Cisco offers a comprehensive portfolio of storage networking products that includes directors, fabric switches, IP storage routers and metro-optical networking solutions. When combined with IBM System Storage™ disk and tape storage and IBM System p™, System x™, and System z™ servers as well as planning, design and implementation services from IBM Global Services, IBM and Cisco can deliver end-to-end storage networking solutions.

Cisco MDS 9000 for IBM System Storage switches with IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) software provide a solution that offers organizations the ability to securely "virtualize" storage, anywhere in the storage network. Whether your business requires cost-effective storage networking solutions for an enterprise data center, department/workgroup, small/medium-size business; or high-performance business continuance implementations in the metropolitan-area network (MAN), IBM and Cisco can design intelligent, highly-available storage networking solutions to meet your requirements.

The Solution

• Integrated storage networking intelligence delivers the scalability, performance, security and manageability required to progress from discrete SAN silos to interconnected SANs
• Cisco MDS 9000 for IBM System Storage switches qualified with the IBM System Storage disk and tape and IBM System p, System x, and System z servers
• IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) is integrated with the Cisco MDS 9000 providing network-based virtualization, point-in-time copy, and replication
• Planning, design, and implementation services from IBM Global Services and IBM business partners

Solution Resources

• IBM at a Glance: Cisco Nexus 4001I Switch Module for IBM BladeCenter
• Data Sheet: Cisco Nexus 4001I Switch Module for IBM BladeCenter (PDF - 219 KB)
• Solution Overview: Cisco Nexus 4000 Series Switches for IBM BladeCenter (PDF - 439 KB)
• July 14, 2009 Announcement Letter: IBM to Resell Cisco Nexus 5000 for IBM System Storage Switches
• White Paper: Cisco and IBM End-to-End Data Center Solutions (PDF - 467 KB)
• Solution Brief: Virtualized Storage Infrastructure Solution from IBM and Cisco (PDF - 2 MB)
• Cisco MDS 9500 Multilayer Directors for IBM System Storage (At a Glance) (PDF - 739 KB)
• Cisco MDS 9000 Family for IBM System Storage (At a Glance) (PDF - 585 KB)
• IBM MDS Product Matrix Cross-Reference Guide (PDF - 359 KB)

Installation Guide

• Cisco MDS 9000 Series Multilayer Switches

Warranty Information

• Warranty Information

For more information, please visit:

• Cisco Nexus 4000 Series Switches
• Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switches
• Why Choose Cisco MDS 9000 Family
• Cisco Storage Networking
• Cisco Data Center Solutions
• IBM Storage and Data Services
• IBM System Storage Products