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The Hitachi UCP Pro is based on Hitachi's server technologies, while the Hitachi UCP Select offers a choice of Hitachi or Cisco servers.
Chalaka admitted that Hitachi servers, which have been very successful in the Japanese market, have so far made little or no headway in the U.S. market.
"The Hitachi servers are Intel-based and feature the latest technologies," he said. "And it's proven technology in banks and high-speed rail systems in Japan. And it has advanced capabilities that are not available from other Intel-based servers."
However, Chalaka said, U.S. adoption of the Hitachi servers will take time. "We have to convince customers to adopt Hitachi technology they are net yet familiar with," he said. "But for those who are not yet comfortable with Hitachi servers, they can use the Cisco servers."
Joe Kadlec, vice president and senior partner at Consiliant Technologies, an Irvine, Calif.-based solution provider and longtime HDS partner, said his company was introduced to Hitachi servers about four years ago and took training in the technology.
However, Kadlec said, he is not sure Consiliant actually sold any of the servers, in large part because the company has been so focused on HDS' storage technology.
"We absolutely will talk to customers about Hitachi servers," he said. "With Hitachi UCP, it's a solution sale now, where before it was a product sale. This is putting the Hitachi servers with storage from Hitachi that is proven to be top-of-line. So it makes my job easier."
The Hitachi UCP offering also could bring Consiliant closer to Cisco and its Cisco UCS server line as well, Kadlec said.
"We stay with Hitachi storage," he said. "If they say they are going to work with Cisco, we will work with Cisco."
Paul Lidsky, president and CEO of Datalink, an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based solution provider and HDS partner, said his company is looking forward to the Hitachi UCP Select offering, but will likely focus more on the Cisco version.
Datalink is already offering the FlexPod and VSPEX converged infrastructures and is now evaluating the Hitachi UCP Select technology, Lidsky said.
NEXT: Hitachi UCP Opportunities For The Channel
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