Interview with Bill Steed, Director of Sales, Avnet Canada
Whether deployed in a private or public cloud, companies are looking at converged infrastructures (pre-integrated hardware that combines compute, storage, and networking capabilities) to help drive efficiency and agility.
We interviewed Bill Steed, Director of Sales at Avnet Canada to get his take on the challenges Canadian companies face when deploying a converged infrastructure, and what IT management can do to make the process run smoothly.
#1: Integration is now simpler
Question: Clearly, Canadian companies are adopting converged systems. The market has seen an 11.7% CAGR (five-year compound annual growth rate) versus the 1.3% overall growth rate for traditional IT infrastructure. [1] But what challenges do integrators and IT departments face when deploying this technology?
Answer: One of the biggest challenges is related to integration complexities. Converged systems can be divided into three segments: certified reference systems, integrated systems and hyperconverged systems.[2] While certified reference systems such as FlexPod provide greater flexibility in terms of design over integrated and hyperconverged systems, the challenge is that the system can arrive onsite in upwards of 120 boxes. Avnet, with Cisco and NetApp, have removed the integration complexity (with FlexPod FSA One Frameworks). We now deliver a pre-configured, pre-integrated, racked and cabled solution in a single SKU that is ready to deploy upon delivery. This makes it much easier on customers.
#2: Time to value is improved
Question: I can see how FlexPod FSA One benefits IT solutions providers (i.e. third parties hired to integrate the technology), but how do end customers benefit?
Answer: Our ability to build a converged system by taking components from three separate manufacturers and integrating them in a factory setting reduces risk for both IT solution providers and IT departments. We are making our solution provider partners more efficient, which in turn enhances the customer experience. The customer’s time to production is that much faster, they are not faced with delays.
#3: Hybrid cloud strategy is supported
Question: Managing data in a hybrid and multi-cloud environment can be a daunting task for end users. How does FlexPod support hybrid cloud?
Answer: The FlexPod architecture was designed to promote secure multi-tenancy. It lends itself well to supporting cloud infrastructures – whether it is a private cloud in your own environment or a public cloud provider. For example, Long View’s On-Demand private cloud is an enterprise-ready, fully managed, fully hosted infrastructure in four locations across North America. It supports a hybrid model for companies who want to keep critical workloads on-premises while moving other workloads to a multi-tenant environment.
To learn more, visit the Converged Infrastructure Hub:
To connect with a Canadian FlexPod Authorized Partner, email us!
Sources:
[1], [2] – IDC InfoBrief: Pre-Configured Converged Infrastructure Solutions Drive Agility
