subject: The Architecture of Unified Computing [print this page] The Architecture of Unified Computing The Architecture of Unified Computing
Unified computing, is a part of the overall strive for energy efficiency and simplicity in data centers around the world. A process of increasing assets while also reducing overall costs of operation, unified computing is said to be a potentially fast-growing market.
The process of unified computing also minimizes the barrier that complicates the virtualization process. Companies such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM have all jumped on board with their own version of the new collaboration system. But what truly is unified computing, and how does it assist our data centers and overall savings and simplification?
A unified computing system, or a UCS, is a system wherein the hardware and the software are centrally configured to work effectively and efficiently, together as a unit. It is a network system that connects software to hardware, hardware to clients and clients to each other. A process of simplification via collaborative efforts between hardware and software companies is the key to the success of unified computing. Seems simple enough, right?
This very system is said to also formally reduce costs in the data center by over forty percent. Anyone in charge of, or paying the costs of a data center can understand the awesomeness of such an operating cost decrease.
This new system is also said to decrease the number of actual devices that would have had to be bought for a system to function. This meaning, less cords, less connections and less space taken up in the data center.
It seems that connecting people to their needs, is placing companies such as Cisco in a bit of a predicament. In creating alliances with software companies, one could see the hardware companies are now competing with their fellow business partners. In Cisco's case, this would include companies such as IBM and Hewlett-Packard. John Chambers, CEO of Cisco stated, "we focus not on competition, but where the market is going."
Cisco was the founder of the unified computing system, which was initially brought to the table three short years ago. Although others have caught on, Cisco is still developing the idea further. In innovating a collaborative environment, the system allows for national standards within system units and software. It also allows for a more complete management of storage, applications and virtualized resources.
It is clear that the new aspect of unified computing is going to be successful, but one could ask Cisco - at what cost? As competition grows steeper, and development of products and alliances of companies begins, one wonders what will be the next step in the ironically collaborative unification process?
