Atos starts software-defined outsourcing service

Atos is to offer software-defined datacentre services, and claims to be the first outsourcer to do so.

The firm's new Digital Data Center service will offer customers networking, storage and management/automation all in a software-defined capacity.

VMware is providing Atos with the technologies behind the services, offering up its vCloud Suite, NSX networking product, Virtual SAN storage element and vRealize Suite to give Atos its software-defined capabilities.

These services will run alongside cloud services from Canopy, the joint venture co-owned by VMware, Atos and EMC, as the firms look to meet demand in the software-defined data centre area.

Eric Grall, head of managed services at Atos, said: "This is where the speed of IT finally meets the business demand in providing infrastructure resources just when our customers need them, ensuring they can gain a competitive advantage.

"The Digital Data Center services provide a step change in infrastructure and complement our Canopy solutions and services."

The software-defined data centre can be thought of as a way to deliver IT as a service.

Generally, elements of a datacentre's infrastructure such as networking, storage, security and compute - are virtualised and delivered as a service.

This sits in contrast to typical data entres, which contain legacy hardware systems and mainframes.

In the storage industry, software-defined can mean a user does not need to buy software that is compatible with their hardware, thus tackling the problem of vendor lock-in.

This makes it easier to switch suppliers and reduce costs, and update infrastructure.

"Through a software-defined datacentre architecture, organisations have the ability to realise greater scalability, flexibility and agility in their IT infrastructure," said Todd Surdey, VP of global strategic alliances and emerging partners at VMware.

"We congratulate Atos on the launch of its Digital Data Center services, which use a complete VMware software stack to empower customers to securely and quickly move at the speed of their business."

Atos's first Digital Data Center pilots are set to begin by March, with further functionality to be added throughout 2015.