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Cisco, IBM Announce New Partnership, Network Device
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."
These are exciting times.
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
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.
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...
This is NOT excellent. It is a TRUSTED COMPUTING system.
... 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.
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)
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
- - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.