Nflex Converged Infrastructure From Fujitsu and NetApp

Fujitsu Limited and NetApp, Inc. unveiled NFLEX Converged Infrastructure, a joint solution that is designed to simplify the implementation and operation of virtual environments.

Delivered ready to run, NFLEX builds on 20 years of combined expertise to offer a converged infrastructure solution that includes modular sizing, pre-configured expansion packs, single-call support, and integrated management. These features help reduce operational expenses and accelerate positive business outcomes. NFLEX will be available starting in EMEA in early 2018.

As business requirements continue to evolve, the two companies remain focused on providing a competitive advantage through speed of responsiveness and the flexibility to cope with unpredictable changes in demand. NFLEX makes it easy for organizations to add compute or storage capacity and to scale with precision, helping them match application requirements to business needs. From purchase through the stages of deployment and operation, it is designed to simplify the end-to-end experience for customers, which even extends to system support. It provides capabilities in terms of energy efficiency, helping reduce operational costs. Because it also minimizes risk by using tried-and-tested Fujitsu and NetApp compute and storage technologies, combined into a single rack cabinet for the data center, customers can have complete confidence in their IT infrastructure.

NFLEX is aimed at midsize businesses and at large enterprises across all industry sectors, providing enhanced service delivery and innovative services, as well as supporting cloud workloads. It is ready for cloud and hybrid IT environments through the combination of Fujitsu Enterprise Service Catalog Manager ⁽¹⁾ and the NetApp Data Fabric.⁽²⁾

“Fujitsu and NetApp both recognized the need for a fresh approach to deliver the next generation of converged data center infrastructure,” said Kenichi Sakai, corporate executive officer and head, data center platform business unit, Fujitsu. “Both companies worked together from the start to co-engineer NFLEX, which is the latest development in the longest-standing converged infrastructure alliance between two leading vendors in the technology industry. NFLEX draws on best-in-class compute and storage technologies that are trusted by thousands of customers worldwide to increase uptime, operational efficiency, and productivity while also ensuring a seamless fit between technologies?helping reduce cost, risk, and complexity.“

“With digital transformation topping the strategic agenda in most organizations, IT leaders are under tremendous pressure to harness today’s wealth of data and apply it to create new value across the entire business,” said Ranjeet Sudan, VP, converged infrastructure group, NetApp. “Converged solutions like NFLEX are the answer to many of these challenges; their value is in ease of purchase, deployment, operations, and support. Equally important is the potential that gets unlocked through cloudborne innovation – easily tapped into through the strong data management component of NFLEX.“

The new converged infrastructure solution is factory integrated, pre-installed, and pre-tested. It features NetApp and Fujitsu components, including the latest high-density Fujitsu PRIMERGY CX400 M4 x86 servers and Fujitsu Software ServerView Infrastructure Manager (ISM). It also includes the option of NetApp All Flash FAS A-Series or hybrid flash FAS systems with ONTAP data management software. NFLEX is designed for optimal high availability so that organizations can offer and comply with strict SLAs. Companies can choose the configuration that best meets their needs, adjusting the number of server nodes; memory and storage capacity; and type of storage, hybrid or all-flash. It also interoperates with existing environments.

Resources:
NetApp’s official NFLEX site    
Fujitsu’s official NFLEX site

^[1] Fujitsu Enterprise Service Catalog Manager – The Fujitsu Software Enterprise Service Catalog Manager bridges the gap between on-premises infrastructure and the cloud by enabling branded, multitenant, self-service portals for hybrid cloud services, with automated provisioning.

^[2] NetApp Data Fabric – The NetApp Data Fabric empowers customers to unleash the power of data to achieve a new competitive advantage. It simplifies and integrates data management across cloud and on-premises environments to accelerate digital transformation.