The company is investing in a comprehensive Nexus Lab equipped with ten Cisco Nexus 5010 Switches, eight MDS 9216i Switches and eight VMware ESX servers, including the Nexus 1000V. The Cisco Nexus Switches represent a powerful, flexible and scalable platform for modern data center networks. The new Virtual Network Link (VN-Link) technology in Nexus 1000V makes it possible to implement a distributed virtual switch in VMware environments, thus considerably enhancing and improving the management and configuration options available. The Cisco Nexus products range facilitates the realization of an infrastructure that can be cost-effectively scaled, as well as significantly boost efficiency with regard to energy, budgets and resources. The solutions provide support for transitioning to 10 Gigabit Ethernet and for implementing a unified fabric. In addition, they also represent an optimum basis for making amendments to network architecture, for instance, the introduction of virtualization, Web 2.0 applications and cloud computing. These stable platforms contribute to achieving maximum availability with minimum downtime (if any) for maintenance purposes. All switches use the NX-OS Software, an operating system developed specially for data centers which offers high levels of availability, scalability and flexibility.

This new high-end lab will form the basis for Fast Lane’s offerings of real-world hands-on training, consulting services and evaluation activities for the worldwide market. Fast Lane will use its global training network to promote the global market launch of the new Cisco training courses for the Cisco Nexus 1000, 2000, 5000 and 7000 products. This special lab environment will be ready for use in the second quarter of 2009.

Further information: Cisco Nexus 1000V Series Switches
Designing Data Centers with VM Level Granularity (Flash)