Dell Brings Specialized Cloud Computing Infrastructure to the Mainstream

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Building on years of customer collaboration as the infrastructure partner for some of the world's largest cloud service providers and hyperscale data center operators, Dell today announced new solutions, systems and services designed to help more customers build efficient and affordable cloud computing and hyperscale data center installations.

The News:

    --  New integrated cloud infrastructure solutions comprised of pre-tested,
        pre-assembled and fully-supported hardware, software and services
        enabling public and private cloud builders to easily and quickly deploy
        and manage cloud infrastructures with confidence
    --  New Dell Cloud Partner Program works with leading independent software
        vendors (ISVs) to offer customers easy-to-buy and deploy cloud solutions
        and blueprints optimized for Dell platforms
    --  New Dell PowerEdge C-series servers with hyperscale-inspired design for
        high-density compute performance with efficient energy consumption and
        low operational costs
    --  New Dell Cloud Services including consulting, deployment and support
        help customers plan, manage and reduce complexity when adopting cloud
        computing models

Dell Powers the World's Clouds

For years, the Dell Data Center Solutions (DCS) team has developed customized computing solutions for some of the world's largest cloud-service providers. Through a direct relationship with its customers, Dell has developed a keen understanding of the unique needs of hyperscale cloud environments. This experience and honed excellence in supply-chain management helps customers deploy faster and drive down total cost of ownership in environments of ultra-efficiency.

DCS has focused on supporting the early leaders in the cloud computing space like Microsoft with its Windows Azure cloud Platform. Microsoft will work with Dell on joint solutions that will enable customers to deploy systems with confidence. The joint solutions are built on industry standards and designed to utilize existing data center investments, all managed through a common framework. This approach is designed to enable customers to integrate private or public cloud computing models as their business requires. Dell and Microsoft will collaborate on the Windows Azure platform, with Dell and Microsoft offering services, and Microsoft continuing to invest in Dell hardware for Windows Azure infrastructure.

Open, Capable and Affordable Cloud Infrastructure

More organizations are looking for the efficiencies that DCS customers have achieved with customized hyperscale computing infrastructures. To meet this growing customer demand, Dell is bringing the technology solutions and supply chain expertise from DCS to more organizations with a new portfolio of solutions, systems and services.

"By listening to our customers in the hyperscale segment, we have learned what matters most to them in operating businesses at the extreme edge of efficiency," said Roy Guillen, general manager of Dell's Data Center Solutions division. "They need offerings that are designed with power efficiency and density at their core. They also demand fast and easy-to-deploy infrastructure solutions that speed up time to revenue and dramatically reduce TCO. We are excited to take these learnings to a broad audience to help others operate scaled-out environments in a more agile and efficient manner."

The new cloud solutions and services include:

    --  Efficient Cloud Solutions: Dell is taking the guesswork out of building
        and running efficient private and public clouds by delivering turnkey
        cloud solutions comprised of pre-tested, pre-assembled and
        fully-supported hardware, software and services enabling customers
        easily and quickly to deploy and manage cloud infrastructures with
        confidence.

        The Dell Cloud solution for web applications will be available first.
        This web application platform as a service (PaaS) solution is designed
        to address the key issues around web application development and
        deployment: unpredictable traffic, the fear of under-provisioning and
        migration from development to production. The solution will combine Dell
        cloud-optimized servers and services with fully-integrated Web
        application cloud software from Joyent, a leader in cloud computing.

    --  Dell Cloud Partner Program: Dell has created the new Cloud Partner
        Program to expand the options available for customers looking to build
        and deploy public and private clouds. Thanks to solution blueprints and
        deployment guidelines, these validated solutions are easy for customers
        to deploy and run, and are supported by Dell and its partners. Today,
        Dell is announcing the addition of three new best-of-breed cloud ISV
        partners in the cloud computing space: Aster Data, Greenplum and
        Canonical, offering cloud blueprints for data analytics, self-service
        data warehousing, and an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud
        capability. These new partners expand Dell's cloud software ecosystem,
        which included long-standing relationships with cloud software leaders
        such as Microsoft and VMware.
    --  Dell PowerEdge C Servers:Dell is extending its PowerEdge server family
        with the new C-Series. Designed with inspiration from Dell's DCS
        business, these new servers are feature- and power-optimized for
        customers in HPC, Web 2.0, gaming, social networking, energy, SaaS
        providers and public and private cloud builders. The new PowerEdge C
        servers include:
        o PowerEdge C1100: high-memory, power-efficient, cluster-optimized
          compute node server
        o PowerEdge C2100: high performance data analytics, cloud compute
          platform and cloud storage server
        o PowerEdge C6100:4-node cloud and cluster optimized shared
          infrastructure server

    --  Integrated Solution Services:For complete cloud lifecycle management,
        Dell Services will offer a suite of cloud services to help customers
        assess, deploy, design and manage dedicated solutions. The services will
        include workshops to assess infrastructure and application readiness,
        and services targeted at design, development, deployment, implementation
        and maintenance of cloud infrastructure.

Availability

The new PowerEdge C family of servers and Dell Cloud Services are available today in select countries globally. For email inquiries, please contact PoweredgeC@dell.com. The Dell Cloud Infrastructure solutions will begin rolling out within the next 30 days. Dell Cloud Infrastructure Solution for Web Applications is in beta with select customers in April.

About Dell Data Center Solutions

Dell Data Center Solutions understands the challenges of hyperscale computing, from compute and power density to global scaling and environmental impact. By optimizing design, deployment and maintenance, Dell's purpose-built solutions can deliver significant energy and cost savings, which can have a sizeable impact. For more information, visit www.dell.com/cloud.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) helps customers succeed by understanding their issues and needs and delivering innovative, high-value IT solutions. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Additional information:

    --  Images of the new systems can be found on Dell's Official Flickr
        Photostream
    --  Direct2Dell Blog
    --  Dell Enterprise Inside IT Blog
    --  Dell Cloud Computing Solutions
    --  Dell Services
    --  Microsoft(R) Windows Azure Platform

    Source: Dell Inc.

Released March 24, 2010