At the start of 2014, SAP identified four corporate priorities: HANA, Cloud, Mobility, and Analytics.  Cisco, in support of these priorities, expanded their partnership with SAP to announce the availability of a Cisco Cloud Reference Architecture for SAP HANA Applications. This architecture, jointly defined between SAP, SAP partners, and Cisco, enables Cisco Partners to launch enterprise-class clouds for SAP applications that run on HANA and meet SAP's certification requirements while maintaining the critical infrastructure performance.

Virtustream, a leading SAP partner and Cisco Powered Cloud Service Provider, was one of the first companies to reach SAP certification for HANA in the Cloud, and follows the Cisco reference architecture for SAP HANA Applications.  Our Enterprise-class Cloud offers customers a secure, elastic and resilient way to deploy SAP workloads, with and without HANA, with all the economic benefits of a cloud solution.

Cisco's strategy of enabling service providers to deliver SAP HANA Cloud Services via a proven reference architecture is complimentary to Virtustream's Cloud Service Provider (CSP) enablement efforts. CSPs are using Cisco's reference architecture and Virtustream's xStream software to build their own SAP HANA Cloud Service.  Cisco's global market penetration and service provider optimized solutions effectively furthers Virtustream's reach in the market.  Together, we offer CSPs a faster time to adoption and a more predictable path to revenue.

Partners like Virtustream who follow the Cisco Cloud Reference Architecture for SAP in the Cloud are also eligible for participation in the "Cisco-Powered Cloud and Managed Service Provider Program (CMSP)".  This program links the partner community and the Cisco sales force, allowing for Cisco sales reps to get compensated for workloads that land on CMSP platforms.  With the rapid rise of hybrid cloud deployments, this joint approach puts the Cisco field sales force in sync with the partner community, resulting in a consistent message to the customer base.

Further, given the dynamic nature of the SAP HANA solution and the fact that technology is rapidly evolving, having strong partner OpEx options means that the customer can experience flexibility over the lifecycle of the technology.

Customers who are interested in learning more about Virtustream, our offerings for SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud services, and Cisco's CMSP designation for SAP HANA can visit the Cisco Booth at Sapphire Booth 230 where we will be demonstrating and displaying our solutions.