Cisco and Tata Consultancy Services Announce Strategic Alliance

Companies Collaborate to Help Customers Build Next- Generation Data Centres That Take Advantage of the Network as the Platform
Cisco Technology Lab Established at TCS Campus in Chennai

MUMBAI, India - Cisco and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) today announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance to develop and deliver information technology (IT) service solutions to help customers build or evolve next-generation data centres by taking advantage of the network as a platform. Under the agreement, TCS will build a new technology practice focused on Cisco’s industry-leading data centre networking and security solutions. The companies also announced the formation of a Cisco® Technology Lab at the TCS campus in Chennai, India. This announcement was made at a press conference attended by Mr. John Chambers, chairman and CEO for Cisco, and Mr. S. Ramadorai, chief executive officer and managing director for TCS.

Cisco and TCS are developing go-to-market solutions that meet the infrastructure and network requirements of global corporations. Both companies will invest in skills development and training labs to provide an end-to-end solution to meet customer requirements.

As part of the new practice, TCS will incorporate Cisco’s Data Centre 3.0 technologies, with TCS’ industry-leading IT services, business solutions and outsourcing. The practice will focus on helping customers develop next-generation virtualized data centres and achieve greater operational and energy efficiency. The companies will also explore new networking innovations to address the needs of large and small businesses for IT services.

“Customers are demanding greater dynamism from their IT infrastructure and application environment to address current challenges and to capitalize on opportunities whenever and wherever they emerge,” said Mr. N Chandrasekaran, chief operating officer and executive director of TCS. “This strategic alliance will take advantage of Cisco’s industry-leading data centre networking solutions and TCS’ global network delivery model to help our customers increase the efficiency and agility of their IT operations.”

“TCS is a global leader in the industry for delivering IT services that help customers gain greater efficiency and responsiveness of their business and shift investments to strategic initiatives that drive growth,” said Mr. Wim Elfrink, chief globalisation officer and EVP, Cisco Services. “This strategic alliance illustrates Cisco commitment to building relationships with new partners in emerging parts of the world that will take advantage of new virtualised approaches such as ’software as a service.”

The TCS and Cisco strategic alliance will initially focus on India as well as mutual enterprise customers in the United States and the United Kingdom in the key verticals of banking and finance services, telecom, and government as well as small and medium-sized business.

“TCS is our strategic partner for supporting our IT infrastructure, and we partner with Cisco for a range of their products and services. We are pleased that two of our leading technology and services providers have come together to form a strategic alliance which should greatly enhance our ability to meet our growing and diverse business needs,” said Mr. Ramon Baez, vice president and CIO of Kimberly-Clark.

The Cisco Technology Lab in Chennai will allow TCS to develop network-based data centre solutions, test frameworks, develop skills and certify employees in Cisco data centre technologies. The lab will also allow Cisco and TCS to illustrate proof-of-concepts and IT and networking methodologies for client-specific business processes.
About TCS

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, business solutions and outsourcing organization that delivers real results to global businesses, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of IT and IT-enabled services delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model, recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata Group, India’s largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 130,300 of the world’s best trained IT consultants in 42 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $5.7 billion for fiscal year ended 31 March 2008 and is listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange in India. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com.
About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, visit http://newsroom.cisco.com.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.