This IBM® Redbooks® publication is an IBM and Cisco collaboration that articulates how IBM and Cisco can bring the benefits of their respective companies to the modern data center.

It documents the architectures, solutions, and benefits that can be achieved by implementing a data center based on IBM server, storage, and integrated systems, with the broader Cisco network.

We describe how to design a state-of-the art data center and networking infrastructure combining Cisco and IBM solutions. The objective is to provide a reference guide for customers looking to build an infrastructure that is optimized for virtualization, is highly available, is interoperable, and is efficient in terms of power and space consumption. It will explain the technologies used to build the infrastructure, provide use cases, and give guidance on deployments.

Chapter 1. The modern data center

Chapter 2. IBM and Cisco building blocks for the data center

Chapter 3. Designing networks for the modern data center

Chapter 4. Data center physical access layer evolution

Chapter 5. Cisco virtual networking solutions

Chapter 6. Application networking solutions and data center security, physical and virtual

Chapter 7. Convergence of LAN and SAN: Fibre Channel over Ethernet

Chapter 8. Overcoming the limitations of traditional data center networks

Chapter 9. NX-OS network operating system

Chapter 10. Data center network management and automation

Chapter 11. Software Defined Networking and Cisco Open Network Environment

Chapter 12. IBM and Cisco next generation architectures for Small, Medium, and Large Data Centers