NetApp Powers BT Virtual Data Center

Market Wire

posted: 29 DAYS 16 HOURS AGO

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SUNNYVALE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/27/09 -- NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) recently announced it will provide the storage infrastructure to support BT's new Virtual Data Center (VDC). BT, one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services, is offering a multi-tenanted service aimed at mid-sized and larger businesses that are looking to move all or part of their IT resources onto a pay for use platform. BT chose NetApp hardware for VDC due to the strong relationship the two companies have had for several years. BT has used NetApp equipment extensively in its existing data centers.

BT already hosts data and applications for a wide range of businesses. VDC aims to move customers from tailored hosting arrangements to a service where organizations can buy the exact capacity they require. BT has added the ability to configure an entire data center from a single console with the ability to provision servers, storage, and network resources with built-in resilience and business continuity. The partnership with NetApp allows BT to automate the day-to-day storage management resources needed as part of the package, which in turn allows BT's engineers to focus their time and energy on revenue generating activities.

"NetApp's involvement in the development of VDC further builds on our successful track record in working together," said Craig Parker, head of global IT services propositions at BT Global Services. "The scalability of NetApp hardware and its ease of use enables us to fulfill customer provisioning orders made via VDC's self-service portal in a rapid and cost effective manner."

A blade service architecture, combined with NetApp storage systems and virtualization software allows BT customers to have their infrastructure and Windows-based applications up and running on the VDC in just five days. Once the system is up, existing VDC customers will be able to deploy a virtual server in as little as 15 minutes. Because the NetApp storage infrastructure takes care of so much of the basic storage management, from Snapshots and off-site replication to deduplication, the storage infrastructure is largely self managing, needing little in the way of day-to-day support.

"With NetApp, BT can provide a flexible, cost-effective alternative to in-house data centers," said Patrick Rogers, vice president of Solutions and Alliances at NetApp. "BT utilized the twin technologies of server and storage virtualization -- already proven in their own data centers -- to deliver IT as a Service. NetApp is excited to be a foundational element in their VDC architecture."

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About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2009, BT Group's revenue was £21,390 million.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt

About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that accelerate business breakthroughs and deliver outstanding cost efficiency. Discover NetApp's passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.

NetApp, the NetApp logo, and Go further, faster are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such.

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Press Contact:
Nathan Phillips
NetApp
(408) 822-7284

nathan.phillips@netapp.com

MARKET WIRE

2009-10-27 08:00:37