Both Cisco and Microsoft are committed to helping partners be the trusted advisors to customers embracing virtualization and cloud computing. Today at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference, we made a series of announcements with Microsoft to not only accelerate the deployment of private cloud infrastructure worldwide, but also invest in our mutual channel partners to bring these data center solutions to customers.

Cisco's Unified Computing System (UCS) is a foundational element of our Unified Data Center architecture, and has continued to gain growth and acceptance in the industry. We're now recognized as No. 2 in x86 blade servers by researcher IDC and leading this segment of the server market in some parts of the world. Cisco partners, especially, have helped broaden our reach and increase our influencer recognition.

Our most important task now is to provide joint Cisco and Microsoft channel partners with the air cover needed to help customers simplify their IT operations, create more effective cloud deployments and realize the significant cost savings and efficiency benefits of optimized data centers. 

As you've probably heard, many joint Cisco and Microsoft partners are taking our solutions to market already. Well, it's time to empower even more of you, and among our new announcements at WPC specific to the Microsoft ecosystem are the following:

• Nexus 1000V Switch for Windows Server Hyper-V is a distributed virtual switching platform that provides advanced network virtualization features with tight integration with the Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and Hyper-V
• FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloudintegrates Cisco compute and networking, NetApp storage and Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Hyper-V, and System Center 2012
• EMC VSPEX Solution for Microsoft Private Cloudintegrates Cisco server and networking components with EMC storage and Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and Hyper-V

If you're here at Microsoft WPC in Houston, be sure to stop by Booth 1401 to connect with Cisco and view our latest demonstrations. Several Cisco experts are on hand throughout the show, including Senior Marketing Manager Rex Backman, who will present a special session onLeveraging Cisco Data Center Assets to Drive Private Cloud Revenue on Wednesday, July 10. (While you're at it, check out Rex's guide to Cisco solutions at WPC.)

You can learn more about Cisco's role at Microsoft WPC through our event site, and the power of Cisco solutions for Microsoft-oriented data centers at our resource site. As you can see, much is achievable through the joint efforts of two top technology companies going after this data center opportunity:

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