Du has selected Cisco's Unified Computing System (UCS) and Nexus Switching Platform, as the foundation for its next generation virtualised infrastructure.

(l) Walid Kamal, senior vice president, Technology Security, 

The virtualised infrastructure will be used as a platform for cloud-based security services for customers. The virtualized environment will enable du Technology Security Risk and Fraud Management team to build a scalable and operationally efficient hosting environment for its Security management systems.

The Cisco UCS platform will also incorporate VMware solutions, to deliver an integrated solution designed to enable them to realise the full promise of virtualisation, and also providing superior manageability, security, performance, business agility, and cost savings.

Walid Kamal, senior vice president, Technology Security, Risk and Fraud Management, du, commented: "Making our first step towards virtualisation and consolidation is a part of our vision towards cloud-based security services. We have achieved this with the support of Cisco in deploying virtualisation for one of our core security services. We now intend to move towards cloud-based architecture for all our internal and external security service offerings, addressing all our key security requirements, achieving operational efficiency, gaining significant competitive advantage and subsequently reducing the time to market. With this development, we are able to strengthen our portfolio of cloud-based security offerings for UAE-based businesses, to add to our competitive edge."

The Cisco UCS integrates storage, networking, virtualization, and management into a single platform, which is both easier to manage and reduces the number of devices requiring setup, management, power, cooling, and cabling.

Rabih Dabboussi, managing director, Cisco, UAE, said: "Being one of the leading Service Providers in the UAE, we are immensely pleased that du understands how Cisco is uniquely positioned to lead its transformation to the next generation data centre with a new architectural approach. The data centre is transforming into an agile and efficient networked environment providing access to every device to any content, everywhere. Subsequently, virtualization has created a unique opportunity to create a more agile and efficient infrastructure and Cisco's Unified Computing System is a next-generation data centre platform that unites compute, network, storage access, and virtualisation into a cohesive system that reduces TCO, increases business agility and improve energy efficiency."