FlexPod
FlexPod is a converged infrastructure solution (stack) from NetApp and Cisco. It provides the user with a ready-to-use device stack and software for managing network server hardware and storage.
FlexPod offers the user its own proprietary, proven data center software.
FlexPod runs on storage solutions from NetApp E-Series or NetApp SolidFire (SF), FAS, and also runs on servers from Cisco (UCS Series) and Cisco Nexus switches (FlexPod Express and FlexPod Datacenter).
The main objective of FlexPod is to provide the end user with a set of customized, reliable, unified combinations of devices and management software to ensure stable functioning of corporate IT infrastructure, network.
FlexPod provides ready computing resources and storage resources, allows you to form a system of cloud computing or create a ready-made environment for the work of application and technological software.
All FlexPod solutions are delivered to customers through branches or offices of NetApp and Cisco, as well as offered by official resellers and system integrators – representatives of these vendors.
Configuration delivery models
All FlexPod products (Select, Express, Datacenter and SF) are delivered to the end user as assembled configurations in 42-unit (42-RU) telecommunications cabinets.
The cabinet contains storage, networking and server equipment. FlexPod Select can be used without Cisco UCS Converged Fabric Interconnect (UCS Fabric Interconnect) devices.
In addition to all of the above, there are open specification options on the market that allow customers to customize FlexPod configurations from already available components.
The Express configuration (formerly called ExpressPod) is an oversized, simpler and cheaper version of the Datacenter configuration that is delivered to the user in a cabinet (24-RU) or assembled at the customer site in their equipment rack.
FlexPod Architecture
FlexPod typically includes components such as these:
- FlexPod Express, Datacenter, and SF necessarily contain Cisco Nexus switches.
- FlexPod Select may not include Nexus as it connects directly to the server hardware, although this configuration does include Nexus switches (as a layer).
- FlexPod Express UCS-managed also may not use Nexus switches, because the main purpose of the configuration is to introduce Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect and UCS Manager with storage connectivity into the Cisco UCS converged fabric.
- FlexPod computing power is based on Cisco UCS servers and Cisco UCS Manager management software.
- The storage configurations are NetApp, FAS, AFA, SolidFire or E-series.