Dell Expands Data Center Offerings

Dell has expanded its data center offerings with the introduction of infrastructure management software and the addition of 10-Gigabit Ethernet to its storage and networking switch lines.

In addition, Dell on Thursday unveiled its first Business Ready Configuration, a collection technology designed to shorten infrastructure deployment time. The BRC comprises two PowerEdge M610 blade servers, an EqualLogic PS6000 iSCSI storage area network, two PowerConnect 6220M blade switches, and a 24-port Brocade Foundry 424 or Dell PowerConnect 6224 networking switch. The package will be available in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2010 and globally later the same year.

Also included in the package is Dell's new Advanced Infrastructure Manager software, which can move workloads around a data center without re-cabling, reconfiguring, or reloading software. The computer maker claims physical server images can be deployed as quickly as virtual servers. The software is available in the U.S., and is set for release in other countries next year.

With the new 10 GbE technology, Dell is looking to help clients move from mixed environments of 10 GbE and Fibre Channel to an "end-to-end" architecture based on the fastest of the Ethernet standards. The technology has grown in importance to relieve data center congestion due to storage demands, server virtualization, video, data warehousing, line-of-business applications, and transaction processing.

Dell's latest offerings include the EqualLogic PS6010 and PS6510 storage arrays, which include 10-GbE controllers. The two products are scheduled for release next week and Jan. 15, 2010, respectively. In addition, Dell introduced its first 1U 10-GbE switch, the PowerConnect 8024F, which is available now.

Finally, Dell unveiled the Lifecycle Controller version 1.3, an embedded management firmware available on new PowerEdge servers. The technology enables server administrators to remotely discover servers on the network, update necessary drivers, and deploy operating systems. The firmware is available for download on Dell's Web site.