Fujitsu offers one-stop VMware cloud-in-a-box

Fujitsu is the latest vendor to offer a private cloud starter kit to help organisations get up and running with cloud computing, but has taken the concept to the next level by including VMware's vCloud Director orchestration tool plus services and support.

Dubbed Fujitsu Dynamic Infrastructures for VMware vCloud, the service provides Fujitsu servers and storage hardware combined with Brocade network kit and VMware's vSphere cloud computing stack.

This is all pre-configured and integrated into a 42U rack, with installation and support services provided by Fujitsu itself.

While some other vendors such as HP and Dell already offer such "cloud-in-a-box" packages, Fujitsu said it is the first to offer a complete VMware stack including vCloud Director for management and service orchestration.

It also claims to be able to have the solution up and running in a customer's datacentre within four working days.

"We are differentiated in the market by offering vCloud director out of the box, and as part of the package we also offer a professional service which includes implementation of the hardware and software at customer sites, including startup of the first two virtual machines," Andrew McDade, enterprise product manager for Fujitsu UK and Ireland told V3.

Available from today across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Dynamic Infrastructures for VMware vCloud is based on four to 18 Fujitsu blade servers, depending on customer requirements, with between 7.5TB and 31TB of storage.

This is sufficient to support 95 virtual machines up to a maximum 450, Fujitsu said, with prices starting at £220,000 for the four blade configuration, up to £650,000 for a fully configured rack.

These figures cover the entire package, including the hardware and software costs, installation services and post-sale services, McDade said, providing customers with a single purchase price to get started with cloud computing.

After deployment, Fujitsu acts as a single provider for service and support for the entire solution, including the Brocade and VMware elements, covering delivery of updates and patches. Any hardware failure leading to a rip-and-replace is also covered, according to McDade.

"We believe we are unique in the market in the fact that we take responsibility under a single pane of glass for the entire solution," he said.

Because the platform is built from standardised components, customers can easily scale up beyond the listed configuration by adding another cabinet alongside and expanding horizontally as necessary, according to the firm.

Dynamic Infrastructures for VMware vCloud will be on show at a channel partner event at Old Trafford in Manchester on 14 August, and at the Royal Exchange in London on 16 August, Fujitsu added.