Network equipment manufacturer Cisco has entered the blade server market with its Unified Computing System, which combines server, data storage, virtualisation and networking capabilities in one box.
The machine can be mounted in a server rack and has the capacity for eight blades.
It uses either VMware or Microsoft virtualisation software, and Cisco claims it will push down the cost of data centres by reducing energy consumption and consolidating computing power into fewer server cabinets.
"The new blade server architecture is entirely based on unified fabric and 10 GE so LAN and SAN traffic are using one common cabling system," a Cisco spokesman said.
Cisco added that the new system will provide IT administrators with enormous flexibility.
"This is not the clash of the titans or us coming after HP or IBM or Dell," the firm added.
Meanwhile, rumours are circulating the internet that Cisco could usurp IBM and buy Sun Microsystems.
Last Updated: 19/03/2009 18:00
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