Fujitsu Unveils New Converged Data Center Solutions

Fujitsu is expanding its lineup of converged data center solutions with new offerings optimized for such applications as big data, server virtualization, virtual desktops, private clouds and high-performance computing.

The tech vendor’s new portfolio of Integrated Systems solutions also target SAP and Microsoft environments and IT security, according to company officials. The converged solutions, which are available immediately, offer businesses pre-validated and pre-integrated systems that will leverage technology from Fujitsu and third-party vendors. The systems combine Fujitsu’s Primergy and PrimeQuest servers with the vendor’s Eternus storage platform or one from NetApp and products from other partners, officials said.

Fujitsu already offers some integrated solutions, such as FlexFrame for SAP environments. The new systems—which include RapidStructure and vShape—will expand the company’s offerings. The vendor, which announced the new solutions July 23, also is offering its Fujitsu Lifecycle Management services to manage all the parts of the Integrated Systems.

The market for converged data center solutions is continuing to grow as businesses look for more agile and efficient infrastructures to help them take advantage of such trends as mobile computing, big data, social networking and the cloud. According to IDC analysts, worldwide revenues for converged systems in the first quarter hit $1.95 billion, a 38.5 percent jump over the same period in 2013. Leading the way were such vendors as Cisco Systems, IBM, Oracle and VCE, while other companies like Hewlett-Packard also are significant players.

The demand for such solutions will only continue to rise, according to Jed Scaramella, research director for enterprise servers at IDC.

“Many customers see the convergence of server, storage, and networking in integrated systems as a means to deliver IT efficiency and agility,” Scaramella said in a statement in June when the firm’s numbers were released. “IDC expects to see more workload-optimized systems come to market in the near-term.”

IDC analysts divide the converged solutions market into two categories: integrated platforms and integrated infrastructures. Both have the same basic building blocks—including tightly integrated compute, storage, networking and management software in a single solution—but integrated platforms also are optimized for specific workloads and come with packaged software and customized engineering to meet the needs of those particular workloads.