Italian Army Commissions Italtel and Cisco for Cloud Migration

Italtel and Cisco have teamed up to transition the Italian Army to the cloud in a new $3.1 million data center deal. The companies are working together to create a new data center network for the army, including updated hardware and software infrastructure and new virtualization/concentration nodes that will be deployed and maintained.

The contract was granted by the Telematics and Informatics Advanced Technologies Division of the Ministry of Defense in Italy. The new data centers will run on the army’s existing network and essentially create a functional ICT network for the organization. The Italian Army already maintains two data centers in Rome and Padua, which supply IT services to all military bases and must maintain high standards of security and continuity.

The army has been working with Italtel and Cisco for several years on updating its infrastructure, network equipment and IT services in general. The companies teamed up in 2011 to create the two flagship data centers, which use virtualization and simplified network elements to reduce the physical server footprint. Cisco is providing the switching and computing technologies for the centers, which are referred to as nodes of concentration and virtualization (NCV).

They will now work together to create 11 “mini data centers,” which will be located throughout the country in support of a new cloud computing initiative. This will include virtualization of applications as well as beefed up network reliability and data security.

"We are proud to be able to provide our skills and ability to the Italian Army," said Stefano Pileri, CEO of Italtel. "We have always had a deep knowledge of telecommunications networks and we have been able to apply this knowledge to develop leading ICT networks. Being able to enrich the technological equipment of such a significant customer is a source of pride for us and reconfirms Italtel as an established supplier to the Italian Army."       

The goal of the new cloud initiative is to streamline the army’s entire technology infrastructure as well as facility continuity of operational services. The network will also enable disaster recovery and business continuity policies that will protect the entire infrastructure.