Network solutions specialist Extreme Networks announced that it is
collaborating with virtual computing giant Citrix Systems to integrate
server virtualization with the network.
The company earlier
announced its mobility and virtualization lifecycle management
solution, XNV, with initial support for Citrix XenServer and VMware.
XNV virtualization and cloud architecture is designed to enable
network-level virtualization support including management, reporting
and configuration and integrates the network management system with the
virtualization management platform to ensure visibility and
synchronization between the server virtualization environment and the
network.
The company’s data center network solutions are focused on
providing an open and integrated virtualization environment, enabling
data centers to optimize and automate the networking function.
Utilizing the ExtremeXOS operating system and intelligence layer,
applications like virtualization mobility – in conjunction with the
virtualization platform Citrix XenServer – are more easily integrated
and managed by the network.
"One of the major challenges in the next phase of
virtualization adoption lies in integration and support for networking
functionality," said Gordon Mangione, vice president of the datacenter
and cloud division at Citrix. "Extreme Networks offers an open
platform approach that enables XenServer customers to tightly integrate
server virtualization with the network, giving users a seamless mobile
VM experience in the data center."
With the BlackDiamond and Summit switches running the ExtremeXOS
operating system, Mangione said Extreme Networks is well suited to
deliver high- performance cloud-based networking infrastructure. With
data center features including XNV and Direct Attach, the company has
helped lead integration across multi-vendor virtualized environments in
managed hosting, cloud and enterprise environments, he said.
"Extreme Networks is addressing the advanced capabilities enabled by
virtualization through an open network, multi-hypervisor approach,"
said Kevin Ryan, director of data center solutions for Extreme
Networks. "Citrix is an ideal integration partner as one of the leaders
in server virtualization, and as a platform of choice of many of our
customers in the managed hosting and cloud marketplace."
The company also announced a partnership with Nimsoft to better address
managed hosting and cloud service providers who need to monitor and
optimize their hosting connections and environments. The itegration was
based on the ExtremeXOS operating system to integrate with the Nimsoft
Monitoring Solution (NMS), and offer real-time visibility of the
network to its customers with NMS dashboards and reports.
"Customers are increasingly looking for hosted solutions that can
provide adaptable scalability, improved cost-effectiveness, and
rock-solid reliability," said Gary Read, Nimsoft CEO. "The combination
of Extreme Networks’ cloud-based networking solutions and NMS uniquely
fulfill this market demand by providing customers with both high-value
cloud infrastructure and high-value visibility into that
infrastructure."