The Microsoft ecosystem continues to be an important area of focus with our Cisco Datacenter product and solution teams. UCS, Nexus, UCS Management, and ACI teams have continued to innovate and launch new offerings during the past few months. Let's take a look at our recent happenings and launches that can help enable your organization to deliver an optimal datacenter environment for your Microsoft platforms:

1. PASS, Microsoft SQL Server, and Cisco's Unified Datacenter...

We've ramped up our focus on Microsoft's SQL Server platform! Investments in PASS (Professional Association of SQL Server), Pass Summit 2013, and the PASS Virtualization Chapter afford us the opportunity to educate this world-wide BI and Data Management audience on UCS, Nexus, FlexPod, and VSPEX. Stay tuned for more from us, too as Microsoft gets closer to shipping their SQL Server 2014 platform.

2. Cisco and the Microsoft Cloud OS Launch...

Occurring around the world during the November 2013 to January 2014 timeframe is Microsoft's Cloud OS launch -the coming out party for Windows Server 2012 R2 as well as System Center 2012 R2. Cisco will be a local sponsor at many of these events -in fact as of this writing we have wrapped up our participation at multiple events in Canada, Germany, and South Africa. Please stop by your local Microsoft Cloud OS event and visit the Cisco booth to learn more as well as listen to Cisco's Chief Technology & Strategy Officer Padmasree Warrior on our Microsoft alliance and datacenter solutions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LxJRcTPd1w&feature=youtu.be

3. Cisco, Microsoft, and the Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)...

Microsoft was a key strategic partner at our recent New York City ACI launch with strong support from key Microsoft leaders such as Satya Nadella, Executive Vice President of their Cloud and Enterprise business unit. Satya shared the stage with Cisco CEO John Chambers in announcing ACI to the public.  In addition, Microsoft's Brad Anderson, Corporate Vice President, System Center blogged on the event and created a video on his ACI thoughts.  Microsoft -with their key platforms of Exchange, SQL Server, and SharePoint -sees ACI as a way to deliver'...datacenter without boundaries for our customers...'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJlshisd0PI

4. Cisco is a Gold Certified Microsoft Partner...

Cisco has invested a tremendous amount of time and energy in the creation of our Microsoft oriented technologies and solutions. As a result of that our Services team and Engineering teams have built up considerable expertise and knowledge in Microsoft technologies. This expertise is now recognized by Microsoft as Cisco is a 'Gold Partner' in the Microsoft Partner Network. Specifically we carry this label in the OEM, Management and Virtualization competencies.

5. Customer Successes Continue...

Finally, and most importantly, our customers continue to see the value in their UCS, Nexus, and FlexPod deployments with TCO savings and improvements in productivity across the board. Read on to learn about their successes.

 Toyota of South Africa

"I believe it will be a tough task for competitive vendors to challenge the FlexPod offering."

Clifford Theunissen, General Manager, Corporate IT , Toyota Tsusho Africa

Steria

"Our position in the market has changed. We increased our revenue, gained market share, and improved our profitability because we proposed an innovative offer."

Eric Fradet , Industrialization Director, Service Line Infrastructure Management, Groupe Steria SCA

nGenx

"After implementing Cisco UCS, we've measured application speed increases between 5 and 30 percent. We can tell that users are appreciating the difference, not only because of the feedback, but also because there's been a noticeable decrease in service tickets."

David Gibson, Chief Operating Officer, nGenx

To learn more about our Microsoft technologies and solutions, please visit www.cisco.com/go/microsoft