Dell Simplifies Virtualization with Breakthrough Performance, Centralized Management...

Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:00am EDT

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Dell Simplifies Virtualization with Breakthrough Performance, Centralized Management and Ready to Deploy Services

-- New Dell PowerEdge(TM) full-height blade servers, four-socket
blade ranks no. 1 in four-socket blade virtualization
performance(1)

-- Integration and support of Microsoft's virtualization solution
for centralized management of virtualized environments

-- Dell partners with industry leaders to give customers
flexibility, choice and simplified management of end-to-end
solutions

-- Advanced EqualLogic integration across industry-leading
hypervisors

-- New services help customers simplify the design, deployment,
security and management of virtualized environments
ROUND ROCK, Texas--(Business Wire)--
Building on the momentum of its "Virtualization Blockbuster" in
May of this year, Dell today announced more new products, management
tools and infrastructure consulting services designed to provide
customers a smarter path to virtualization. With this announcement,
Dell expands its leadership in offering its channel partners a broad
line-up of industry-standard virtualization solutions that help
customers simplify and lower the cost of managing their IT
environments.

"The question isn't will businesses virtualize, but when, and who
can provide the platforms and services to make the rollout a success,"
said Rick Becker, vice president of Software and Solutions, Dell
Product Group. "While our competitors thrive on complexity to push
proprietary hardware, management and services lock-ins, Dell's
virtualization strategy is grounded in choice and defined by industry
standards. By offering our customers the latest, industry-proven,
technologies, services and reference architectures, we are helping
simplify their IT operations without limiting their options for future
growth."

New Dell PowerEdge Full-Height Blade Servers, Four-Socket Blade
Ranks No. 1 in Performance

Dell's new full-height blade servers, the PowerEdge M905 and
PowerEdge M805, leverage the innovative virtualization design of the
PowerEdge R805 and R905. The PowerEdge M905 delivers the ultimate
four-socket blade-based virtualization performance and is the first
blade server to support 11 tiles and 66 Virtual Machines (VM) in
VMmark testing.(1) The PowerEdge M805 delivers the same number of DIMM
slots in a two-socket blade that requires a four-socket blade from
either HP or IBM.(2) With a choice of hypervisors including Citrix
XenServer, VMware, and now Microsoft Hyper-V, PowerEdge servers can
deliver the optimal platform for virtualized environments. The Dell
PowerEdge M805 and M905 servers are now available worldwide with a
starting price of $1,699 and $4,999 USD respectively. Also available
later this month, the updated PowerEdge R900 rack-mounted system. For
more information, visit www.dell.com/poweredge.

In addition to the new servers, Dell announced full, high-speed
10Gb Ethernet and 8Gb Fibre Channel switches and mezzanine cards
designed to provide customers increased bandwidth and performance. The
company also announced an OEM solution from PlateSpin, a Novell
company, including PlateSpin PowerConvert software, which enables
enterprises to optimize their data center by streaming server
workloads over the network between physical servers, virtual hosts and
image archives. Dell is also utilizing PlateSpin PowerRecon for the
planning and assessment of customer virtualization projects as part of
its Virtual Readiness Assessment (VRA). In addition, Dell will sell
and support PlateSpin's broader solutions which provide customers with
a unified suite to help them adopt, manage and extend their use of
server virtualization in the data center.

Dell and Microsoft Help Simplify Virtualization

Dell announced integration and support of Microsoft's new
virtualization technologies. Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V is
available as a factory-installed option on Dell PowerEdge servers.
Also available for PowerEdge servers, Microsoft's new System Center
Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 which provides unified management
for Hyper-V and other hypervisors in multi-vendor environments.
Customers can use Microsoft's System Center Management Suite,
integrated with Dell OpenManage(TM) functionality, to effectively
manage both their physical and virtual environments with a single
management solution. Dell and Microsoft's simplified approach to
systems management helps customers increase efficiency, maximize
resources and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). Dell has invested
thousands of hours in the development of field readiness and expertise
around Windows Server 2008 implementation and server virtualization.
Microsoft's server virtualization rapid deployment program has enabled
Dell to establish field experience implementing highly available
solutions with Hyper-V and SCVMM, serving hundreds of thousands of
users.

Integration for Simplified Data Protection, Backup and Recovery

Protecting and managing data in virtualized environments can
present significant challenges. Dell, along with its partners, has
integrated advanced storage technologies to help customers simplify
these processes. The new Auto-Snapshot Manager/VMware Edition for
EqualLogic storage arrays delivers automated, integrated and scalable
protection of VMware Infrastructure 3 environments. Its direct
integration with VMware Virtual Center and use of VMware File System's
folder structure helps simplify data protection issues especially as
virtualized environments scale. The Company expects to have ASM/VE
available by the end of the month as a free download for customers
with valid support contracts.

The Citrix XenServer Direct Storage Adapter enables out-of-the-box
integration with EqualLogic storage arrays. The integration of
EqualLogic's advanced storage capabilities into XenCenter makes it
easier for IT managers to create snapshots, clones and single client
images by directly controlling their storage array through the
XenServer management interface. Citrix XenServer Dell Express and
Citrix XenServer Dell Enterprise Editions are factory-integrated via
embedded USB key or hard drive ready and also feature enhanced support
for blades, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft Vista, making
it even easier for customers to begin implementing their
virtualization strategies.

New iSCSI SAN Triples EqualLogic Scalability, Supports
Consolidated Virtual Environments

Dell is expanding its EqualLogic product line with a new,
highly-scalable array - the PS5500E. The new storage array packs 24 or
48 terabytes (TB) of enterprise-class in 4U of rack space - more than
doubling the density and tripling the capacity of previous EqualLogic
models. The PS5500E extends the family's scalability to 576 TB,
enhancing the EqualLogic line's position as the premiere virtualized
SAN for virtual server environments, and delivering better
opportunities for consolidation, tiered storage and disaster recovery
sites. The PS5500E is available worldwide, starting at $78,000 USD.
For more information, visit www.dell.com/equallogic.

New Virtualization Services to Ease Planning and Deployment

Dell today announced new services designed to simplify the design,
deployment, security and management of virtualized environments
including:

-- Infrastructure Consulting Services for Microsoft Hyper-V
deployments - A comprehensive assessment, design and
implementation service to accelerate deployment of Microsoft
virtualization technologies. The WS2008 Hyper-V Technology
Introduction is available starting at $15,700 USD. For more
information, visit www.dell.com/Hyper-V.

-- Site Recovery Manager (SRM) for VMware environments -
Automates VMware disaster recovery with implementation,
on-site installation and configuration of Site Recovery
Manager. Dell consultants assist with preparation of a
disaster recovery plan and configuration of SRM to execute the
plan in the event of an outage.

-- Lifecycle Management for VMware environments - Design and
implementation planning, with proof-of-concept for
installation and configuration of the lifecycle manager in
customers VMware environments.

Availability varies by country. To learn more, customers and Dell
Channel Partners should contact their sales representative for more
information.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers
innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely
enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems
and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more
information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell
via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To
get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

1. Based on top 16-core results published on http://www.vmware.com
as of Sept. 9, 2008. For the latest VMmark results visit
http://www.vmware.com/products/vmmark/results.html

2. August 2008 comparison based on HP BL680c and BL685c and IBM
L541 four-socket systems.

Pricing, specifications, availability, and terms of offers may
change without notice. Taxes, fees, shipping, handling and any
applicable restocking charges are extra, and vary. U.S. new purchases
only. Dell cannot be responsible for pricing or other errors, and
reserves the right to cancel orders arising from such errors.

Dell and the Dell logo are trademarks of Dell Inc.

Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of
others.

Dell Inc.
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