(iTers News) – As cloud, big data and the Internet of Things drive the modernization of the data center, Cisco and IBM  today announced the availability of an integrated solution that combines the innovation of Cisco UCS Integrated Infrastructure with the efficiency of the IBM Storwize storage system.

Available through qualified Business Partners globally, the VersaStack solution is designed to deliver high levels of ease, efficiency and versatility for cloud, big data and analytics, and mobility deployments. Over time, the platform will be optimized for IBM business applications, while integrating Cisco innovations such as Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and Cisco Intercloud Fabric.

CIOs looking for solutions that offer fast deployment and management options are increasingly turning toward integrated systems in which the full stack of data center technologies is combined into a pre-tested and supported system that is designed to operate and be managed as a whole. As a result, the popularity of integrated infrastructure solutions is growing fast. According to IDC, total worldwide spending on integrated systems is growing at 32.8% annually and will reach approximately US$14.37 billion in 2017 (up from US$5.4 billion in 2013).

"Organizations today require IT infrastructure to be easy, efficient, and versatile," said Satinder Sethi, Vice President, Data Center Solutions, Cisco. "VersaStack will help our mutual customers streamline deployment and operation of their IT infrastructure. It will also provide a foundation for innovation between Cisco and IBM—from mobility and data analytics to Intercloud and application centric infrastructure."

"As cloud, mobile, and big data continue to challenge and transform data centers, more organizations are turning to innovative solutions, like the VersaStack, for help," said Laura Guio, Vice President, Business Line Executive Storage Systems, IBM. "For its part, IBM Storwize is designed to help clients ease management and improve data center performance through virtualization and the automatic movement of data to the most strategic storage tier."

Cisco and IBM have collaborated for over 15 years, delivering combined solutions to more than 25,000 customers around the world. Today, Cisco and IBM collaborate around numerous customer opportunities, including big data and business analytics, cloud, collaboration, data center, Internet of Things, and software defined networking.