Cisco Systems is expected to release details on its push into the server market in a move that is seen upsetting its longtime partners HP and IBM.

There is a press conference later today with Chief Executive John Chambers is talking about "Unified Computing.” Fudzilla was not invited because we tend to be a bit ununified on a Monday.

We know what will happen anyway. Cisco is about to announce a blade server code-named "California" as part of a package for data centres. It will integrate with Vmware and packing Intel chips.

Cisco hopes that servers will be a $5 billion business for Cisco in a few years. The outfit is expected to use proprietary technology to tie the different components of a data centre together, and tie customers into buying its products as a package.