Cisco Launches CloudVerse, Helps CSPs Build Clouds

Cisco has revealed CloudVerse, a framework that unifies its entire cloud play so far – Unified Data Center, Cloud Intelligent Network, and Cloud Applications – and enables cloud service providers to build, manage and connect public, private and hybrid clouds. And with this announcement comes a series of enhancements to each of those core components to support and extend this integration from “within the cloud, between clouds, and to the end user.” Updated: See Below.

To be more precise: The Cisco Unified Data Center platform to turn legacy data center infrastructure into an automated cloud platform gets new Unified Management capabilities, as per the press release:

Cisco Intelligent Automation for the Cloud provides automated provisioning and management of data center resources for the delivery of IT services within and between data centers.

Cisco Network Services Manager automatically creates, deploys and modifies physical and virtual networking resources on demand.

Meanwhile, Cisco Cloud Intelligent Network, the tech giant’s solution for making sure that user security is maintained even when accessing various clouds while leveraging a service, gets a new update to enable “cloud-to-cloud connect:”

“Cloud-to-Cloud Connect,” announcing Cisco’s Network Positioning System on the ASR 1000 and 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers (ASR) in CY12, enabling dynamic resource identification, allocation and optimization between data centers and clouds.

Cisco’s Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) also gets an update this time around, including a new focus on providing mobile applications, while also enabling deployment on private clouds:

Private Cloud HCS: This new solution empowers enterprises to build their own collaboration cloud using Cisco’s validated and tested designs and full management capabilities.

Mobile HCS: Mobile service providers now have an easy and cost effective way to offer collaboration —from the cloud –extending services from “fixed” devices to mobile phones. For example, providers can virtually connect thousands of mobile users at a company with single number reach, or enable customers to transition a call from a desk phone to a mobile phone while the call is in progress.

Customer Collaboration: Cisco is making contact center capabilities more affordable and accessible by adding Cisco Customer Collaboration offerings to HCS. These offerings are available on a limited basis now and targeted for general availability in CY 2012.

Cisco CloudVerse comes alongside a related set of professional services for cloud design and deployment – but intriguingly, Cisco says in its press release that partners will be included on that front. On a similar note, Cisco claims that over 70 percent of cloud service providers, including Telstra and Fujitsu, already use CloudVerse technology in their offerings.

“Cisco uniquely enables the world of many clouds – connecting people, communities and organizations with an assured cloud user experience for the next-generation Internet. We are very pleased that many of the world’s leading businesses and service providers are adopting Cisco CloudVerse as the foundation of their cloud strategies, and we look forward to partnering closely with each of them on their journey to a world of many clouds,” said Cisco Senior Vice President Engineering and Chief Technology Officer Padmasree Warrior in a prepared statement.

It seems that Cisco is aiming to bring its cloud play to the next level with offerings that appeal to SMBs just as much as huge service providers – and small wonder, as Cisco’s own research shows cloud adoption in the data center is in a growth phase. We’ll be watching closely for more updates from Cisco CloudVerse, so stay tuned.

Update: An HP spokesperson got in touch to confirm that yes, this Box cloud storage offer is available with systems purchased through HP’s authorized resellers.