating model, Cisco Intersight deploys, manages, and monitors the physical infrastructure, and Nutanix Prism Central manages the hyperconverged environment. The entire deployment is coordinated in Nutanix Prism Central using Cisco Intersight policies, enabling highly repeatable deployment of hyperconverged clusters to any location. This simplifies the overall operation of hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) environments and reduces the need for specialized IT skills. Once the chassis is rack mounted and connected to the network, bare metal firmware and operating system installation is part of an automated process for fast and accurate deployment.
Easy scaling and GPU acceleration: Once an X Series cluster is deployed, scaling is as simple as inserting nodes into the chassis. With UCS NVIDIA GPU support allows the Cisco Compute Hyperconverged X-Series System to host traditional enterprise apps and AI workloads, such as VDI and SQL, on the same platform.
Designed for more sustainable and efficient operations. We designed this solution with sustainability in mind. It features energy-efficient components and a modular architecture that reduces waste. Migrating to the UCS X-Series can significantly reduce power and cooling costs and cabling compared to traditional rack servers, especially across multiple generations.
This helps companies reduce their carbon footprint and achieve their sustainability goals, recognized by the SEAL Sustainable Product award and the Silverlinings Best Cloud Sustainability Initiative award. This distinction highlights our commitment to designing and building products that reduce environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future for data centers.
Uncompromising performance: Perhaps most importantly, it achieves all this without compromising performance, even under the most demanding workloads. This includes support for the latest 4th and 5th Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors and Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5) memory, which provides faster data transfer speeds and increased bandwidth. Additionally, the high-density local storage capabilities of the UCS Self-service operations, chargebacks, automation and other services. These innovations provide a simplified, high-performance HCI solution tailored to the density and compute power of blade environments.
availability information, etc.
We are pleased to announce the availability of Nutanix software supporting the X-Series in Intersight managed mode. For more information, please visit:
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