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Cisco, IBM Announce New Partnership, Network Device

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the eggs-meet-basket dept.

karthik_r085 writes "According to Washington Technology, Integrators considering server blade technology to simplify data center architectures stand to benefit from today's partnering announcement by Cisco Systems Inc. and IBM Corp. The companies introduced a combined solution that integrates Cisco switches and IBM blade servers into one unit to help speed deployment and manage data center costs."

13 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Is this really a good deal? by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I think this is excellent. I bet if you'll wait about two months, news will appear that Cisco and IBM are going to deploy Linux instead of a proprietary OS in these systems.

    These are exciting times.

    1. Re:Is this really a good deal? by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I think this is excellent. I bet if you'll wait about two months, news will appear that Cisco and IBM are going to deploy Linux instead of a proprietary OS in these systems.

      In the routers? That would be interesting. Something tells me not to hold my breath though. Isn't Cisco's whole claim to fame the IOS? What reason would they have to give that up and open-source everything/use Linux?

      That I wouldn't like to see it mind you -- I'd just be really shocked if it actually happened.

      --
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      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:Is this really a good deal? by SpookyFish · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Nice troll, or misguided?
      It is excellent, a good (if somewhat niche) idea, but the OS they deploy has little to do with it. IBM understands the greatness and is already a strong supporter of Linux, but they are ultimately in the game of making money -- "You want Windows on there? No problem."

      I can't see this changing, at least for a while (and this certainly wouldn't be a catalyst for it).

      If you really read it, this seems like a typical low-level, "slow news time" press release.

    3. Re:Is this really a good deal? by Saeger · · Score: 4, Interesting
      You know what I'd be really shocked to see happen? Cisco playing a big hand in helping "tame" the wildwildweb with a new "Secure Internet"(tm)(r) enabled router that only routes "trusted" packets with valid certificates.

      Enforced accountability in the routers? That would be scary.

      --

      --
      Power to the Peaceful
  2. Is it just me ... by rjethmal · · Score: 5, Interesting

    or has IBM been announcing a lot of deals and partnerships lately?

    Is it just a normal activity spike on their part, or could this be a way of saying that it's business as usual to those worried over SCO?

    feel free to ignore, it just occurred to me that I don't usually notice IBM announcing things like this that often.

    --
    Push the envelope. Watch it bend. -Tool
    1. Re:Is it just me ... by ErichTheWebGuy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      it just occurred to me that I don't usually notice IBM announcing things like this that often.

      I wonder if it's just that IBM gets more press lately because of the SCO thing? Or maybe you are right. Both theories seem logical enough.

      Another theory is that maybe it is because of the technology-related parts of the economy are finally showing signs of life again. Now certainly is a better time for this sort of stuff than it was even 6 months ago.

      --
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    2. Re:Is it just me ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      IBM may just be working to shift its potential business capabilities.

      they try a lot of things to see what works.

      thats my take, coupled with maybe some more press coverage due to the SCO case.

      but remember, IBM is an enermous company so i think this isnt too new. they are suprisngly adaptive to new endevours. (the "new ibm" not the one that got crushed years ago ;)

  3. Take it a step further by msobkow · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy a "system chassis" like one does a standard rack, and be able to plug in industry-standard blades as easily as PC expansion cards?

    Not just from a couple vendors, but from any major vendor.

    With all the industry standards for memory interfaces, power interfaces, drives, etc. I'd think it would be a lot easier to do than the vendors would like.

    --
    I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
  4. Doesn't ANYONE at IBM read SlashDot? by JessLeah · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If so, they would probably be kind of wary of partnering with C[r]?isco after this:

    http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/04/04/08/1920228.shtml ?tid=126&tid=158&tid=172&tid=99

    --
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  5. oh please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    like Cisco has ever performed like it should...

    and before anyone starts it up, I've helped design, build, and maintain a > 5000 CPU cluster ( admittedly, we only process across 250+ CPUs per job )...

    anyways, Cisco switches/routers have always performed below and beyond our worst expectations. And the funny thing is, a certain large vendor that might or might not be mentioned in this above-referenced article always recommends them. And I always tell them to bugger off...Cisco switches are the equivalent of Microsoft OSes - the worst quality, most-prevalent standard that one can find. I'll take a HP or Foundry switch any day, thank you very much.

    Oh, yeah, and we don't even want to get into the auto-negotiation issues...

  6. Press release? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    When did /. become a mouthpiece for IBM's press releases? I don't see anything particularly interesting to geeks in this soundbite other than publicity to IBM.

    And no, it's not meant to be a flamebait; it's a valid criticism to maintain the neutrality of /. posts.

  7. Someone Help Me... by bruthasj · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've evaluated blades in an custom application environment, but there was always a concern with the end customer: what if the mainboard went down, what then?

    See, normally, with a cluster of 1U x330 series IBMs, you use up a lot of space, but if the mainboard died, you only lose one node. With the single mainboard for multiple blades and now a switch, what assurances are there for the mainboard not going south taking 15 nodes with it? (Besides dual power supplies, etc.)

    thanks!

  8. TRUSTED COMPUTING by Alsee · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is NOT excellent. It is a TRUSTED COMPUTING system.

    If you check IBM's Tivoli whitepaper, the top page states right off the bat that it is an "identity management system". Page 7 states that is is based on "tamper-resistant, non-bypassable trusted computing bases (TCBs)".

    If we look at Cisco's BUSINESS READY DATA CENTER Security Overview and head down to the Trust and Identity Management section we see Cisco Network Admission Control (NAC) ... relegates noncompliant and potentially vulnerable systems to environments with limited or no network access. Noncompliant endpoints can be denied access, placed in quarantine, or given restricted access. The main NAC page explains that NAC only permits connections to "compliant and trusted endpoint devices". Trusted Computing devices running approved software.

    Cisco's Business Ready Data Center Initiative press release says:
    Cisco is collaborating with industry-leading technology, system integration and support partners including EDS, HP, IBM, Intel and Microsoft, to enable integrated solutions to be offered to joint customers. Collaboration efforts will include sharing of best practices, alignment of architectures

    Alignment of architectures - that would be the new Trusted Computing architecture.

    And they are working with EDS, HP, IBM, Intel and Microsoft. HP, IBM, Intel and Microsoft were four of the five Trusted Computing Group's founding members. But who the hell is EDS? Why they have been selected To Operate Root Key Certificate Authority for Trusted Computing. That's a press release from Wave Systems, another member of the Trusted Computing Group. Teir EMBASSY system was the Trusted Computing system before it was named Trusted Computing.

    The initial Trusted Computing deployment will look like a GoodThing. Its security features will be used for the benefit of companies deploying it, and there is no infrastructure in place yet to abuse the system. But fundamentally Trusted Computing is designed to be secure against the owner. Once a signifigant number of desktop computers include Trust chips that anti-owner "security" is going to turn into a nightmare. If you computer is not "compliant and trusted" and running approved software then these Business Ready Data Centers may deny you access. Websites will start refusing you access. New software will refuse to instal. And in about 4 or 5 years, ISPs may start installing Cisco's Network Admission Control routers. At that point you will be denied internet access unless you have a "compliant and trusted" system. Then Trusted Computing is no longer "optional". You can't switch it off and opt out. Then you no longer own your computer.

    Oh, and if anyone doubts that ISPs would ever instal such routers that deny you internet access, may I point you to another slashdot story Cisco Working to Block Viruses at the Router. Even Slashdot missed the story that these are Trusted Computing routers. They are being pitched as a GODD THING. They don't actually block virues. What they do is make sure you have a Trusted Computer, then they can use the Trust system to ensure that you are running (or not running) any software they want to require you to run (or that they forbid you to run). In particular they could check that you operating system has the latest patches and that you are running an approved virus scanner, thus the claim that they fight viruses.

    To top it off, Bush's cybersecurity advisor gave a speech at a computer convention where he called

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