F5 Networks has announced integration between its BIG-IP products and VMware’s vSphere 4 and vCenter server, together creating a platform that allows IT administrators to improve organisations’ control over virtual environments.
F5 said that vCenter server and its BIG-IP products enable customers to provision application resources and optimise the automation of their IT infrastructures.
According to the company, integration with vCenter server is made possible through F5’s open API, iControl that enables integration with third party management systems. iControl helps organisations to customise their networks in such a way so that they can be responsive to the changes happening in the virtual infrastructure.
Reportedly, vCenter server and BIG-IP systems provide together a platform that can optimise application delivery and enable IT organisations to align with business needs by adapting to changes in business requirements or in the overall IT environment.
Jim Ritchings, VP of business development at F5, said: With virtualisation, applications are becoming more dynamic and responsive to variable business and technical environments. However, there is more to delivering an application to an end user than simply the application instance itself. The rest of the infrastructure that connects applications and users must be as responsive and flexible as the applications to ensure maximum resource availability and efficiency.”
He further said: “F5’s integration with VMware vCenter Server helps ensure business value and IT agility for organisations of all sizes.
Additionally, BIG-IP Global Traffic Manager (GTM) reportedly complements VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager by extending business continuity/disaster recovery automation functionality to the network, reducing IT administration time. In the event of site failure, BIG-IP GTM works with VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager to redirect application traffic to an alternative data centre or to the cloud, and ensure that applications remain available.
