Coming Monday: Cisco's data center strategy

Cisco has confirmed to Reuters that a scheduled announcement next Monday is related to speculation that the Silicon Valley company will unveil a new strategy to make data centers more efficient.

Last month, news spread quickly that Cisco was planning on launching its own server, one that combines networking and storage to allow business customers to better manage data centers through virtualization software.

Some are calling it a technology war, a showdown between Cisco and its big name partners, including IBM, Dell and HP, that will disrupt the cycle that has long existed in the computer hardware business.

The company would not disclose details of March 16 announcements to Reuters but did confirm that CEO John Chambers and other execs will unveil new technology and partners.