the cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) is a data center server computer product line composed of computing hardware , virtualization support , switching fabric , and management software introduced in 2009 by cisco systems .

the products are marketed for scalability by integrating the components of a data center that can be managed as a single unit .

cisco unified computing system

derive technologies is a cisco premier certified partner with advanced unified computing technology and network architecture specialization , comprising the cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) and unified fabric technology .
to see ucs manager in action , visit the unified computing system advantage video library .
implement cisco data center unified computing ( dcuci ) v6 . 2 | global knowledge
cisco unified computing system is an integrated system that is configured through unified , model - based management to simplify deployment of enterprise - class applications and services running in bare - metal , virtualized , and cloud - computing environments . primary differentiators include :
the cisco ucs b - series blade servers are crucial building blocks of the cisco unified computing system , delivering scalable and flexible computing for today’s and tomorrow’s data center while helping reduce tco .
you’ll master the professional - level skills and technologies needed to implement cisco data center unified computing infrastructure , including unified computing implementation maintenance and operations , automation , security and storage .
a unified computing system ( ucs ) is is a converged data center architecture that integrates computing , networking and storage resources to increase efficiency and enable centralized management .
cisco ' s unified computing system ( ucs ) is a new type of enterprise server system . but how will it help data storage professionals solve their server virtualization issues ?
cisco has rolled out upgrades to its
california
unified computing system blade servers , but its announcement could have been much more interesting .
cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) manager provides unified , embedded management of all software and hardware components in the cisco ucs . it controls multiple chassis and manages resources for thousands of virtual machines .
cisco has patched a vulnerability in its unified computing system ( ucs ) central software that could be exploited by miscreants to take remote control of machines .
this book is an excellent introduction to the subject of cisco unified computing system . hower it was publshed in 2010 and seriously needs to be updated .
cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) manager provides unified , embedded management of all software and hardware components in the cisco ucs . using singleconnect technology it controls multiple chassis and manages resources for thousands of virtual machines .
cisco came up with the unified computing concept three years ago and launched product development shortly thereafter , chambers said .
cisco maintains that its unified computing system solves a series of difficult data center problems while unleashing the potential of virtual servers . among the market problems cisco claims ucs addresses are :
editor ' s tip : now that cisco systems inc . has entered the data center server market , what does this mean for the unified computing space ? in this podcast , marc staimer , president of dragon slayer consulting , discusses the unified computing system market . learn more about the impact of cisco ' s entrance in this space , the specific problems unified computing addresses , and what unified storage means for value - added resellers ( vars ) and system integrators .
cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) ( data center ) : a com . . . and over 2 million other books are available for amazon kindle . learn more
the cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) combines computing , networking , and storage infrastructure with management and virtualization capabilities to offer exceptional speed , simplicity , and scalability . cisco ucs redefines computing to enhance application performance , simplify infrastructure management , reduce costs , and accelerate it delivery to the business .
learn how to install , configure , manage , and troubleshoot cisco unified computing system b - series blade servers and c - series rack servers in a virtualized data center environment .
the cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) is built to meet today ' s demands while being ready to accommodate future technologies—including more powerful processors and faster ethernet standards—as they become available .
unified computing and cisco ucs c - series rack - mount servers learn how to manage cisco ucs c - series rack - mount servers separately or with cisco ucs manager .
using a unified view of data center resources , cisco and our industry - leading partners deliver services that accelerate your transition to a unified computing environment . cisco unified computing services help you quickly deploy your data center resources and optimize ongoing operations to better meet your business needs . for more information about these and other cisco data center services , visit
morristown , nj – december 8 , 2009 – alliant technologies announced today that it has achieved data center unified computing authorized technology provider ( atp ) status from cisco . this designation recognizes alliant as having the fulfilled the training and program prerequisites to sell , deploy and support the cisco unified computing system in the united states .
with the cisco unified computing system , you can streamline data center resources , scale service delivery , and radically reduce the number of devices requiring setup , management , power and cooling , and cabling .
simplify your server infrastructure with the unified computing system ( ucs ) . with intel® xeon® processors , cisco ucs provides an easy to deploy and manage infrastructure . browse the offerings on our web site .
”we are very excited to be a cisco data center unified computing partner , explained alliant ceo , bruce flitcroft . “we see the logical expansion from virtual servers to desktops to fully virtualized infrastructures . the cisco unified computing system addresses the next virtualization step and we are working with our customers now to take advantage of the evolutionary path this platform provides . ”
the cisco ucs b - series blade servers are designed for use in the cisco unified computing system environment and require cisco ucs manager , ucs 6100 series fabric interconnects , ucs 5100 series blade server chassis , and ucs 2100 series fabric extenders to function in this integrated environment .
the next evolution in it is happening now , and the cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) is a groundbreaking approach to computing , designed for it innovation and business acceleration . for more than 30 , 000 ucs customers , the future is already here , and the benefits are happening now .
please use the form on this page , or call us at ( 212 ) 363 - 1111 , to reach a derive cisco unified computing ( ucs ) specialist .
editor ' s tip : read this article to find out about hewlett - packard ( hp ) co . ' s bladesystem matrix and intelicloud inc . ' s 360 , two alternatives to cisco systems inc . ' s unified computing system .
cisco ucs is a groundbreaking approach to computing . it is designed for it innovation and business acceleration .
hpe has complemented its recent high - end hyper - converged system with another hci system to fit the space - constrained environments . . .
with its new unified computing system ( ucs ) family of products , cisco has introduced a fundamentally new vision for data center computing : one that reduces ownership cost , improves agility , and radically simplifies management . in this book , three cisco insiders thoroughly explain ucs , and offer practical insights for it professionals and decision - makers who are evaluating or implementing it .
“taking advantage of an architectural shift in the data center , cisco’s new computing model can help customers transform the data center into a dynamic it environment with the power to increase productivity , improve efficiency and drive virtualization to an entirely new level , ” said john growdon , director , worldwide channels go - to - market group at cisco . “as a cisco data center unified computing of industry leaders working with cisco to stimulate technology innovation , augment service delivery , and accelerate the market adoption of unified computing . ”
understanding cisco ucs service profiles read how the systemcontrols servers , storage , and networking within a unified framework .
cisco ucs manager provides centralized management capabilities , creates a unified management domain , and serves as the central nervous system of the cisco unified computing system . cisco ucs manager is embedded device - management software that manages the system from end to end as a single logical entity through an intuitive gui , cli , or xml api . cisco ucs manager implements role - and policy - based management using service profiles and templates . this construct improves it productivity and business agility . now infrastructure can be provisioned in minutes instead of days , shifting it ' s focus from maintenance to strategic initiatives .
cisco unified computing system is designed to allow customers to build next - generation data centers that are optimized for virtualized resources – servers , storage , applications , and networking . it is intended to manage data center operations as a unified environment and supports applications and services from leading vendors , including microsoft , emc , vmware , red hat and novell .
bmc could consider itself lucky to be selected by cisco to exclusively provide management technology for cisco ' s unified computing system ( ucs ) launch , but the veteran software maker thinks more than luck is at work here . bmc says its long - term technology strategy makes bmc an ideal fit for cisco ' s data center plans .
cisco systems inc . is an acknowledged worldwide leader and renown goliath in the computer networking business . so it ' s not hard to imagine the anxiety coming from the boardrooms of data center server vendors after cisco announced a new type of enterprise server system called the cisco unified computing system ( ucs ) . but this new market category raises questions for data storage professionals that we ' ll try to answer here .
cisco stressed the holistic approach of its unified computing system during its widely watched launch monday , claiming its innovations in tying together servers , storage , networking and virtualization make it unique in the industry . observers trying to pit it directly against hp and ibm data center blade servers were missing the point , cisco officials suggested .
however , alternatives to cisco ' s unified computing system do exist . hewlett - packard ( hp ) co . ' s hp bladesystem matrix also has a tight integration of servers , virtualization , management , and network and storage i / o . but unlike the unified computing system , the hp bladesystem matrix allows for a wide range of server blades , a wealth of storage options and has a complete package of integrated services . intelicloud inc . ' s 360 is another option that has an innovative chassis design , a proactive approach to cooling and flexible server blades .
to qualify as a cisco data center unified computing authorized technology provider , alliant had to meet a number of requirements . these included achieving the cisco data center networking infrastructure specialization and the cisco data center storage networking specialization as well as demonstrating mature competencies in server , storage and virtualization technologies .
cisco , the cisco logo and cisco systems are registered trademarks of cisco systems inc . in the united states and certain other countries .
cisco systems ' unified computing system has unique technical capabilities with most of them involving the company ' s proprietary dce implementation of converged networking and storage plus vn - link . the real strength and key behind ucs is cisco ' s tight integration of and prepackaging of servers , virtualization and management with its advantage of converged storage and network i / o .
adds cisco marketing vice - president david lawler ,
other vendors ' solutions will not work because ( ucs is ) a single unified system . and we ' re not developing blades for other [ vendors ' ] platforms .
the ucs unified fabric will support a low - latency , lossless , 10 gigabit - per - second ethernet foundation . this network foundation consolidates what today are three separate networks : lans , sans and high performance computing networks , cisco says .
the m - series relies on
ucs’s fabric computing for a leaner infrastructure for cloud scale applications .
with the
california
unified computing system that debuted in march 2009 , ucs manager was embedded in the variant of the nexus 5000 switch , called the ucs 6100 , that was embedded in the ucs 5100 chassis and that linked out to storage and blades in other chassis through 10 gigabit ethernet fabric extenders .
cisco has significant experience in listening to customer requirements and providing solid technology innovation for the enterprise data center . cisco delivers standards - based solutions backed by a broad partner ecosystem of industry leaders to provide end - to - end customer solutions . unified computing elevates the traditional product classification of network , server , storage , operating systems , and applications to a data center - wide vision . cisco , as one of the largest technology providers in the world , has the resources , expertise , and customer focus to deliver on the unified computing vision .
high - performance computing specialist datadirect networks spruced up its exascaler sfa - based flagship with nonvolatile memory . . .
7 . ucs manager . cisco manages the entire unified computing system virtual data center with one ucs manager platform . the core of the ucs manager is bmc software inc . ' s
enterprise proven
bladelogic provisioning of virtual elements software . it also integrates seamlessly with vmware inc . ' s vmware vcenter server management software to simplify end - to - end control .
for in - depth detail about cisco ucs and the cisco ucs manager , read cisco ucs : a complete reference guide to the cisco data center virtualization server architecture .
the cisco ucs and associated services will be available in the second quarter . more details on the system will be disclosed in april , lloyd said .
5600 series processors . these powerful processors deliver more cores , threads , and cache , all within a similar power envelope , with even faster payback , greater productivity , and better energy efficiency . when put into production , cisco unified computing system and intel xeon 5600 series processors together offer further reductions in tco , increased business agility , and another big leap forward in data center virtualization .
unified , model - based management apply personality and configure server and i / o resources to automate the administration process .
find out which partners have management solutions for cisco ucs on cisco ucs management ecosystem .
3 . ucs 5100 series blade server chassis . the unified computing system blade server chassis is designed for up to eight blade servers and takes up a bit less rack space while somewhat reducing the power and cooling to comparable blade server chassis . less real estate , power and cooling is always a good thing . but it ' s the ability to combine up to 40 of the chassis ( 320 servers ) in a single integrated system that adds credence to cisco ' s claims of solving data center problems .
roger andersson was born in stockholm , sweden . he has spent 20 years in the computer industry in both sweden and the united states . roger’s experience includes more than 12 years in the clariion engineering division at emc and five years at veritas / symantec where roger worked as a technical product manager focusing on systems management , server , and application automated provisioning . roger is currently working at cisco as a manager , technical marketing , where he is focused on the system management aspects of a unified computing system .
simulate cisco ucs operations with the cisco ucs platform emulator to discover how the infrastructure works .
hitachi updates unified compute platform ( ucp ) portfolio with new nvme - based intel optane caching option and technology from . . .
the system is also intended to provide investment protection through
industry standards ,
cisco says . at the same time , however , cisco stressed its uniqueness in that each element – server , storage , networking and virtualization – is optimized for operation within the ucs system through patented techniques for memory expansion , management , and fabric connection .
the first update of the ucs platform that cisco rolls out on wednesday is a new parent switch that implements the unified fabric that gives the machine its formal name . ( no one would ever confuse california with being a unified fabric – and even less the united states of america , for that matter . )
the system helps reduce total cost of ownership by automating tasks through the use of service profiles that can enable just - in - time provisioning . service profiles quickly align computing resources with rapidly changing business and workload requirements in a policy - driven , repeatable manner .
we ' re selling this as a system ,
said rob lloyd , senior vice president of cisco worldwide operations .
it will be shipped and configured as a system . the innovations are all tied together . this is not a new blade server ; it is a new architecture .
cisco ucs helps change the way it organizations do business . it combines industry - standard , x86 - architecture servers with networking and storage access into a single unified system . ucs brings increased productivity , reduced total cost of ownership , and scalability into your data center . learn more in our ucs solution overview .
) . infrastructure policies needed to provision servers and deploy applications , such as policies for power and cooling , security , identity , hardware health , and ethernet and storage networking , are encapsulated in the service profiles . use of service profiles helps reduce the number of manual steps needed for provisioning , the opportunities for human error , and server and network deployment times . in addition , service profiles improve policy consistency and coherency across the entire cisco unified computing system .
for the server element , cisco designed its own computing system - - the so - called ucs b - series blades - - based on the future intel nehalem processor families , the next generation of intel ' s xeon processor . the cisco blades offer patented extended memory technology to support applications with large data sets and allow more virtual machines per server , the company says .
with cisco ucs and derive , you can tune your environment to support the unique needs of each application while powering all your server workloads on a centrally managed , highly scalable system .
roger andersson , cisco manager , technical marketing , spent more than 12 years in the clariion® engineering division at emc , and 5 years as technical product manager at veritas / symantec . he is now focused on cisco ucs system management .
two years ago , the ucs system launched with a design spec that allows it to scale to 40 blade enclosures and a total of 320 half - width blade servers in a single management domain . but todd brannon , senior marketing manager for unified computing at cisco , tells el reg that at the moment , the ucs manager software is capped at 160 blades in a single management domain , and that up until now , this has been sufficient for the ucs customer base .
the following facts and statistics capture the changing landscape of cloud computing and how service providers and customers are keeping up with . . . read more »
through its unified , embedded , policy - based , and ecosystem - friendly approach , cisco ucs manager helps reduce management and administration expenses , which are among the largest items in most it budgets .
1 . ucs b - series blade servers . the blade servers are based on intel corp . ' s latest xeon 5500 ( code - named nehalem ) . the xeon 5500 integrates the memory controller and cpu cores , can address more memory and is more energy efficient . however , the unified computing system isn ' t unique in offering xeon 5500 blades . all of the server vendors have xeon 5500 server blades or soon will .
it practitioners who are cisco trained and certified are uniquely qualified for key roles in complex data center environments with expertise utilizing technologies including policy - driven infrastructure , virtualization , automation and orchestration , unified computing , data center security , and integration of cloud initiatives . ccnp data center certified professionals are highly qualified for senior roles chartered with enabling digital business transformation initiatives .
cisco ' s network management technology group , which is currently undergoing some outsourcing activity , was not involved in the development of ucs manager , lawler says . the management system was developed by the nuova data center switching group within cisco , he says .
the vulnerability is due to improper input validation by the affected software ,
cisco said .
an attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a malicious http request to an affected system .
server connectivity simplified cisco singleconnect technology provides an easier , more intelligent and efficient way to connect and manage computing in the data center . cisco singleconnect unifies lan , san , and systems management into one simplified link for rack servers , blade servers , and virtual machines .
for management , cisco is rolling out the cisco ucs manager , a graphical user interface , command line interface and an application programming interface to manage all system configuration and operations . ucs manager enabling it managers to collaborate on defining service profiles for applications , cisco says . service profiles help to automate provisioning , providing application access in minutes instead of days , cisco says .
editor ' s tip : the unified integrated computing , network and storage space offers some excellent news to the value - added reseller ( var ) channel . it ' s a new market that solves real data center problems regardless of the size of the it organization . read this article to find out the four var market opportunities .
the authors establish the context for ucs by discussing the implications of virtualization , unified i / o , large memories and other key technologies , and showing how trends like cloud computing and green it will drive the next - generation data center . next , they take a closer look at the evolution of server cpu , memory , and i / o subsystems , covering advances such as the intel® xeon® 5500 , 5600 , 7500 , ddr3 memory , and unified i / o over 10 gbps ethernet .
cisco ' s ucs veep and gm paul perez , said in canned remarks :
with this expanded portfolio , cisco is delivering the largest wave of computing innovation since the original introduction of ucs – we are continually challenging and evolving how data centre infrastructure should be architected and managed . ”
lawler said cisco considered hp and ibm as blade server partners for the ucs system , and
did have conversations
with them about multiple technologies , like unified fabric and the nexus 1000v virtual switch , which is believed to be an element within ucs . but
a tighter binding [ of the blade server ] to the fabric necessitated a new development ,
lawler says .
all in all , the ucs blade box should be a more balanced system for the many - cored processors available now from intel – and coming in the future .
purchased this book to give me a background into the ucs system . the book was recomended to me by several other it designers who have also purchased this book .
cisco says ucs can reduce it infrastructure costs and complexity , help extend capital assets and improve business operations . ucs features a
wire once
unified data center fabric for single access to sans , network attached storage , and iscsi platforms .
cisco this week is expected to unveil details around its ucs strategy that includes partners such as microsoft , intel , vmware and others . the technology involves cisco - developed blade servers that would become part of an advanced architecture that incorporates network , computer , virtualization and management resources into a single system .
total economic impact of the cisco ucs ( pdf - 799 . 35 kb ) learn more about the business advantage of cisco ucs .
innovations developed in the m - series program , such as system link technology , have resonated well with the market and we have established thought leadership in composable , software - defined infrastructure .
bgp for cisco networks : a ccie v5 guide to the border gateway protocol : volume 1 ( cisco ccie routing and switching v5 . 0 )
the new ucs manager supports multi - hop fcoe , and adds a unified connect port on the cisco ucs 6100 fabric interconnect and its software layer to match the netapp fas arrays , which can mix fcoe , iscsi , nfs , and cifs traffic on a single port .
we focus not on competition , but where the market is going ,
cisco ceo john chambers said during the system ' s launch .
this is the future of the data center . it will evolve into clouds and change business models forever .
each cisco ucs b - series blade server uses converged network adapters ( cnas ) for access to the unified fabric . this design reduces the number of adapters , cables , and access - layer switches while still allowing traditional lan and san connectivity . this cisco innovation reduces capital expenditures and operating expenses , including administrative overhead and power and cooling costs .
cisco is also doubling the switching capacity of the unit to just under 1tb / sec , and is also getting the point - to - point latency hop in the ucs system down to 2 microseconds – a 40 per cent reduction compared to the 6120 fabric interconnect .
in an effort to keep conversations fresh , cisco blogs closes comments after 60 days . please visit the cisco blogs hub page for the latest content .
tommi salli , cisco technical marketing engineer , has nearly 20 years of experience with servers and applications at cisco , sun , veritas , and nuova systems .
learn how cisco servers are designed to optimize the performance of your cisco ucs environment by contacting your zones account executive or calling 800 . 408 . 9663 .
integration of the cisco ucs manager with industry - leading systems management solutions supports the use of existing it staff , skills , tools , and processes . a comprehensive , open xml api that exposes 9000 points of integration facilitates custom development to achieve new levels of system visibility and control .
integration of the cisco ucs manager with industry - leading systems management solutions supports the use of existing it staff , skills , tools , and processes . a comprehensive , open xml api that exposes 9000 points of integration and facilitates custom development to achieve new levels of system visibility and control .
security researcher gregory draperi was credited with discovering and reporting the vulnerability to cisco .
table 1 compares the features of the cisco ucs b - series blade servers .
table 2 summarizes the features and benefits of the cisco ucs b - series .
cisco , intel , and red hat deliver a proven solution that reduces risk .
looking for a solution from a cisco partner ? connect with our partner ecosystem .
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through its unified , embedded , policy - based , and ecosystem - friendly approach , cisco ucs manager helps reduce management and administration expenses , which are among the largest items in most it budgets . the ucs manager can manage up to 160 servers and thousands of cisco ucs components in multiple chassis . the embedded management software and all the managed components are part of a ucs domain .
cisco ucs manager supports the entire cisco ucs server and cisco hyperflex series hyperconverged infrastructure portfolios . it enables server , fabric , and storage provisioning as well as , device discovery , inventory , configuration , diagnostics , monitoring , fault detection , auditing , and statistics collection . you can extend the benefits of cisco ucs manager globally across an enterprise to thousands of servers in multiple domains with cisco ucs central software .
cisco hyperflex systems deliver new levels of efficiency with adaptability to more workloads and applications .
cisco said it has 10 beta sites for the platform , including service provider savvis .
deploy cisco ucs central and use it to add a cisco ucs manager domain , manage resources centrally , and create all required pools and templates to deploy a service profile .
you might think that by doubling the bandwidth in the parent switch , cisco is also doubling the scalability of the ucs system in terms of how many blades are under a single management domain . that may happen eventually – and quite possibly with new xeon servers coming later this year – but then again , it may not .
accelerate your ucs deployments and increase business agility and efficiency while reducing risk with cisco services .
cisco technology is helping domino ' s become the easiest company to order a pizza from .
publisher : cisco press ; pap / dvdr / p edition ( 1 jun . 2010 )
as a cisco gold partner , we have the experts on staff and a suite of services to help you design and implement a cisco solution that meets the unique needs of your environment .
using singleconnect technology , cisco ucs manager controls multiple chassis and manages resources for thousands of virtual machines . singleconnect is an end - to - end i / o architecture . it incorporates cisco virtual interface cards , cisco ucs fabric interconnects , and cisco fabric extender ( fex ) technology to connect every server on a single network fabric and on a single network layer . singleconnect innovations dramatically simplify it operations , reduce data center costs , and are exclusive to the cisco ucs .
with cisco services , you’ll see faster time to value , comprehensive adoption , and optimised policies .
cisco ucs manager 2 . 0 ( 1q ) to 2 . 1 ( 1a ) firmware update
cisco ucs manager facilitates operation of workloads on physical as well as virtualized cisco ucs servers . it promotes server consolidation and offers the flexibility of running workloads on blade or rack - mount servers .
for additional resources like the ucs platform emulator , visit the cisco developer network for ucs manager .
cisco ucs manager facilitates operation of workloads on physical as well as virtualized cisco ucs servers . it promotes server consolidation and offers the flexibility to run workloads on blade or rack - mount servers .
exclusive cisco will kill off its m - series modular server line , citing lack of customer interest .
scalable , cost - efficient data and analytics offerings from cisco position you to lead in the marketplace .
become a part of the cisco live community and fuel your personal and professional growth through global in - person events , on - demand training , and live broadcasts focused on cisco products , solutions and services .
the cisco ucs b - series offers two blade server models : the cisco ucs b200 m2 2 - socket blade server and the cisco ucs b250 m2 2 - socket extended memory blade server ( figure 2 ) . the cisco ucs b200 m2 is a half - width blade with 12 dimm slots for up to 192 gb of memory ; it supports one mezzanine adapter . the cisco ucs b250 m2 is a full - width blade with 48 dimm slots for up to 384 gb of memory ; it supports up to two mezzanine adapters .
table 3 summarizes the specifications for the cisco ucs b - series . table 4 summarizes regulatory standards compliance .
locate a cisco partner in your country with the expertise , resources , and commitment to help you succeed .
with cisco ucs management you can integrate features integrations with many operations tools . ( pdf - 652 kb )
6 . ucs 6100 series fabric interconnects . this is cisco ' s dce interconnect switch . it interconnects the blade chassis to each other , as well as to fcoe storage , fc storage , iscsi storage or network - attached storage ( nas ) . each switch can have 20 or 40 10 gbe ports with up to 20 or 40 switches in a single system . again , cisco systems has a first - to - market advantage with albeit a proprietary version of cee with gateway capabilities to fibre channel .
unfortunately , it seems , cisco misread the market for the cloud - scale servers and switchzilla has now decided to pull the plug and focus on other areas . here ' s internal announcement sent out to cisco staff today :
cisco acknowledges that it will have its work cut out for it in selling and gaining market acceptance for ucs .
read on to learn how more than 52 , 000 customers worldwide have realized the benefits of cisco ucs manager .
cisco ucs management ecosystem see if your data center monitoring and automation tools are already integrated with the ucs manager .
cisco’s authorized technology provider program is part of a comprehensive go - to - market strategy for emerging and advanced technologies . the program helps cisco to define the knowledge , skills and services that channel partners need to sell , deploy and support these technologies . as the market changes , an atp status is often the precursor to a cisco specialization .
in an internal company memo , seen by the register , cisco data center / virtualization vp frank palumbo said stalled demand for the modular line convinced cisco to end sales for the compact servers less than two years after their introduction .
ucs is also designed to improve the scalability , performance and operational control of virtual environments . cisco security , policy enforcement , and diagnostics capabilities have been added into dynamic virtualized environments to support changing business and it requirements , cisco says .
schwarz has nothing against ucs manager , but he thinks that after system admins get a taste of ucs central , this will be the tool where they will be spending most of their time because it does the same server template and profile building that ucs manager did on a local level , but across ucs manager domains .
are your servers three years old or more ? are you planning a server refresh ? learn why you should cisco ucs .
choose a regional event to explore or watch content on demand . login with your cisco live credentials or create an account .
ucs provides up to a 20 % reduction in capital expenditures and up to a 30 % reduction in operational expenditures , cisco claims . it can provision applications in minutes instead of days , can be managed as a single system supporting more than 300 servers and thousands of virtual machines , and improves energy efficiency by reducing the number of servers , switches , adapters and cables by up to 50 % , which translates into lower power and cooling requirements .
the 6248up fabric interconnect is the heart of the ucs system , not only because it is the parent switch that lashes all of those blade servers – and external rack servers , if customers want to use these – together into a processing pool , but also because it runs the ucs manager software glue that manages the whole shebang .
the cisco ucs b200 m2 balances simplicity , performance , and density for production - level virtualization and other mainstream data center workloads .
the first generation vic for the ucs system had two asics , each able to support 10gb / sec of bandwidth and 64 virtual interfaces . so the new vic has twice the number of virtual connections and four times the bandwidth . these virtual interfaces can be deployed for bare - metal servers as well as for virtual machines running atop hypervisors .
an open api facilitates integration of cisco ucs manager with a wide variety of monitoring , analysis , configuration , deployment , and orchestration tools from other independent software vendors . the api also facilitates customer development through the cisco ucs powertool for powershell and a python sdk .
and here is the interesting bit . rather than try to rig up some way for ucs central settings for servers to be automatically replicated and passed down to servers , or ucs manager settings resynchronized from below and pushed up to ucs central , cisco left this last crucial bit of synchronization in the hands of system admins – and did so on purpose .
there are some things that are best done by people , and this is one of them ,
says schwarz .
cisco ucs m5 c - series and b - series servers pack more cores , storage , gpus , and pcie slots than ever .
cisco , samsung and french carrier orange have completed a successful 5g trial . the companies ' fixed wireless network delivered hd . . .
master cisco technologies on your own schedule . the on - demand version of this course includes access to these elements for 12 months .
cisco ucs manager and service profiles ( 6 : 31 min ) watch this video data sheet for information about how the product works .
incredibly it was not long ago that cisco was just a networking company that’s main competitor was brocade . fast forward to march 2012 and brocade’s ceo mike klayko is stating
if you can run cisco products then you can run ours
to justify brocade ' s ip credentials . when their once great competitor inadvertently admits they’re entering the ip world as a reaction to cisco rather than a perceived demand from the market it really does showcase how far cisco have come . it also speaks volumes that alternatively , cisco proactively entered the server world when no perceived demand existed within that market . three years later and with 11 % market share and groundbreaking features built for the cloud and big data , cisco has moved far beyond its networking competitors and is well placed to be a mainstay powerhouse in the server milieu .
this end - to - end management isn ' t unique . akorri inc . balancepoint , hp openview , ibm tivoli storage manager ( tsm ) , tek - tools software inc . profiler and veeam software reporter and monitor products , among others , all have excellent , even outstanding end - to - end server system , network , storage and virtualization management .
basically , if you can reach cisco ' s ucs central software running on a vulnerable box , within a network or from the outside , you can own it . the software is used to manage hundreds if not thousands of cisco ucs servers at a time in data centers .
find out more about the ucs mini here . read cisco cto padmasree warrior ' s blog on the new kit and its background here .
in fact , cisco ' s move into data center blades could strain relationships with some of bmc ' s top competitors : hp and ibm . cisco also partners with the vendors , but this news puts the vendor in competition on two fronts , data center gear and software .
the cisco ucs b - series blade servers are designed to increase performance , energy efficiency , and flexibility for demanding virtualized and nonvirtualized applications . based on intel xeon 5600 series processors , cisco ucs bseries blade servers adapt processor performance to application demands and intelligently scale energy use based on utilization .
the tool includes a new infrastructure discovery and resource tracker called cloudsync as well . this latter bit appears to be the cisco homegrown code . ®
cisco ucs can dramatically reduce the number of devices that must be purchased , cabled , configured , powered , cooled , secured , and managed .
very good book , explains the new ucs systems by cisco , however don ' t read before you have some basic server and processor knowledge .
cisco ucs integrated infrastructure solutions speed up it operations today and create the modern technology foundation you need for initiatives like private cloud , big data , and desktop virtualization . cisco ucs director provides centralized automation of your physical and virtual resources , helping you take full advantage of our open ecosystem approach .
it’s a fact : no single system can meet all of your business’ technical and financial needs . that’s why novipro has developed the expertise needed to work with a wide range of servers . standalone and integrated servers , x86 _ 64 / amd , power or z architecture , windows , linux , unix / aix , ibmi operating systems—we offer a wide range of the world’s leading solutions .
so it appears cisco will be guiding customers to move into other high - density offerings in its ucs server line , particularly the standalone c - series and blade - based b - series servers that , cisco admits , many customers have already been asking for in place of the m - series .
this component is currently unique to cisco systems . however , it can be licensed and implemented on any vmware implementation , including other vendor blade systems .
cisco hyperflex 3 . 5 software adds native dr and cloud - based intersight storage analytics . the all - flash hyper - converged systems . . .
enterprises do not really add total capacity flexibility until servers , storage and networks are virtualized , and even more essential , are using a management control system that understands how to provision all three in concert ,
according to rich ptak , managing partner at ptak , noel & associates .
providing the missing component is what makes the bmc partnership such an important part of this announcement .
the former cisco exec hopes to use quantum ' s high - ingest technology and tape storage to serve a growing need in the surveillance , . . .
blade servers from other vendors – like hp and ibm – and other individual elements may not be able to fully utilize these advances , cisco officials suggested during the ucs launch . ( compare server products . ) much has been made of how cisco ' s move into this market would pit it against former partners .
our specialists can help with the design and implementation of your cisco solution . all are trained in the integration of server , storage , networking and application deployment .
but whereas infiniband is lower latency , higher performance and lower cost than dce , it ' s not perceived as mainstream . and while data center ethernet is cisco systems ' proprietary implementation of cee , it ' s based on 10 gb ethernet , which is perceived as mainstream and open , and will by definition interoperate with cisco networks .
according to bmc , it is
in fact the only management offering being oem’ed and shipped as part of cisco’s ucs . many of the other vendors involved in the announcement such as vmware and accenture already use bmc to manage their internal it environments , so cisco standardizing on bmc adds to the thread tying the complete offering together .
the cisco ucs chases and blades work well enough for enterprise private clouds , but we ' re a cloud service provider , and need something that ' s more scalable .
cisco ucs manager supports data center automation , helping increase operational agility and scalability , while reducing risk . it provides policy - based management with service templates and service profiles .
back in march 2009 , when cisco announced the launch of their ucs platform and subsequent intention to enter the world of server hardware , eyebrows were raised including my own . there was never any disputing that the platform would be adopted by some customers , certainly after seeing how cisco successfully gatecrashed the san market and initially knocked brocade off their fc perch .
we collaboratively deliver comprehensive , collaboratively developed , cisco ucs solutions to clients in healthcare , financial services , government and public sector , and a variety of other professional services organizations .
this book is part of the networking technology series from cisco press® , which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks , understanding new technologies , and building successful careers .
using trill , fabricpath , and vxlan designing massively scalable data centers with overlays : designing massively scalable data centers ( msdc ) with . . . ( cisco press networking technology )
cisco ucs manager supports data center automation , helping to increase operational agility and scalability , while reducing risk . it provides policy - based management with service templates and service profiles .
analysts say cisco ' s biggest challenge will be in selling the ucs to customers who have traditionally bought blade servers from hp , ibm , dell and others entrenched in that market .
the server cull comes as cisco is continuing to attempt a delicate balance of touting its on - premise gear while also working to establish its services and hosted offerings for enterprise customers . ®
bmc says deep integrations between cisco ucs manager and bmc ' s atrium cmdb and bladelogic service automation products will feed information back to bmc ' s larger business service management ( bsm ) product portfolio , delivering substantial reductions on in both operational and capital expenses , bmc says . bmc acquired bladelogic about a year ago and has been working with cisco to make the technology part of its platform .
cisco recommends that users running ucs central software versions 1 . 3 ( 1b ) and earlier update in order to obtain the fix . no other products were deemed to be vulnerable to the flaw .
cisco ' s software engineers have cooked up an uber - control - freak called ucs central to manage server profiles , templates , and settings for up to 10 , 000 rack or blade machines .
cisco systems calls its version of cee switches and cnas data center ethernet ( dce ) . but since the standard isn ' t yet set in stone , it is , by definition , proprietary .
urltoken many customers have challenges dealing with their server infrastructure because of the complexity associated with virtualization , networking and storage . in this video we explain how cisco ucs simplifies the environment through unifying those components in a single architecture and management , enabling automation to make complex operations a simple thing . whether you run virtualization or not , cisco ucs will make your life simpler . it ' s the powerofu .
some of the individuals posting to this site , including the moderators , work for cisco systems . opinions expressed here and in any corresponding comments are the personal opinions of the original authors , not of cisco . the content is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be an endorsement or representation by cisco or any other party . this site is available to the public . no information you consider confidential should be posted to this site . by posting you agree to be solely responsible for the content of all information you contribute , link to , or otherwise upload to the website and release cisco from any liability related to your use of the website . you also grant to cisco a worldwide , perpetual , irrevocable , royalty - free and fully - paid , transferable ( including rights to sublicense ) right to exercise all copyright , publicity , and moral rights with respect to any original content you provide . the comments are moderated . comments will appear as soon as they are approved by the moderator .
industry watchers say bmc ' s technology will be critical to the success of cisco ' s ucs because without management and automation at the foundation the environment would be too complex for administrators to adequately control .
cisco has refreshed its ucs server line , updating existing blade and rack products and adding in modular servers for scale - out servers and mini - servers for enterprise - edge situations like remote and branch offices .
server buyers don ' t have a relationship with cisco ,
says james staten of forrester research .
it will be tough to convince them of the need for another player in this market .
service profiles are reusable templates that contain your server , storage , application & network settings . use them to deploy or re - provision a cisco ucs server with intel® xeon® processors in as little as 20 minutes !
cisco is fully committed to supporting customers who have deployed m - series systems , and we are working proactively to make their transition as easy and seamless as possible ,
a spokesman for switchzilla told el reg .
obviously , this was silly , and clearly cisco learned the hard way that some workloads ( like hadoop ) require rack servers by their very nature because they are basically storage with compute flitting around on top of them .
cisco ucs is a simplified architecture for the converged data center . this architecture unifies servers , storage access , networks , and virtualization technologies to elevate the value and agility of data center infrastructure to an entirely new level .
exclusive to global knowledge - accelerate your cisco learning experience with complimentary access to the it skills video on - demand library , introduction to cybersecurity digital learning course , course recordings , it resource library , and digital courseware .


sonic automotive , inc. ( nyse : sah ) is a fortune 500 company based in charlotte , north carolina , and is the fifth largest automotive retailer in the united states .

the company ’s founder and executive chairman o. bruton smith is also the executive chairman and a director of speedway motorsports ( nyse : trk ) .

sonic ranked 297th on the 2016 fortune 500 list .

the company also is a member of the russell 2000 index .

sonic automotive operates in 14 states with more than 100 dealerships representing 25 different brands of automobiles .

the dealerships market new and used car , replacement parts and vehicle maintenance , as well as collision repair services .

sonic automotive

glassdoor has 254 sonic automotive reviews submitted anonymously by sonic automotive employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if sonic automotive is right for you .
sonic automotive , inc . - company profile , information , business description , history , background information on sonic automotive , inc .
see what the ihs markit score report has to say about sonic automotive inc .
sonic automotive , inc . reports first quarter results - record revenue and gross profit
sonic automotive , inc . ( sah ) dividend date & amp ; history - urltoken
glassdoor has 12 echopark automotive reviews submitted anonymously by echopark automotive employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if echopark automotive is right for you .
sonic automotive represents 24 brands and more than 35 , 000 new and used vehicles nationwide .
sonic automotive ( sah ) up 6 . 5 % since earnings report : can it continue ?
why is sonic automotive ( sah ) down 10 . 2 % since its last earnings report ?
sonic automotive , inc . , a fortune 300 company and member of the russell 2000 index , is among the largest automotive retailers in the united states .
sonic represents approximately 30 different automotive brands with the majority of our dealerships being luxury and import brands .
news about sonic automotive inc . , including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times .
, is one of the nation ' s largest automotive retailers . sonic can be reached on the web at
current and historical revenue for sonic automotive ( sah ) from 2006 to 2018 . the sum of all revenue fields included for a company ' s operating activities . the current revenue for sonic automotive as of march 31 , 2018 is .
sonic automotive operates over 100 dealerships spread across 13 states and 25 major metropolitan markets . we represent approximately 24 different automotive brands with the majority of our dealerships being luxury and import brands . we are an industry - leading automotive retailer committed to providing our customers with an outstanding automotive experience that is delivered with professionalism , integrity and enthusiasm .
sonic automotive operates over 100 dealerships spread across 14 states and 25 major metropolitan markets . we represent approximately 25 different automotive brands with the majority of our dealerships being luxury and import brands . we are an industry - leading automotive retailer committed to providing our customers with an outstanding automotive experience that is delivered with professionalism , integrity and enthusiasm .
for more information regarding echopark , please visit its website and for sonic automotive , inc . , please visit its website .
sonic automotive inc . ( nyse : sah ) is attempting to forever change how the charlotte - based car dealer does business .
to all the dads out there , thanks for being with us every mile . happy father’s day from all of us at sonic automotive .
let ' s see if sonic automotive ( sah ) stock is a good choice for value - oriented investors right now from multiple angles .
geist , laura clark ,
on wall street , sonic looks bionic ,
automotive news , january 4 , 1999 , p . 6 .
lundegaard , karen ,
sonic automotive acquires chain of 16 dealerships ,
wall street journal , january 16 , 2002 , p . b7 .
sonic automotive ' s ( sah ) first - quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of 26 cents per share surpass the zacks consensus estimate of 25 cents .
auto dealer sonic automotive inc . ( nyse : sah ) said friday it will bring its fast - growing echopark used car dealerships to georgia .
postman , lore ,
charlotte , n . c . , sonic automotive to buy more dealerships ,
charlotte observer , april 28 , 1998 .
charlotte , n . c . - based sonic is one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers with sales of $ 9 . 7 billion in 2016 .
if you are new to the automotive field the work hours may seem at times excessive .
sonic automotive had record first - quarter used - car sales and march , in particular , was the retailer’s strongest month ever for pre - owned volumes .
sonic automotive is a fortune 500 company that was founded by bruton smith . his son , scott , took over as ceo in the summer of 2015 .
sonic automotive ( sah ) reported earnings 30 days ago . what ' s next for the stock ? we take a look at earnings estimates for some clues .
for now , echopark contributed a per - share loss of 10 cents to sonic automotive ' s overall $ 2 . 2 million loss in the first quarter .
sonic automotive is expanding its chain of used - car dealerships to charlotte , including a location in the prominent coliseum center shopping complex on independence that is being redeveloped .
sonic automotive inc . is naming its new used - vehicle business echopark and eventually aims to put the stand - alone stores in more than 50 markets across the country .
charlotte , n . c . , april 26 , 2018 / prnewswire / - - sonic automotive , inc . ( nyse : sah ) , one of the nation ' s largest automotive retailers , today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2018 . record . . .
in 2001 , we were purchased by a company out of charlotte north carolina , sonic automotive . the sonic name is an acronym for sales , opportunity , new , in , concept . learn more about philpott pre - owned super center here .
at they did it . they were supposed to have their regional manager call me but haven ' t done that either . i have left several messages with them and sonic automotive
otten johnson was engaged by sonic automotive , inc . , a fortune 500 company and national automotive retailer , to serve as land use counsel in connection with sonic’s roll - out of echopark automotive in the denver region . echopark is an entirely new , neighborhood - based approach to the sale of premium pre - owned vehicles . working with a team of sonic representatives and consultants , our attorneys assisted sonic in identifying and purchasing properties for echopark stores , obtaining necessary zoning and entitlements to permit automotive sales and service uses , and pursuing site plan and other development approvals to see the neighborhood stores come to fruition . to date , echopark has successfully opened its regional hub facility in thornton along with neighborhood stores in centennial and highlands ranch , and otten johnson continues to assist sonic in identifying new locations and developing additional stores as echopark expands its footprint in colorado .
sonic automotive is a fortune 500 company that is transforming the way people shop for , buy and service their vehicles . our talented team work together to ensure we provide an experience unmatched by our competitors .
) , one of the nation ' s largest automotive retailers , today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2017 .
sonic was formed in 1997 with five dealerships on charlotte , north carolina . in 1998 , sonic entered new markets in ohio , alabama , florida and south carolina and
sonic automotive inc ( nyse : sah ) , a specialty retail company based in united states , received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the nyse in the over the lastread more . . .
after reading sonic automotive inc’s ( nyse : sah ) most recent earnings announcement ( 31 december 2017 ) , i found it useful to look back at how the company has performed in the past andread more . . .
sonic automotive inc ( nyse : sah ) , a specialty retail company based in united states , saw a significant share price rise of over 20 % in the past couple of months on the nyse . read more . . .
2 . high stakes : how big is sonic anyway ? in 2013 , it ranked as the no . 4 automotive dealer in the u . s . , with $ 8 . 8 billion in sales on 275 , 289 vehicles , according to automotive news . sonic ' s market share has slipped some ( it was ranked no . 3 in 2012 ) as it has built one sonic — one experience . it is also making a bold play to extend the platform to all of its 102 stores while also launching the used - car concept echopark .
sonic automotive inc ( nyse : sah ) is trading with a trailing p / e of 9x , which is lower than the industry average of 18 . 2x . while sah might seem like an attractive stock toread more . . .
it has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership . for sonic automotive , it all started when o . bruton smith as a young man , fell in love with cars and began racing and building cars in his parent ' s garage and subsequently began selling them in his front yard . his passion for building , racing , and selling automobiles led him to open his first used car dealership in charlotte , north carolina . it was the leadership of mr . smith which formed the foundation of the company we celebrate today . with 20 stores , representing15 brands and several hundred employees , sonic automotive was launched as a public company in november 1997 . it is that same commitment to leadership , exercised every day by every one of our associates , which has made sonic automotive one of the largest and most successful automotive retailers in the country .
it has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership . for sonic automotive , it all started when o . bruton smith as a young man , fell in love with cars and began racing and building cars in his parent ' s garage and subsequently began selling them in his front yard . his passion for building , racing , and selling automobiles led him to open his first used car dealership in charlotte , north carolina . it was the leadership of mr . smith which formed the foundation of the company we celebrate today . with 20 stores , representing 15 brands and several hundred employees , sonic automotive was launched as a public company in november 1997 . it is that same commitment to leadership , exercised every day by every one of our associates , which has made sonic automotive one of the largest and most successful automotive retailers in the country .
perhaps most significant , sonic customers will be able handle the entire transaction online , dyke said .
sonic automotive , the fourth - largest auto dealership group in the u . s . , is entering the san antonio market for the first time with plans to build five locations of its echopark used car retail brand in the next two years .
, was chosen after six months of research and about a half - dozen focus groups , said sonic president scott smith . sonic executives wanted to avoid using “car” or similar words in the name .
among other technology updates discussed , sonic said it will introduce an appraisal app “in coming months . ”
the cbt automotive network welcomes paul cummings , who is president and ceo of paul cummings enterprises . he tells our jim fitzpatrick about his new . . .
sonic automotive , inc . is one of the largest automotive retailers in the united states . included herein are forward - looking statements , including statements with respect to anticipated acquisition activity , disposition activity , earnings per share and expense levels and debt - to - capital levels of sonic automotive , inc . there are many factors that affect management ' s views about future events and trends of the company ' s business . these factors involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results or trends to differ materially from management ' s view , including without limitation , economic conditions , risks associated with acquisitions . the company does not undertake any obligation to update forward - looking information .
i truly enjoy working for sonic automotive . the processes they have in place make the expectations achievable . i have seen many employees start in entry level positions and have moved through the ranks quickly . they do care about their employees and encourage and support growth .
ts for sonic , evelyn slaybaugh the southeast director of hr , and even bruton smth ' s secretary .
that the employee directs sonic how much to pay and when . that negates the purpose of having a garnishmen
year later , acquired dealerships in texas and california . since the company ' s founding , sonic has experienced phenomenal growth , as today sonic operates over 100 dealerships spread across 15 states and 26 major metropolitan markets .
sign up today to get the best of automotive news delivered straight to your email inbox , free of charge . choose your news – we ' ll deliver .
o . bruton smith decided to found sonic automotive . he is also chairman of speedway motorsports which owns and operates 8 out of the largest nascar motor speedways in north america : atlanta , bristol , lowes , infineon , las vegas , new hampshire , texas and kentucky .
today , sonic automotive , as a fortune 500 company and member of the russell 2000 index , is among the largest automotive retailers in the united states . these dealerships provide comprehensive services , including sales of both new and used cars and light trucks , sales of replacement parts , performance of vehicle maintenance , warranty , paint and collision repair services , and arrangement of extended warranty contracts , financing and insurance for the company ' s customers .
continue to invest in our brand and associates . we are building a great brand that will change the automotive shopping experience for our guest . we believe in echopark !
new york , ny / accesswire / april 26 , 2018 / sonic automotive , inc . class a ( nyse : sah ) will be discussing their earnings results in their q1 earnings call to be held on april 26 , 2018 at 11 : 00 am eastern . . .
“if you look at the first quarter , and you look holistically , it’s the first time in a quarter that sonic automotive has sold more pre - owned cars than new cars , ” executive vice president jeff dyke said in an earnings call with the investment community on wednesday .
1 . family legacy : sonic president scott smith , 47 , is the oldest son of motorsports magnate and sonic founder bruton smith , 87 . and while bruton retains his ceo and chairman roles at sonic , scott is the man running the company and setting its strategy . it ' s a job he has been groomed for since childhood .
sonic automotive in charlotte , nc treats the needs of each individual customer with paramount concern . we know that you have high expectations , and as a car dealer we enjoy the challenge of meeting and exceeding those standards each and every time . allow us to demonstrate our commitment to excellence !
mr . david bruton smith was appointed to the office of vice chairman in march 2013 . he has served as executive vice president and a director of sonic since october 2008 and has served in sonic ' s organization since 1998 . prior to being named a director and executive vice president in 2008 , mr . smith served as sonic ' s senior vice president of corporate development . mr . smith served as sonic ' s vice president of corporate strategy from october 2005 to march 2007 , and also served prior to that time as dealer operator and general manager of several sonic dealerships .
williams , audrey y . ,
buyout plan drives charlotte , n . c . , automotive firm ' s high performance ,
charlotte observer , june 6 , 1999 .
cbt automotive network is a highly targeted , multi - media platform for retail automotive professionals . with digital channels including a daily newscast , informative website , daily enewsletters , a monthly magazine , webinars and 9 network shows hosted by the industry’s top trainers and thought leaders . cbt is your dealership ' s “go to” source from the showroom to the service drive .
mr . jeff dyke has served as our executive vice president of operations since october 2008 and is responsible for direct oversight for all of sonic ' s retail automotive operations . from march 2007 to october 2008 , mr . dyke served as our division chief operating officer - southeast division , where he oversaw retail automotive operations for the states of alabama , florida , georgia , north carolina , south carolina , tennessee and texas . mr . dyke first joined sonic in october 2005 as our vice president of retail strategy , a position that he held until april 2006 , when he was promoted to division vice president - eastern division , a position he held from april 2006 to march 2007 . prior to joining sonic , mr . dyke worked in the automotive retail industry at autonation , inc . from 1996 to 2005 , where he held several positions in divisional , regional and dealership management with that company .
according to building permits filed last month , sonic’s echopark at 3700 east independence blvd . will include a pre - owned car sales lot with a showroom , offices and repair facilities . dyke said sonic has about 10 acres on the site .
today on urltoken - monday , july 9th , 2018 : paul cummings : setting goals for each department of your dealership the cbt automotive network welcomes paul cummings , who . . .
cbt automotive network is a highly targeted , multi - media platform for retail automotive executives and managers . with digital channels including a daily newscast , informative website , daily enewsletters , monthly digital magazine , webinar services and 9 network shows hosted by the industry’s top trainers and thought leaders , cbt is the “go to” source for dealership staff from the showroom to the service bay .
do you have a passion for cars ? do your friends always compliment your friendliness ? you should join our team ! we’re looking for a director of first impressions to join the sonic automotive family . to find out more about the position and / or apply . click the link below . # openroads # openopportunities urltoken
charlotte , n . c . , april 2 , 2018 / prnewswire / - - sonic automotive , inc . ( nyse : sah ) today announced it will release fiscal 2018 first quarter financial results on thursday , april 26 , 2018 at 7 : 30 a . m . ( eastern ) . . . .
on a recent visit to sonic automotive’s new echopark dealership , joe had the pleasure of speaking one - on - one with jeff dyke , executive vp of operations for sonic . jeff told joe how echopark has achieved profitability using the one sonic - one experience program . the main goal of this program is to offer one customer , one price in one hour . along with this goal was to improve transparency , grow market share and improve fixed - ops . this multi - year implementation for sonic has proven to be a successful , so successful they are on track to open 50 more stores by the end of the year and recently reporting an increase of 41 . 8 % in profit .
sonic closed the 1990s with another strong year , marked by the largest acquisition , to date , in the history of automotive retailing : firstamerica automotive . the deal provided sonic entry into the highly coveted , high - growth california market , as well as giving it a coast - to - coast footprint . moreover , sonic added several luxury brands and picked up the services of firstamerica ' s talented and seasoned management team . in addition , in 1999 sonic acquired another 44 dealerships and expanded into ten new metropolitan markets including las vegas , nevada ; washington , d . c . ; mobile , alabama ; panama city , florida ; monroe , north carolina ; florence , south carolina ; and a number of cities in texas , including houston , baytown , richardson , and stafford . to help pay the price tag , sonic raised $ 85 million in a secondary stock offering held in april 1999 and raised another $ 280 million in debt financing while increasing its available credit lines by $ 250 million . as a result of these acquisitions , sonic ' s revenues soared to $ 3 . 35 billion and net income approached $ 45 million in 1999 .
lamm , marcy ,
sonic rides into town ,
atlanta business chronicle , december 19 , 1997 , p . 1a .
mr . b . scott smith is the co - founder of sonic . he is also chief executive officer , president and a director of sonic . prior to his appointment as chief executive officer in july 2015 , mr . smith served as president and chief strategic officer of sonic since march 2007 . prior to that , mr . smith served as sonic ' s vice chairman and chief strategic officer from october 2002 to march 2007 and president and chief operating officer from april 1997 until october 2002 . mr . smith has been a director of sonic since its organization in january 1997 . mr . smith has over 26 years of experience in the automobile dealership industry .
6 . gradual process : one reason sonic took seven years to fully plan and roll out one sonic is because of the culture and technology shift it required . previously , most sonic stores ( and its rivals still ) operated on inventory and accounting platforms that were local to each dealership . integrating more than 100 dealerships to one single proprietary platform required tedious work , with numerous bugs and adjustments to consider .
4 . willing to lose : to work , sonic ' s new model comes with a willingness to lose some customers . the pricing model uses advanced analytics to keep prices competitive . but there will be times when other dealers undercut sonic ' s set prices , especially on loss - leader promotions . sonic says it ' s willing to lose customers who care only about paying the absolute rock - bottom price .
had made before putting the car on the lot . all in all , i would never recommend anyone to shop with sonic after this experience
bonnie , fred ,
rapid but disciplined growth at sonic ,
ward ' s dealer business , september 1998 , p . 47 .
however , sonic’s experience is that once it has presented to localities , they have achieved a “100 - percent success rate” at getting greenlit .
buying a car should be an enjoyable experience . and sonic automotive is committed to making it that way , starting with our charlotte stores and expanding to other locations soon . no long waits . no uncomfortable negotiations . and no sales gimmicks . instead , you ' ll work with one non - commissioned guide who ' ll take you all the way through our innovative process in about an hour . we have eliminated all the pain points in car shopping with the one sonic one experience ® .
s . they were nice . the problem is sonic ' s
true price
system . they say they are trying to change the way dealership
- - - - - - ,
sonic ' s growth continues ,
ward ' s dealer business , april 2000 , p . 33 .
jeff dyke , sonic’s executive vice president of operations , said that in addition to the coliseum center location , echopark will open local dealerships in huntersville and gastonia .
the echopark stores will begin to open in late fall in the denver area . sonic , the nation’s fourth - largest dealership group , has begun hiring and training employees .
sonic , which has its corporate headquarters in cotswold , launched its echopark used - car chain in 2014 in denver and operates six dealerships in and around colorado . in a quarterly earnings report last week , sonic said it plans to open an additional 15 echopark locations in florida , georgia , texas and the carolinas by the end of 2018 .
in announcing second quarter results on friday , sonic said its echopark stores retailed 2 , 049 units , up 80 . 4 percent over the last year ' s second quarter .
was in 2013 , and the service we received was top notch . i ' m not sure what has changed since then , but we thought it important enough to share the sonic customer experience
many of the recommended changes implemented by sonic began to show progress in 2004 . the company cut back on acquisitions , allowing recent purchases to be integrated into the company . at the same time , management came to the conclusion that acquisitions had to remain a key part of company strategy in light of the automotive industry , which remained highly fragmented and offered great opportunities . hence , sonic began to adopt a concept it called
enriching our dealership portfolio .
in a nutshell it meant selling off underperforming dealerships and replacing them with other dealerships offering greater long - term potential . they would mostly be luxury and import dealerships that offered higher profits and required lower inventory levels . on other fronts , sonic was able to cut advertising expenses as a percentage of gross profit from 6 . 5 percent in 2003 to 5 . 4 percent in 2004 . concerning sales compensation , sonic introduced a variable compensation structure tied to key performance metrics , which reduced compensation expense as a percentage of gross profit from 36 . 4 percent in 2003 to 35 . 3 percent in 2004 . sonic closed 2004 posting sales of nearly $ 7 . 4 billion and net income of $ 86 . 1 million . its founder , now approaching 80 years of age , remained very much in charge .
launched in the fall of 2014 , sonic says echopark offers a
revolutionary customer experience
for customers to search for , buy , service and sell pre - owned vehicles . sonic currently has six echopark locations open in colorado , and has announced plans to expand into additional markets in north carolina , south carolina and texas with operations in these markets expected to begin in 2017 and 2018 .
sonic is also in the process of buying land for echopark dealerships in the areas around boerne , new braunfels , seaworld san antonio and the intersection between loop 410 and interstate 35 on the east side , said jeff dyke , sonic’s executive vice president of operations . the company plans to build them all at the same time , breaking ground next summer and finishing around the beginning of 2018 .
bruton smith was one of those businessmen who wanted to be a consolidator in auto retailing . in february 1997 he incorporated sonic automotive , inc . and began building up its portfolio of dealerships before tapping the equity markets . smith got a head start with the 1996 purchase of fort mill ford in south carolina for $ 5 . 7 million . then in june 1997 sonic paid about $ 3 . 7 million for fort mill chrysler - plymouth - dodge . more acquisitions followed in the fall of 1997 . sonic paid $ 18 . 3 million for lake norman dodge and its affiliates in september . a pair of acquisitions were completed in october : $ 1 . 8 million for williams motors , inc . located in rock hill , south carolina , and $ 25 . 5 million for clearwater , florida - based ken marks ford , inc . then , in november 1997 , sonic paid $ 18 million in cash to acquire atlanta ' s dyer & dyer volvo , and another $ 27 . 6 million for the bowers dealerships and affiliates located mostly in chattanooga and nashville , tennessee .
moore , pamela l . ,
no boom in stock of charlotte , n . c . - based sonic auto dealerships ,
charlotte observer , january 9 , 1998 , p . 109 .
7 . echopark : in conjunction with one sonic — one experience , the company is making a big play for the stand - alone pre - owned car segment . sonic opened its first echopark store in denver a few months ago . it will compete head - to - head with carmax and other pre - owned superstores . but sonic says it has also worked to build a
neighborhood store
model that will serve as spokes to a market ' s hub store . in denver , sonic won approval to have the smaller stores zoned as specialty retail , allowing them to open in areas normally closed to car dealers . customers can shop online and make an appointment to see the cars they ' re interested in at the local neighborhood store instead of driving across town to the big lot .
buying a car is one of the most exciting things you can do . which is why sonic goes above and beyond to make your car buying experience as enjoyable as possible . what started in 1997 as a small company with 20 stores representing 15 brands has grown into a fortune 500 company with over 100 stores representing 24 brands . we ' re now the fourth largest automotive retailer and largest luxury retailer in the country and more important , the no . 1 retailer at striving to make our guests happy .
mr . victor h . doolan has been a director of sonic since july 2005 . prior to being appointed as a director , mr . doolan served for approximately three years as president and chief executive officer of volvo cars north america until his retirement in march 2005 . prior to joining volvo , mr . doolan served as the executive director of the premier automotive group , the luxury division of ford motor company during his tenure , from july 1999 to june 2002 . mr . doolan also enjoyed a 23 - year career with bmw , culminating with his service as president of bmw of north america from september 1993 to july 1999 . mr . doolan has worked in the automotive industry for approximately 47 years . [ mr . doolan also served as a director of blue fire ethanol fuels inc . until december 2010 .
t . mr . smith ' s secretary told me to take them to court . if i go to court , the first thing that will happen is a bench warrant will be issued for my ex husband . why should he be arrested when the wages are being withheld but sonic refuses to submit them on time ? he will also miss time from work , which i ' m afraid sonic will say is grounds for terminatio
new york , june 22 , 2018 - - in new independent research reports released early this morning , fundamental markets released its latest key findings for all current investors , traders , and shareholders of sonic . . .
new york , may 03 , 2018 - - in new independent research reports released early this morning , fundamental markets released its latest key findings for all current investors , traders , and shareholders of sonic . . .
t on my ex husband ' s wages for child support . sonic refuses to enforce it properly . it ' s due on the first of every month . they don ' t withhold it from his check until t
the one sonic — one experience initiative is now on display at town and country toyota in south charlotte . it became the flagship for the new approach this fall . the rest of the company ' s stores will follow suit over the next 24 months , including four other charlotte stores . a large advertising campaign has already hit charlotte airwaves , portraying sonic in the year 1 a . d . —
the era after dealerships .
sanjaya prakash , a veteran general manager at sonic , told me he recently had a customer at town and country toyota who found a better deal at a competitor by using sonic ' s in - showroom computer tablets . the man wanted to save the $ 140 price difference . so prakash gave him directions to the other place and told him sonic wouldn ' t match the price .
the guest went outside and smoked a cigarette , then he came back in and bought the car , and told us he liked the way we did business ,
prakash says .
we think customers are willing to pay a small premium for a positive experience .
mr . robert heller has been a director of sonic since january 2000 . mr . heller served as a director of firstamerica automotive , inc . from january 1999 until its acquisition by sonic in december 1999 . mr . heller was a director and executive vice president of fair , isaac and company from 1994 until 2001 , where he was responsible for strategic relationships and marketing . from 1991 to 1993 , mr . heller was president and chief executive officer of visa u . s . a . mr . heller is a former governor of the federal reserve system and has had an extensive career in banking , international finance , government service and education . mr . heller currently serves as a director of the bank of marin bancorp , a public company traded on the nasdaq capital market .
century bmw a sonic store gave me my bmw back with no airbag in the steering wheel and it was laying on the passenger seat with wires hanging . i have driven bmws for 20 years and never had such a bad
with 23 dealerships in five states as well as four stand - alone used - vehicle lots and seven collision - repair centers , altogether generating close to $ 900 million in sales , sonic went public in november 1997 at $ 12 a share , with the initial stock offering underwritten by a group of firms led by merrill lynch . the stock did not , however , flourish after it began trading , enjoying a high of $ 12 . 37 before it soon dipped below the $ 10 mark . investors were generally optimistic about sonic ' s business plan and respected the ability of smith and his team , which included his son and heir apparent , scott smith , but were mistrustful of the industry in general , believing that car sales were too cyclical . according to barron ' s ,
ipo investors reasonably ask : how much better will it get over time ?
indeed , group 1 automotive , backed by another wall street heavyweight in goldman sachs , experienced a similar fate after going public two weeks earlier than sonic .
houston , may 3 , 2018 / prnewswire / - - houston - based leslie doggett industries ' affiliate the doggett auto group has purchased one of houston ' s oldest and largest ford dealerships , lone star ford ( 8477 north freeway , between the north loop 610 and beltway 8 on i - 45 north ) from north carolina - based sonic automotive inc . ( sah ) for an undisclosed amount effective may 1 , 2018 . on july 31 , 2018 , doggett will move the store to 9115 north freeway , to the lot adjacent to doggett ' s john deere construction and forestry headquarters .
sonic continued to expand through acquisitions in 2001 , adding a dozen dealerships representing $ 1 billion in annual sales . these purchases included buena park honda , harborcity honda , and coast cadillac in the los angeles area , and lawrence marshall chevrolet in houston . sonic was even more active in 2002 , acquiring 31 dealerships representing $ 1 . 8 billion in annual sales . the most important deal took place early in the year with the purchase of michigan - based don massey dealerships , a seven - state chain of 16 dealerships with $ 1 billion in annual revenue . after the acquisition , sonic did background checks on massey personnel and fired 200 of the 1 , 550 employees . the company ' s caution was understandable , given that two of its clearwater dealerships were under investigation in florida for fraudulent sales practices in the finance and insurance departments , problems the company blamed on rogue employees at some of sonic ' s early acquisitions before policies and training were implemented to curb unethical practices .
in 2000 sonic acquired 11 dealerships , representing 16 different brands and accounting for nearly $ 800 million in annual sales . the company also took stock of its dealership portfolio , which included a number of dealerships that were essentially acquisition throw - ins . many of these were weeded out , resulting in the 2000 sale of eight dealerships representing some $ 65 million in annual sales . overall 2000 was a strong year for sonic , despite sluggish new vehicle sales in the final months of the year .
smith declined to say where the echopark venture will head after denver . sonic is acquiring real estate in other markets , and executives anticipate adding two or three markets a year . that pace could speed up if the venture goes really well , smith said .
sonic only cares about how much money you can make them , so the guys at the top can continue to maintain an expensive lifestyle . health benefits are horrible . be prepared to receive an email every holiday from corporate laced with their personal political views .
3 . more than price : the headline of sonic ' s transformation for most people is the new no - haggle pricing . but that ' s really just the means to an end . yes , the company believes all the haggling at car dealerships is fundamentally bad for customers . but sonics top executives also realize it ' s bad for their business . sonic is trying to build an experience for a new generation of car buyers and a business model that is more
predictable , repeatable and sustainable
over the long term , scott smith says . by switching to one price , sonic saves time and resources it can refocus on getting to know customers , building relationships that will become repeat business and make the company ' s financial results much easier to forecast .
there are currently five echopark locations in colorado , with the next stops being texas and the southeast . last year , sonic purchased automatch — a group of four used - car stores in georgia and florida – and is converting those outlets into echopark locations .
we are delivering a premier automotive shopping experience to our guest . salaried employees that work as a team , free car washes as long as you own the car , no dealer handling fees , our guest are greeted by a experience guide that stays with them from inventory search until they purchase their car . 401k , medical and dental coverage , training and profit sharing are all great benefits .
the learnings gathered helped pave a path for a strategy based around meeting guests ' needs . pairing experience touch points that meets guest needs at each step keeps the experience friendly , informed and enjoyable , resulting in increased customer trust and long term relationships with sonic .
mr . william r . brooks has been a director of sonic since its organization in january 1997 . mr . brooks also served as sonic ' s initial chief financial officer , treasurer , vice president and secretary from january 1997 to april 1997 . since december 1994 , mr . brooks has been the vice president , treasurer , chief financial officer and a director of smi , became executive vice president of smi in february 2004 and became vice chairman in 2008 . mr . brooks also serves as an executive officer and a director for various operating subsidiaries of smi and as an officer and director of sfc , the largest stockholder of sonic . before the formation of smi in december 1994 , mr . brooks was a vice president of charlotte motor speedway and a vice president and director of atlanta motor speedway .
if the plan backfires or doesn ' t improve results , this is a huge pot to lose . on the other hand , sonic may be uniquely qualified to make such a play . since the smith family controls more than 70 % of the shares , it can afford to be more patient and long - term focused than rivals that must balance more short - term interest from wall street investors . sonic also benefits from its size . only nine dealership groups in the u . s . have more than 50 stores . most are still family - owned private businesses without the deep pockets and national relationships to transform their entire business in one swoop . finally , sonic ' s dealerships are weighted toward luxury brands ( bmw is its top seller ) , so building the future on guest experience may be particularly effective .
the cover story in this week ' s print edition of the charlotte business journal goes behind the scenes to explain how and why sonic is putting its business on the line . here are a few more things that didn ' t make it in the paper , or deserved additional context .
then in 1997 , sonic went public , with 29 - year - old scott as its president .
i was the youngest president on the new york stock exchange at the time ,
he says .
back when it wasn ' t cool to be young on the new york stock exchange .
sonic experienced a disappointing year in 2003 , when it failed to keep pace with its peer group and failed to live up to its own expectations . the company continued to grow through acquisitions , adding dealerships in existing markets such as atlanta , dallas , san francisco , and detroit , many of them representing luxury brands such as porsche , bmw , jaguar , and mercedes . but sonic ' s sluggish performance in 2003 prompted management to take stock of its operating strategies , including its aggressive acquisition program . much of sonic ' s success had been based on buying and turning around underperforming dealerships . but such an approach put a great deal of pressure on the managers , who were now buckling under the strain . as a result , management decided to put on the brakes somewhat , limiting acquisitions to no more than 10 percent of annual revenues . moreover , management looked to improve profitability by better controlling costs , in particular advertising and sales compensation .
“it was always the plan to bring ( echopark ) to charlotte , ” dyke told the observer monday . sonic is able to open multiple locations in a new market because it plans to streamline training and advertising here , he added . “when we come into town , we want to come in with a splash . ”
the echopark model , which sonic executives predict will be a “game changer” for the used - car business , will feature a hub store in each market that is substantially larger than other locations in the market . in denver , the hub store in thornton is on 10 acres . it will handle all reconditioning work and distribute inventory to the neighborhood stores .
sonic says stores using the system have increased the number of vehicles bought on trade to six in 10 from four in 10 . the system is able to generate better offers because it can see market demand across the u . s . rather than just the market where the trade is taking place and route the car to the lot where it will resell for the best price .
“given our performance at echopark , we are accelerating our expansion into the carolinas , florida , georgia and texas markets ,
jeff dyke , sonic’s executive vice president of operations , said in a statement .
our colorado stores were cash flow positive in the quarter . currently , we have more than 15 locations in the aforementioned markets that will break ground in 2017 and 2018 . ”
it ' s about giving the guest a great experience , and you can ' t do that if you haggle ,
sonic ' s operations chief jeff dyke says in an interview with car biz today . and coming soon : electronic price tags that hang in car windshields so prices can be updated to match the market dynamics , without asking the local staff to reprice entire lots of vehicles .
the makeover , to be rolled out to all 102 of its dealerships in the u . s . , includes no - haggle sales policies , no - commission customer - service reps , high - tech showrooms and centralized analytics , accounting and back - office teams in charlotte . the goal is to eliminate all pain points associated with buying cars while putting sonic on the leading edge of 21st century car sales .
with stress and an untrustworthy perception of the industry on the rise , sonic recognized the need to revolutionize the pre - owned auto industry . they turned to wd to find ways to redesign the buying experience through detailed customer research , design to match and plans to scale country - wide . as a strategic partner , we didn ' t just execute a store , we helped echopark grow their brand with consistency and scale in mind .
sonic hasn ' t disclosed plans for its next echopark locations , but charlotte will surely be up to bat for the brand in the near future . as for competing with carmax , smith says he isn ' t worried .
echopark is where the big growth opportunity is . pre - owned is such a big business ,
smith says .
it ' s like asking how many tuna boats do you need in the ocean .
also , sonic had to slowly move its teams of employees to the no - haggle pricing by , over time , reducing how much they negotiated and replacing some sales reps with a new generation happy to work on a salary instead of commission .
we had to bridge the gap between the old way of doing it and what the future of our business is going to look like without destroying the company in the meantime ,
smith says .
i met scott for an interview in his seventh - floor executive suite at sonic ' s recently renovated headquarters off sharon amity road . the office has full floor - to - ceiling windows looking over the cotswold shopping area , with a large sectional couch in the corner , facing his desk . you can see the tip of the bank of america corporate center rising over the treetops in the distance . for our meeting , scott wore blue jeans and a black button - up shirt with his initials on the pocket , bss for bruton scott smith . while his father is known for brash business , scott — for this hour at least — led with a quiet and friendly demeanor . we rode up and down the elevator as he showed me how one sonic had changed the corporate nature of the company in addition to its stores . and he pointed to family photos of his three young children , his
littles ,
that covered nearly every surface in the room .
5 . transforming trade - ins : one point i didn ' t cover well in the print - edition story is the technology around sonic ' s new trade - in platform . when buying a car , the customer - service rep guests interface with also handles their trade . the rep walks around the car with the owner and together they take photos of any blemishes and document the car ' s condition . the information is then uploaded to the trade desk in charlotte — a large room with analysts at computers in the cotswold hq — where the vehicle is analyzed . a firm offer for the car is returned to the dealership via mobile app in less than five minutes .
mr . heath r . byrd has served as our executive vice president and chief financial officer since april 2013 . mr . byrd was previously a vice president and our chief information officer from december 2007 to march 2013 , and has served our organization since 2007 . prior to joining sonic , mr . byrd served in a variety of management positions at hr america , inc . , a workforce management firm that provided customized human resource and workforce development through co - sourcing arrangements , including as a director , as president and chief operating officer and as chief financial officer and chief information officer . prior to hr america , inc . , mr . byrd served as a manager in the management consulting division of ernst & young llp .
mr . william i . belk has been a director of sonic since march 1998 . mr . belk is currently affiliated with southeast investments , n . c . inc . , a finra member firm headquartered in charlotte , north carolina . mr . belk ' s past professional experience includes serving as a north carolina district court judge , serving as a partner in the investment banking firm carolina financial group , inc . , and serving in the positions of chairman and director for certain belk stores , a retail department store chain . mr . belk has also previously served as a director of monroe hardware co . , inc . , a wholesaler of hardware materials . mr . belk has a jd with an llm - taxation and a masters in business administration . he is also a director of british west indies trading company .
mr . john w . harris iii has served as a director of sonic since october 2014 . mr . harris currently serves as president of lincoln harris , llc , a privately - held corporate real estate services firm focused on commercial brokerage , construction services , development and property management . from march 2012 to september 2015 , he served as chief operating officer and executive vice president of lincoln harris . prior to joining lincoln harris , mr . harris held various positions at fortress investment group llc , a global investment management firm , from august 2004 to february 2012 . during his tenure , mr . harris worked on assignments in europe and the united states . mr . harris currently serves on the boards of directors of lincoln harris , llc and intrawest resorts holdings , inc . , a public company traded on the nyse .