Avnet claims it's first out the gate on Cisco HyperFlex

Distributor says UK order for Cisco's new hyperconverged offering is first in EMEA

Avnet Technology Solutions claims it has won the first order for Cisco's HyperFlex offering in EMEA.

Cisco entered the hyperconverged space in March with HyperFlex, which it claims delivers up to 40 per cent higher performance than competitive solutions.

Avnet said it was one of two distributors in EMEA appointed to sell Hyperflex and claims it has bagged the first order in the region for the technology, which is built on Cisco's UCS platform.

Avnet said the deal in question is in the UK but would not divulge further details.

Cisco HyperFlex combines software defined storage and data services software with Cisco's server platform, UCS, which has amassed 50,000 customers since its launch in 2009.

"Cisco is uniquely positioned to understand customers' datacentre challenges due to its experience working across converged platforms," said Marcus Adae, vice president for core suppliers and technology groups at Avnet Technology Solutions EMEA.

"The HyperFlex portfolio ensures partners continue to have access to the best next-generation technologies, and it simplifies the complex in the growing storage marketplace."

Rival distributor Comstor stressed it too is on board for HyperFlex and at the time of its launch claimed hyper-convergence is the "biggest shift in datacentre infrastructure since server virtualisation".

"The hyper-converged market is still in its early phase, but it offers considerable value for our customers and has significant predicted market growth of 77 per cent from 2014 to 2020," Jeremy Butt, executive vice president at Westcon-Comstor said in a statement issued last month.

"It is taking share from traditional storage solutions such as SAN and NAS, and we are excited to be a part of the momentum with Cisco's HyperFlex offering."