EMC has launched a series of fusion system Reference Architecture templates called Vspex

EMC has launched a series of integrated system Reference Architecture templates called Vspex, offering a complete application, stable, modular stack design, built and sold by the velocity partner channel.

Customers will get a faster and simpler implementation deployment, and EMC's channel partners will gain additional high-margin business with EMC's sales and marketing campaigns. Vspex systems are not as powerful as VCE Vblock, and are not delivered through EMC as a product.

As EMC unveiled Vspex, Cisco and NetApp are expanding their flexpod converged stack architecture to low-end markets, and IBM has launched their Puresystem single product fusion stack. All of these converged systems are designed to address the various pain points encountered by customer IT departments in deploying IT systems based on procurement and integration components.

EMC says customers will see faster implementation, simplified management and operational processes, and may be less costly than DIY methods.

There are currently 14 initial configurations of Vspex, but EMC has so far not disclosed the details of these configurations.

The main stack layer components include:

-Management is done through the system Center for Microsoft Cloud and VMware vcenteroperations Management Suite

-Vspex system designed to run Oracle, Microsoft, and SAP applications in a private cloud or virtual desktop environment

-HYPERVISRO applications run as virtual machines under VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Citrix XenServer. In EMC's plan for VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop, ESX and Hyper V are used for private cloud applications, which support 50~2000 virtual desktops as virtual Desktop hypervisor. The number of virtual machines is different according to private cloud instance, under ESX is 0~25, Hyper-V is 0~100

-Server components can choose Cisco UCS or Intel Rack x86 server

-Vspex network connectivity via Cisco Nexus or brocade switch. We are waiting for more information on protocol support

-Storage, EMC will provide Vnx and VNXE, block access and file access, data deduplication, compression, and fast features. Avamar and data domain backup offerings are included.

EMC partners can tailor Vspex systems to better meet customer needs. For example, they can add their own management software.

The Vspex system will be a common brand for EMC and Velocity Partners (Avnet, Azlan, Ingram Micro, and Magirus). These partners can set up their own brands of servers and network components.

These partners can test, validate, and demonstrate design through the VSPEX labs and cloud infrastructure provided by EMC to check application performance and management. We understand that distributors and federated partners are building their similar Vspex labs to extend the validation process.

EMC will actively promote some of the listing activities, such as marketing campaigns, demand generation tools, and even some economic incentives. EMC will also provide complete configuration and sizing guidelines for the most common workloads.

It looks as if the Vspex has a slightly lower it size in terms of user support than Cisco's Flexpod with NetApp, while VCE Vblock is higher than flexpod. EMC believes that Vspex is more open than flexpod because there are more optional component partners and a wider range of customers.

In addition, EMC will provide additional Vspex configurations based on partner requirements. For example, there may be Vmax based Vspex in the future. Currently, EMC does not provide price and delivery information.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)