In another example of two big companies combining their strengths to compete in this brave new world of cloud, Cisco and BMC Software today announced a joint venture to create new cloud offerings. As an initial step, Cisco and BMC announced the availability of a new cloud solution, the Integrated Cloud Delivery Platform, which is designed to meet the requirements of service providers and large-scale private cloud computing environments. Yup, you got it, another private cloud automation offering, just in case the world didn’t have enough of those (!)

The relationship is built on Cisco bringing technical smarts to the table, specifically IP network and unified communications experience. BMC on the other hands brings business service management skills – it’s a typical process/technology partnership but does it bring anything fresh to the already crowded private cloud automation space?

So what does this solution actually do? According to the press release the solution includes;

• End-to-end Cloud Services
• “One Click” Provisioning of New Cloud Services
• Secure, Multi-tenant Clouds
• “Self-Service” Cloud Management Portal
• Simplified Operations

It’s nothing new – Enomaly, enStratus, Datapipe and many, many other providers (see here) are playing in a similar space – regardless of that, the fact that two stalwarts of traditional IT such as Cisco and BMC are at least dabbling in the hybrid cloud space is a guarantee of two things. Firstly that cloud, if we didn’t need any other proof, has come of age. Secondly it’s an indication that enterprise IT leaders are looking for solutions from these more venerable providers.

The fact is that this solution may do nothing that an enStratus, for example, does – however in the rarefied (some may say dysfunctional) world of enterprise IT, a bigger price tag and the seal of approval from a “trusted” vendor means a lot for many risk-averse CIOs. As such this solution, and the partnership more generally, will likely do well. But have no fear cloud evangelists, the success of these more traditional companies very much rests on the shoulders of you giants who came first. Imitation, as hey say, is the sincerest form of flattery.