Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Cisco axes unloved M-Series modular servers two years after launch

Nobody wants modules any more, admits Switchzilla

Exclusive Cisco will kill off its M-Series modular server line, citing lack of customer interest.

In an internal company memo, seen by The Register, Cisco data center/virtualization VP Frank Palumbo said stalled demand for the modular line convinced Cisco to end sales for the compact servers less than two years after their introduction.

Designed for "cloud-scale" services, the M-Series placed servers into compact modules, up to eight of which could be fit into a 2U rack-mounted chassis. The line was aimed at cloud providers and online gaming platforms, which required large numbers of individual boxes to operate in tandem.

Unfortunately, it seems, Cisco misread the market for the cloud-scale servers and Switchzilla has now decided to pull the plug and focus on other areas. Here's internal announcement sent out to Cisco staff today:

From: Frank Palumbo

Date: Friday, June 3, 2016

Subject: IMPORTANT: M-Series End of Sale

Today we are communicating End of Sale for M-Series Modular Servers.

Innovations developed in the M-Series program, such as System Link Technology, have resonated well with the market and we have established thought leadership in composable, software-defined infrastructure.

However, the growth rate of the density-optimized segment has slowed dramatically since the M-Series’ introduction in 2014 and represents only 10% of the x86 server market today. We are shifting our investment focus for composable infrastructure to programs that will deliver these capabilities broadly across our UCS portfolio, which is what our customers have been asking for. This is already happening in products like the UCS C3260.

This is a product-level decision that aligns us with the form factors our customers are choosing for scale-out workloads. Cisco’s strategy to deliver industry-leading, software-defined, policy-driven Data Center infrastructure is unchanged. Let’s emphasize these two points as we communicate with our partners and customers.

We will ensure a smooth transition for M-Series customers.

So it appears Cisco will be guiding customers to move into other high-density offerings in its UCS server line, particularly the standalone C-series and blade-based B-series servers that, Cisco admits, many customers have already been asking for in place of the M-series.

"Cisco is fully committed to supporting customers who have deployed M-Series systems, and we are working proactively to make their transition as easy and seamless as possible," a spokesman for Switchzilla told El Reg.

"The decision to discontinue M-Series does not impact any other elements of our portfolio."

The server cull comes as Cisco is continuing to attempt a delicate balance of touting its on-premise gear while also working to establish its services and hosted offerings for enterprise customers. ®

 

Similar topics

Similar topics

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like