Any Data - Big Insights

Over the last year, many industry analysts have tried to define Big Data. Some of the common dimensions that have been used to define Big Data are the 3 V’s, Volume, Velocity and Variety. (Volume = multiple terabytes or over a petabyte; variety = numbers, audio, video, text, streams, weblogs, social media etc.; velocity = the speed with which it is collected). Although the 3 V’s do a good job as parameters for Big Data there are other things at play that need to be captured to understand the true nature of Big Data. In short, to describe the data landscape more holistically, we need to step beyond the 3 V’s. While the 3V’s are better classified as the salient features of the data, the real enablers of the Big Insights are technology, economics and business decisions that enable extracting tangible value from the data.

In this discussion I will take a closer look at some of the drivers of Big Insights.

Technologies:

Big Data analysis requires processing huge volumes of data sets that are non-relational with a weak schema, at an extremely fast pace. This need sparked a sudden emergence of technologies like Hadoop that help to pre-process unstructured data on the fly and perform quick exploratory analytics. This model breaks away from the traditional approach of using procedural code and state management to manage transactions.

Along with new preprocessing technologies we have also seen the growth of alternate DBMS technologies like NoSQL and NewSQL that further help to analyze large chunks of data in non-traditional structures (for example using trees, graphs, or key-value pairs instead of tables.)

Other changes are happening on the infrastructure side of things. High performance and highly scalable architectures have been emerging. They include parallel processing, high-speed networking and fast I/O storage, which further help to process large volumes of data at a higher MB/s rate.

In addition to the technological changes we are also witnessing a fundamental paradigm shift in the way DBA’s and data architects are analyzing data. For example, instead of enforcing ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) compliance across all database transactions we are seeing a more flexible approach on using ACID in terms of enforcing it whenever necessary and eventually designing a consistent system in a more iterative fashion.

Economics:

The emergence of these new technologies is further fueled by the economics associated with providing highly scalable business analytics solutions at a low cost. Hadoop comes to mind as the prime example. A valuable white paper that describes how to build a three node Hadoop solution using a Dell OptiPlex desktop PC running Linux as a master machine can be found here. The solution was priced under $5,000 USD.

These kinds of economics are driving a faster adoption of new technologies using off-the-shelf hardware, thus enabling even a research scientist or a college student to easily re-purpose hardware for trying out new software frameworks.

Smart Business Queries:

Making decisions in a timely manner is critical for survival of businesses. Today even more so with the growing amount of data available and the associated complexity of managing a business. So asking the right questions and making the right investments into BI technologies and processes is key to present and future information driven businesses.

Business Insights:

I cannot stress enough the importance of business insights, also highlighted in my previous blog post Business Intelligence: The Big Picture. As enterprises keep getting smarter at managing their data, they must realize that no matter how small or big their data set is, the true value of the data is realized only when they have produced actionable information (insights)! With this in mind, we must view the implementation of Big Data architectures as incomplete until the data has been analyzed to report out the actual actionable information to its users. Some examples of successful business insights implementations include (but are not limited to):

Recommendation engines: increase average order size by recommending complementary products based on predictive analysis for cross-selling (commonly seen on Amazon, Ebay and other online retail websites)

Social media intelligence: one of the most powerful use cases I have witnessed recently is the MicroStrategy Gateway application that lets enterprises combine their corporate view with a customer’s Facebook viewCustomer loyalty programs: many prominent insurance companies have implemented these solutions to gather useful customer trendsLarge-scale clickstream analytics: many ecommerce websites use clickstream analytics to correlate customer demographic information with their buying behavior.

The takeaway here is that enterprises should remain focused on the value their data can provide in terms of enabling them to make intelligent business decisions. So it important to have this holistic view that does not emphasize certain parameters related to Big Data to the detriment of others. In other words businesses have to keep in the mind the big picture. So how do you measure the impact of a Big Data implementation for your organization? 

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A Practical Framework for Moving Your Business to the Cloud [Infographic]

Over on the SMB blog, David Reoch posted an infographic called "A practical framework for moving your business to the cloud." It is a topic many small and mid-sized businesses have questions about and is part of our IT Planning online exchange series, helping customers plan their 2012 IT needs.

If you're interested in the topic, it's worth taking a look. And if you have ideas you want to share, please connect with us at @dellsmbnews.

Click on the image below to read David's post and Infographic:

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Drive Efficiencies Through Hybrid Storage Arrays

It's always important to provide examples of how specific storage solutions can be utilized in an OEM environment.  My last post covered reasons why our OEM community might want to consider adding storage but this blog dives deeper into one particular product/technology.

The EqualLogic PS6100XSis a hybrid storage array with focused, tiered workloads, packed into just 2U of rack space.  In EqualLogic-speak, that means it has 24 drives, some of which are solid state (SSD) and some of which are traditional spinning media (SAS).  What’s special is that within this single array of drives, the EqualLogic firmware knows how to look at a volume and move busy parts to SSDs, while leaving the less-accessed parts on SAS drives.  This occurs without administrator intervention, and without any alterations to the applications.

Read my full blog post (or click on the image below) to learn exactly how particular OEMs especially with OLTP databases benefit from this type of tiering:

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Dell OEM Systems, SUSE Partner on Linux-Based Enterprise Systems

Dell OEM Systems and SUSE are now offering customizable, integrated systems based on SUSE Linux Enterprises, and supported worldwide by Dell, the companies announced on Jan. 24.

The two organizations are targeting the vast market of businesses that incorporate computers into their final products or solutions?but who are not computer manufacturers. Dell OEM Systems customers, for example, include MRI manufacturers and makers of firewall appliances, said Jeff Otchis, Americas marketing director at Dell OEM Solutions, in an interview.

Often, these companies manufacture their own computers in-house?a time-consuming, expensive side-road away from their primary businesses. Or they turn to regional OEMs that typically cannot offer the same level or range of support a global provider like Dell, Otchis told Channel Insider.

?Customers have really realized the value of partnering with a Tier One computer manufacturer. You don?t have to worry about quality or support,? he said. ?We can help them come to market quickly, much more efficiently and focus on differentiating themselves from their customers.?

The market for embedded systems, sometimes called intelligent systems, is expected to reach more than 4 billion units and create $2 trillion in revenue by 2015 vs. $1 trillion in revenue last year, according to IDC. In 2015, these systems will account for about one-third of all unit shipments of major electronic systems, compared with 19 percent in 2010, the research company said. These systems collect data and automate actions in consumer and industrial applications, including vending machines, refrigerators, cars, and assembly lines.

Use of Linux to power these and other devices is also increasing, researchers found. In one Gartner study, more than half of 547 IT leaders in 11 countries surveyed have adopted OSS as part of their IT strategy; almost one-third cited benefits such as flexibility, increased innovation, shorter development times, and faster procurement processes, as well as lower total cost of ownership, Gartner reported.

Through this agreement, Dell and SUSE are simplifying the process and extending their existing relationship, Kerry Kim, director of solution marketing at SUSE told Channel Insider.

?We?re seeing increasing demand for companies wanting to deploy integrated systems ? take hardware and software and customize it for a specific need--as companies are realizing, 'Yes, I used to do this myself, but I?m better off letting the folks who are expert do it because, at the end of the day, it?s much most cost-effective,'? he said. ?Dell's got a really good supply chain foundation of expertise. They?ve got a great factory for turning out [systems]. And we?ve got a really good customizable Linux operating system.?

Dell will use SUSE Studio, an image customization and provisioning tool, to build and deploy application stacks based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server onto Dell OEM Solutions? embedded, built-to-order, and customized solutions. With SUSE Studio, Dell can help its OEM customers reduce the complexity and overhead costs associated with bringing integrated systems to market.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is changing the mindset of organizations that have grown used to building their own systems, said Otchis.

"There are a lot of companies out there that have historically done this themselves. They may already be working with SUSE or a variety of Linux. We?re offering them the opportunity to get out of that, and focus on what they do best,? he said. "A lot of companies up until now have not had the choice of incorporating Linux into their operating system in this well-supported fashion. They?ve been doing it on their own.?

Dell OEM Solutions technologies, based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, are slated to become available in the first half of the year. Partners, including solution providers, can get involved now, Kim said.

 

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Ideas in Action, January update

Happy New Year!  Yes, I’m a bit late with that but I do have some updates to make up for it.  CES is over and I’m sure everyone has heard about the XPS 13.  

There is a great blog post on Direct2Dell with more information if you are interested, but I wanted to point out a few of the features that were suggested on IdeaStorm.   

The recent unveiling of the Alienware X51 included a feature suggested on IdeaStorm as well:

Alienware optimization software by ovittl1490 – In case you were not aware the Alienware X51 comes with a new feature:  AlienAdrenaline, enables gamers to create unique profiles which launch a series of events when activated, such as closing unnecessary programs to enhance performance, opening predetermined web link, and more.

There is also an excellent blog post about the AlienwareX51 on Direct2Dell for those who are interested.  That’s all I have for this month.  Next month I will be returning to talking about IdeaStorm 2.0 which is coming very soon.

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Discussion on Enterprise Cloud Computing with Krishnan Subramanian, a GigaOM analyst and co-founder of CloudAve

From time to time on my weekly cloud blog posts, I will reach out to experts in the industry to give a broad perspective on the cloud marketplace including trends to watch for. If you have any contacts you wish me to speak with for blog posts, please let me know at @SpectorAtDell or stephen_spector@dell.com.

Joining us today for a ten minute discussion on Enterprise Cloud computing and trends for 2012 is Krishnan Subramanian, a GigaOM analyst and co-founder of CloudAve. Krishnan’s bio information is below in this blog post.

Time References:

0.0: Tell us a little bit about yourself50.0: What are your thoughts on Public vs Private clouds for the Enterprise?2.23.0: Does Enterprise IT know that their company probably is already using public clouds (similar to open source story)?4.04.0: Are Enterprise IT departments ready to move into the Public clouds?  5.11.0: Do you think that Enterprise is more interested in PaaS than IaaS?7:35.0: What key trends should we watch for in 2012?

On Jan 26 2011, Krishnan will be hosting a Tweet Chat on Cloud Computing in coordination with Dell and Trend Micro. In this tweet chat, we will be covering the following topics with a focus on Small and Medium Businesses (SMB).

Journey into the cloud from the perspective of a small and/or midsize business ownerTypes of cloud computing and how the options affect small business ownersBenefits of utilizing the cloudCommon questions and concerns about transitioning to the cloud/utilizing the cloud as a small business ownerSecuring your business on the cloud – the ins and outs of having proper security measures in placeCloud computing continuing to be a trend in 2012 as more businesses look to utilize. What small and midsize business owners watch for in terms of cloud trends and/or advances?

The chat will start exactly at 1:00 PM Central Time and will go on for one hour. Towards the end of the tweet chat, Dell is giving away Dell Vostro 3550 loaded with Trend Micro Security Solutions. We will give more information on the giveaway during the tweet chat.

For more details, go to http://krishworld.com/general/tweetchat-on-cloud-computing. 

Krish is an analyst and researcher focused on high impact topics in the areas such as Cloud Computing, Open Source and the interface between them. Krish also evangelizes Open Source and Cloud Computing on various media outlets, public speaking and blogs. Krish is part of a boutique analyst firm that offers strategic advise to both Cloud Computing and Open Source vendors. They also help buy side businesses take advantage of Open Source and Cloud Computing. More information about Krish and his research can be found in his personal website. Krish's disclosure statement is available here.

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Dell Storage Forum: Dell, Technology and Partners are Better Together

Last week’s Dell Storage Forum in London was not only a great way to kick off the year but also an impressive illustration of how Dell’s storage business has grown and matured over the last eighteen months. Over this period Dell has been busy acquiring companies that bring new, innovative IP in the storage space – Compellent, Exanet and Ocarina to name a few – as part of a focused drive towards building the most robust storage portfolio on the market. More recently, in the last six months, our engineers have been hard at work integrating these various technologies to enable cutting edge solutions for customers, and the fruits of their labour were really on show at DSF!

The importance of the Compellent acquisition to Dell’s strategy was particularly clear – our Fluid Data strategy owes its name to Compellent’s technology of the same name, and it is this dynamic and automated management platform which lies at the heart of the vision presented at DSF. One of the overriding messages from the event was ‘Better Together’ – the notion that Dell’s technologies together become greater than the sum of their parts, offering greater flexibility, better performance and improved cost-effectiveness.

The investments we are making in storage are extremely exciting for our channel partners as well.  The Partner Day on Tuesday, January 10th, gave us the opportunity to talk with them about how they can sell Fluid Data solutions -- and how Dell’s channel organisation is going to support them.  We have invested heavily in our storage channel business in the last 12 months, doubling solutions headcount and increasing the sales and marketing support on offer to partners.

During his Partner Day opening keynote Bob Skelley not only shared some insight into Dell’s strategy to grow its channel but also news of some extremely powerful and exciting tools we are providing to our partners. The first of these is DPACK – Dell Performance Analysis Collection Kit – a complimentary tool that allows partners to gather a set of specific information on the customer’s environment and then make recommendations on the most suitable solutions for their data management needs. Our sales teams have been using this tool for a while now and it has received extremely positive reviews.

We’ve also developed Storage Master - an entirely new and comprehensive sales tool which brings together all of Dell’s key sales and marketing resources on storage solutions in one simple interface. Partners are served up tools and resources on Dell’s storage portfolio depending on the type of solutions they need and by what stage of the sales cycle they are in.  Most importantly, they get the information they need in 2 or 3 clicks, thereby helping them use our vast collection of resources in a much more efficient manner.  Partners were able to see demos of the Storage Master and they were very excited to get it rolled out to their sales teams.

The final tool we have launched is the Online Solutions Configurator (OSC) – a new solutions tool helps partners rapidly configure solutions for customers based on their unique requirements. Through the OSC, partners also now can easily configure and sell Dell Business Ready Configurations (BRCs) – pre-tested and integrated virtualized storage, networking and server configurations. This should make it far simpler and faster for partners to configure solutions for customers.

The event theme, ‘Better Together’, nicely sums up our take on the importance of our channel partners in growing Dell’s storage business. Our investment in these new tools underscores our commitment to the channel and our belief that they have the critical blend of skills, expertise and relationships to take Fluid Data solutions to market. With further announcements coming soon around a new certification path for cloud, our partner program, toolkit and technology portfolio will continue to grow and help our partners enjoy a prosperous 2012.

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5 Immutable Laws of Partner Satisfaction - And the Impact on Dell’s Channel Business in Asia – PART I

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a nice holiday and had enough rest to start the New Year fresh and energized!

When Iqbal first came to Dell from Cisco Systems, Dell was changing.  He took the challenge because the change was going to be radical.  Dell was getting into channel sales and there was a lot of  transformational work to be done - transformational in the sense that even though Dell had worked with the Channel in the past, there was an intent to drive this business strategically such that it grows exponentially to become a key pillar of the new Dell.   Iqbal was tasked with changing internal and external perceptions, building the required infrastructure and support systems to handle the new business model, building a partner base from scratch, and developing a program that would provide partners with real benefits.

The key focus was to make sure that partners find it easy to do business with Dell.   And the foundation of the program was built on a few key customer satisfaction concepts, which Iqbal shared and which he believes are critical, across markets and industries, when it comes to delivering value to channel partners. 

What are the 5 Immutable Laws of Partner Satisfaction from Iqbal’s perspective? Here is what he has to say:

1.   When You Ask, Listen and Act
2.   Be Selective With the Changes You Make
3.   Make it Easy and Simple
4.   Ensure Business Synergy
5.   The Frontline Is Your Guide

I will cover the first two in this blog and continue with the other three in the next issue.

1.   When You Ask, Listen and Act

There is no point in rolling out surveys or establishing feedback processes if you can’t do a good job following up.  When asking partners for their feedback, we need to be prepared to listen and to follow through on what needs to be done.  When we receive negative feedback, we let partners know that we are aware of the feedback received, then set expectations, provide a timeline, and follow up with the required action.  Clarity and transparency are the keys to an open relationship.

We can really see how our program evolved when we applied this law. 

After we kicked off our initial program, we conducted a series of partner satisfaction surveys to get some feedback.  The first survey findings were more around the basics such as portal login, deal processes, etc.  We took the feedback and addressed the necessary improvements on the overall process.As our engagement with partners increased, we learned that each time, survey responses matured, shifting from the basics to more requests around specific training, programs, and campaigns.  The focus now was on getting more training and marketing campaigns to help partners to sell more.

The program, as it exists today, is a result of the feedback provided by our own partners.  Every year, Dell conducts a customer satisfaction survey with our partners and customers, and we have specific goals to overachieve the industry average.  Thinking ahead, there is still a lot to improve on and we look forward to the next round of surveys to understand how we take the program to the next level.

2.   Be Selective With the Changes You Make

It is key to determine how many changes need to be made to improve a program.  Focus on the few important changes that will result in the biggest impact.  Don’t create confusion by making constant small changes.   Once identified an area that needs a change, plan and strategize to make sure that there will be a positive effect.  There is nothing more frustrating than having to deal with a new change when you’ve just mastered the old process.  So in effect, offer stability and change only what offers an advantage to the channel.

With PartnerDirect the first major change happened three years after the program was initially launched.  This was an expansion where we added new levels and certifications designed to allow more flexibility and offer new levels of accreditation to deserving partners, or, those who joined the program with higher levels of competence.  This also allowed Dell to offer higher levels of support to partners who needed it. We made this change based on what we heard from partners —they were looking for strong field support, improved partner relationships, and greater opportunities for partners who develop skills that support Dell solutions. In addition, this allowed us to welcome partners from newly acquired companies viz. Compellent and Force 10 Networks in a seamless manner.

Internally, the expansion of the certification tiers across a region as diverse as APJ, meant we had to be prepared with communications, courses and certificates in several different languages, all at once. It also meant we needed to operationally prepare for welcoming partners to a new set of accreditations, refresh new branding and deliver on the promise of differentiated benefits from day one. All this put together, meant we had to mobilize everyone in the organization to deliver fast and with the partner in mind.

I am very proud of our team here in APJ. I think the team did this very well. From what I have heard from partners, they experienced a seamless transition to the new framework without any disruption or confusion.

Iqbal has more to share, but I will take a break here so that the reading doesn’t get too long and to give an opportunity to our readers to follow us and make comments, ask any questions.  In my next blog, I will cover the remaining three points. 

Following up on my previous blog post, I had a nice chat with Iqbal Marican—our Executive Director of our Asia Pacific and Japan Channel Programs Management Office – to get his insights on partner satisfaction.   Iqbal has been with Dell for the last 4 years and is one of the key members who started Dell’s PartnerDirect Program in Asia.  Iqbal walked me through the evolution of PartnerDirect, and explained how he applied his customer satisfaction concepts to shape our program in Asia.

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Congratulations to Computerworld Premier 100 Honorees and Dell Customers Beth Jacob and Jim DiMarzio

Congratulations to Beth Jacob, CIO of Target Technology Services (TTS), the IT arm of Target Corporation and Jim DiMarzio, CIO of Mazda North American Operations. Dell recently nominated both Beth and Jim for the Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders award, and just this month it was announced that both Dell customers made it and are officially in the top 100 class of honorees.

Beth has received this honor as a true industry leader that has lead Target’s IT division through extremely important transitions over the years, including a recent innovative cloud initiative. Beth and her team go above and beyond in their efforts to ensure the evolution of Target’s advances in technology.  Beth organizes regular meetings with Dell leaders to discuss and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and develop plans for innovation implementation. Focused on global resource planning end enterprise architecture, Target has leveraged Dell’s partnership to see increased efficiency in both areas.

Building an IT infrastructure that not only enables a company to stay ahead of competitors but also frees up time for an IT team to work on more strategic initiatives, that move the business forward, is not an easy task. Jim received the Premier 100 honor for doing just that and leading his IT team through a major virtualization effort that allowed his IT team to be more flexible, agile and quick to respond to business needs. Mazda, the manufacturer of cars that “zoom-zoom,” needed an IT infrastructure equipped to keep up with that mentality. By implementing Dell Compellent storage and Dell PowerEdge servers, Jim’s team has seen a performance improvement of up to 400 percent, reduced backup times from 16 hours to six hours, a cut in annual spending for physical servers by 60 percent and much more.

The biggest challenge that all companies face is staying ahead of the competition. As Jim states, “our Dell Compellent system gives us the competitive advantage we need to come up with innovative new applications that work in mobile environments and be first to market.” The ability to make the right technology decisions and knowing what the business needs makes Jim a well deserving recipient of the coveted Computerworld honor.

Each year, since 2000 Computerworld has recognized leaders for their exceptional technology leadership, innovative solutions to business challenges and effective management of IT strategies. Computerworld will recognize Beth, Jim and their peers in the February 27, 2012 issue of Computerworld and live during the Premier 100 IT Leaders Conference taking place next March.

Congratulations again to Beth Jacob and Jim DiMarzio! We’re proud to have you as our customers!

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Catalyst Magazine Launch: What’s your challenge for 2012?

Now that we’re getting into the swing of the new year, it’s time to get down to business. Remember those silly resolutions about working-out every day and being nicer to our mothers-in-law? They’re just a distant memory and we are back to work thinking about professional and business goals for the coming year. As the new editor of Dell Catalyst magazine, I have several challenges ahead of me. This blog post is one of them!

What challenges does the coming year hold for the rest of us in IT? The technology landscape is changing quickly, as new technologies emerge and others converge (see Gartner’s predictions). Harnessing the power of technology has more impact on your business than ever, but using resources wisely is critical. Dell Catalyst magazine is a resource to help mid-size businesses form a plan of action, so visit often. In addition to our online and Catalyst digital editions, we’ll be posting each month on Direct2Dell to provide you with practical advice to help you make the best technology decisions for a mid-sized business.

Joining me on this blog, and in the pages of upcoming issues of Catalyst, will be members of our Enterprise Technologists team and other subject matter experts from Dell. These are the folks with 20+ years of experience who deal with the real-world problems of our customers every day. People like Pat Woodward, David Reoch, and Ron Hyde understand your concerns and your aspirations, and they will be here to share their expertise.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our first issue of 2012, focusing on the topic of unified storage. Find out how Brazilian company 24\7 Inteligência Digital implemented dynamically tiered storage to manage its overflowing library of digital media assets. Also get more details on Dell’s Fluid Data Architecture and on improving your backup and recovery processes.

Look for upcoming issues and blogs to cover virtualization, server performance, cloud and IT services, networking, mobility, systems management and more.

What’s your challenge for 2012? We’d like to hear from you – post your suggestions and comments below.

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Weekly Recap: Dell in the News - January 20 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of the Weekly Recap, your guide to the week's Dell-related news and happenings. 

Story of the Week

How Michael Dell is reinventing Dell Inc. MarketWatch – Jan. 17, 2012
Since taking back the CEO’s office from Kevin Rollins in 2007, Michael Dell has been doing little but leading the reinvention of Dell Inc. And one day he may look back at 2011 as a high point in what’s proving to be a bold, even controversial, gambit to become a corporate IT powerhouse.

Other Dell News

A Closer Look At The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Forbes – Jan. 20, 2012
Yesterday I received a pre-production Dell XPS 13, one of the new crop of Ultrabooks, and a sweet machine it is.  Too bad I’ll have to send it back in a couple of weeks.  I could really get used to it.

Is Personalized Medicine In Your Future? InformationWeek – Jan. 19, 2012
The teaser at the top of a recent Wall Street Journal article proclaimed, "What does the future of medicine hold? Tiny health monitors, tailored therapies--and the end of illness." Whoa! IT-enhanced personalized medical therapy holds great promise, but we won't be eliminating disease from the face of the earth any time soon. Nature is much too smart to let that happen.

Alien Autopsy: We Look Inside the Alienware X51MaximumPC – Jan. 18, 2012
Besides chocolate and coconut, oil and water, gaming and small form factor usually don’t mix. That’s something Alienware is hoping to fix with its new incredibly small X51 box.

School saves time, money and energy with Dell KACE computing.co.uk – Jan. 17, 2012
Woodbridge High School in Essex says it has shaved £14,000 off its energy bill since installing a Dell KACE systems management appliance with the help of IT solutions provider Joskos Solutions back in June 2011.

Dell’s Little Big Ultrabook Looks Like a Winner Time – Jan. 16, 2012
The more Ultrabooks that got unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show, the more convinced I became that it’s silly to discuss them as if they were a coherent new class of portable computer. No two manufacturers seem to agree on what an Ultrabook should be. That’s neat, since it means they’re experimenting. And last Tuesday, Dell introduced my favorite answer so far to the question “What is an Ultrabook?” in the form of its new XPS 13.

What SMBs Need to Know About SaaS...Now Forbes – Jan. 16, 2012
Software as a Service is one of – if not the most – popular cloud delivery models for small- and medium-sized businesses. According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing (2011), SaaS is entering the mainstream market in the next two to five years. The SaaS model levels the playing field between growing businesses and larger competitors, by equipping SMBs with application functionality that only large enterprises previously enjoyed.

Dell Discovers Internet Mojo in … Philadelphia? Wired – Jan. 13, 2012
When Rick Nucci says he runs an internet company based in Philadelphia, people in Silicon Valley look at him funny. “We would come out here to meet with VCs,” he remembers, with a bit of a smile. “They would say: ‘Philly? Do you guys have internet there? Are you working in some sort of Amish commune?’” He ended up partnering with a venture capital firm in New York.

Dell Press Releases

Popular Direct2 Dell Posts

Industry Quotes & Insight

“The one really cool thing about technology is that it is one of the few areas where things get better, faster, and cheaper - all at the same time. The X51 is a perfect example of this trend, as it is a well-priced, sweet looking and balanced product.  I expect to see more like this system over the next year as we continue to ramp towards Windows 8.” - Rob Enderle, TG Daily  

“For aggressively emphasizing innovation, for branching out into the more-lucrative areas of IT and data storage, and for exemplifying how not to let your boardroom descend into chaos, Michael Dell was named a finalist for MarketWatch’s CEO of the Year award.” – Ben Pimentel in Marketwatch

“Innovation can take many forms and by using this framework, businesses will be able to identify new opportunities in finance, process, offerings, and delivery. However businesses should not focus on one area or type of innovation but should ensure that this entire framework is woven into the fabric of the organisation to achieve the best results and biggest return.” - Jim Stikeleather, Chief Innovation Officer at Dell Services  

Upcoming Events

New Fulcrum Point – http://www.newfulcrumpoint.com/– a new community sponsored by Dell and IDG
Join the weekly #ITChat on Twitter every Tuesday from 11am-12pm CT. The schedule below:

1/19           Video Power Hour: Storage1/24           Healthcare Technology1/31           Security2/6             Super Bowl Tech2/13           What Tech & B2B Solutions Do You Love?

Dell Google+ Hangout - "Community Management 3.0"
Jan 23rd @ 12pm CST
Do you have plans for Community Manager Appreciation Day? Come join our conversation and spend an hour with some of the most amazing Community thought leaders!
Learn More

Click here for previous Dell In The News posts.

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B2B Social Media - What Is It and Why Should You Be Learning More About It

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Calling all University Entrepreneurs! Dell wants to help you Change the World

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Dell Kace Launches K-Series Advanced Appliances

Dell Kace announced the availability of its new K-Series Advanced line of appliances aimed at medium-sized businesses with 1,000 to 3,500 end-point systems. The K-Series Advanced Appliances include the K1100-ADV for systems management, and the K2100-ADV for systems deployment. The products are available as both physical and virtual appliances, directly from Dell or through its partners.

In addition to the availability of the K-Series Advanced Appliance line, Dell Kace is also offering a ProSupport package in North America that includes unified 24/5 assistance from Dell's maintenance and support team. ProSupport allows Kace and Dell customers to reach a support team through a single contact number for all Dell products including desktops, servers, storage and now also Dell Kace Systems Management Appliances. The ProSupport package will be available internationally by the end of 2011, the company noted in a release.

"The SMB segment can sometimes be a bit of a misnomer because there are significant differences that small and medium-sized businesses face which can impact organizational growth," said Lubos Parobek, vice president of product management, for Dell Kace. "Our new K-Series Advanced Appliance line enables medium business to accelerate their growth path without the need to upgrade systems or compromise the quality of systems management technology, enabling companies to effectively improve IT service levels and end-user productivity."

Dell Kace s customer base has grown from 1,200 to more than 4,600 in the past year in a variety of industries such as retail, education, government, financial services, manufacturing, legal, healthcare and others. The Kace K Series of Systems Management Appliances and a dedicated Web site are now available in four new countries including Germany, France, China and Japan, and the company plans continued expansion of its international footprint by localizing its solutions in additional countries within Europe and Latin America throughout 2012. 

"The acquisition of Kace by Dell has significantly elevated the business unit and continues to be an exciting company to watch in the systems management space because of its ability to meet new market challenges and turn them into advantages over its competitors," said Steve Brasen, managing research director for Enterprise Management Associates. "Although Dell Kace has focused its aggressive pricing structure and appliance-based approach to systems management primarily towards small and medium-sized organizations, our analysis reveals the product is set to be a leading contender in the enterprise space as well."

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Kace Launches Line of K-Series Appliances

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A Guide to Finding Jobs at Dell

We have recently stepped up our game here at Dell regarding how we communicate with our job applicants. Accordingly, we have added some new social platforms and revamped some of the existing ones.

Here are the key social platforms you can visit to find information on our current job opportunities:

Facebook:
Our official careers page for the U.S. is: http://www.facebook.com/CareersAtDell. We post jobs, articles and events and try to stay engaged with our applicants.

LinkedIn:
We have a corporate page on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/dell, which will display relevant job postings based on the viewer's profile. We definitely recommend people create a profile on LinkedIn if they are serious about their job search.

Twitter:
Our main account @CareersatDell can be found at:https://twitter.com/CareersAtDell, which is where we post conversational items and respond to our followers in the Twitterverse. We also have the @DellJobs account https://twitter.com/delljobs, which is a stream of all our jobs straight from the database. 

Job Portal:
All of our jobs are also posted on our portal at: http://jobs.dell.com/. We have revamped the job portal search engine and made this a page that can be the starting point for anyone in the world. This job portal connects all of our platforms in one place. You can also create job alerts and subscribe to receiving emails about new jobs that are posted.

Career Site:
Last, but not least, is our corporate career site which is located at: http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/careers.aspx. We have improved the layout and are continuing to produce a career site that can create value for our visitors all over the world. Keep watching this site because the best is yet to come!

We have recently received word of a scam going on where people get an email from a supposed recruiter/hiring manager here at Dell. Said scam email asks for a resume and provides a contact email address at a Hotmail.com account. Dell will never request information to be sent to a non dell.com domain email address. This should be a huge red flag in any interaction with our company. 

Now that you know all of the different ways to find our job postings and engage with our recruiting team, hopefully we can avoid anyone being exposed to these scams. When in doubt, please feel free to ask us on Twitter or Facebook (as indicated above) and we will gladly assist you in any way we can.

We look forward to hearing from you. We welcome your feedback and ideas for interacting with you online.

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Dell Prepares for Another Run at Tablet Market

Dell's decision last year to stop selling the 5- and 7-inch Streak tablets apparently did not end the systems maker's plans for the form factor.

In an interview with Reuters Jan. 11, Steve Felice, Dell's chief commercial officer, said the company will re-enter the highly competitive tablet space with a consumer device in late 2012, though he would not say on what platform the tablet would be built--Google's Android or Microsoft's Windows 8, which is due for release later this year.

What Felice did say, though, was that Dell officials have learned from the relative failure of the myriad tablets on the market that were designed to challenge Apple's dominant iPad, and that they are incorporating those lessons learned in developing their current tablet strategy. Dell stopped selling the Streak 7 in December 2011, a few months after it ended sales of the Streak 5. Both Android-based devices were more business-focused.

Other OEMs have been rolling out tablets that more directly challenge Apple's consumer-focused iPad, with limited success. Most, such as Samsung and Motorola, have relied on the Android mobile OS, while others--in particular, Hewlett-Packard with webOS and Research In Motion with its BlackBerry operating system--have used other platforms.

With the consumer tablet, Dell is being patient and carefully planning the device, Felice said. In particular, he said, was that customers buying a tablet are interested in a different user experience than when they re buying a PC.

"We have been taking our time, he told Reuters during an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show. "You will see us enter this market in a bigger way toward the end of the year. So we are not really de-emphasizing it, we are really being very careful how we enter it. When you are talking about the PC, people are more focused on the hardware itself. When you are talking about the tablet or the smartphone, people are interested in the overall environment it s operating in."

Dell is spending more time concentrating on the overall ecosystem," he said.

Whether that will be an Android or Windows ecosystem is unclear, with Felice giving little indication. However, he did say he was impressed with the touch features coming in Windows 8.

"We like Windows 8, but we continue to develop with Android as well, Felice said. We are still going to be more choice-driven, based on the feedback we get from customers."

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Readying Another Run at Tablet Market

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Dell Expands Data Protection Encryption Portfolio

Dell launched "phase 2" of its Dell Data Protection Encryption portfolio to provide organizations with a "new level of security" to secure data stored on a wide variety of endpoints.  

Dell announced "simple, comprehensive and flexible encryption" features to expand its data protection and encryption portfolio Oct. 12 at its DellWorld conference in Austin, Texas. The Dell offerings allow IT to protect data based on users, user groups, data sensitivity and performance needs, according to Kirk Schell, executive director and general manager of Dell's business client product group. Dell is protecting both the data on endpoints as well as the information flowing through system ports, Schell said.  

Organizations are trying to minimize risk from lost, stolen or compromised devices and external media. Encrypting the data stored on these devices ensures that information remains safe regardless of the device's physical location.  

"Endpoint security management has become more complex and costly due to a number of factors--from increased worker mobility to the proliferation of threats--and has magnified the importance for protecting critical information on endpoint devices," Schell wrote on the "Direct2Dell" blog.  

Dell first announced the Dell Data Protection Encryption (DDPE) portfolio in November with partner Credant Technologies. The expanded portfolio provides organizations with more complete protection. DDPE secures laptops and desktops as well as complementing Dell's Enterprise Mobility Services and Dell SecureWorks to give customers comprehensive protection for their IT assets, Schell said.  

Dell Data Protection Encryption Enterprise Edition includes four key offerings, according to Schell. They are Data-Centric Encryption, Full Volume Encryption, External Media Edition and Microsoft BitLocker Manager. All Dell Data Protection Encryption Enterprise Edition components are managed from a single console, Schell said. Data-Centric Encryption, External Media Edition and BitLocker Manager are available now, while Full Volume Encryption is expected to be available later this year.  

Dell is also providing a personal edition for small businesses and organizations that don't have a centralized IT department. The personal edition allows smaller organizations to set encryption policies on the local system, backup escrow keys and enable a password to ensure policies are not changed. The personal edition will be available Oct. 18.  

Data-centric Encryption provides intelligent software-based encryption for Microsoft Windows and external media. IT departments easily deploy encryption on Microsoft Windows Systems, even on non-Dell systems, Schell said. IT departments have access to one-touch templates to simplify compliance management and auditing. The protection covers both system and attached storage.  

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Unveils Expanded Data Protection Encryption Portfolio

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Dell Launches Revamped PartnerDirect 2.0 Program

Technology giant Dell expanded its commitment to providing customers with a portfolio of solutions to help meet the needs of the rapidly changing IT environment, including data management, desktop virtualization, endpoint security and other initiatives that require a combination of end-user devices and complementary services, software and solutions, as well as introducing a revamped version of its PartnerDirect program, aimed at resellers.

With trends like virtualization, data access, mobility, security and cloud computing continuing to grow, Dell said it remains committed from the end-user device to the data center and surrounding services and recognizes that stability and long-term commitment are important to channel partners. "We recognize that stability and long-term commitment are important to channel partners. We have listened to their feedback to develop a robust PartnerDirect program, offering free training, certifications and strategic programs to enable our partners to develop successful IT service practices and resale opportunities across the solutions spectrum," said Greg Davis, vice president of Dell's global commercial channel.

Dell offers a number of tools and resources, from business development to sales and marketing support, designed to help value-added resellers (VARs) raise profits. The company s PartnerDirect 2.0 program provides support from the Dell sales force and a single point of contact for partners, and features a revised structure with increased rewards for certification and training, including rebates for Premier partners, expanded deal registration terms, financial incentives, and marketing and technical assistance.

"Channel partners and their customers alike are looking for IT providers with end-to-end strength, from the data center to the edge of the network. Our research tells us that SMB resellers in particular are focused on providing value-add services as their primary source of revenue," said Jeff Hine, a consulting analyst with IT analytics firm Enterprise Strategy Group s channel program. "This means they need to partner with vendors who offer a broad portfolio of technologies to help them round out total solutions. With its focus on open standards, and its ongoing transformation as an IT solutions and services provider, Dell is a one-stop shop for enterprise and midmarket customers as well as a great partner for channel players."

To increase productivity and control, Dell is providing desktop virtualization platforms that include preconfigured solution stacks, hosted desktop-as-a-service and a simplified virtual desktop appliance. To protect data, the company's Data Protection platform offers encryption for client devices and Dell SecureWorks provides information security services to help organizations protect their IT assets, comply with regulations and reduce security costs.

"With one million PCs being sold every day, and with the continued growth in emerging markets like China, Brazil and India, it s clear that client hardware remains a key component of today s computing landscape," said Rick Echevarria, vice president and general manager of business client platforms at Intel. "Client computing based on Intel Core vPro processors transforms the way users securely connect and share information with intelligent capabilities prepared for the evolution of technologies such as virtualization or client-aware computing."

With an aim toward sustaining business growth and stability, Dell is also offering customers migration services that support multivendor environments, including image management, asset recovery and managed deployment. As a solutions provider with more than 40,000 services professionals and 75,000 commercial channel partners, Dell offers a variety of engagement models for delivering client solutions.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Debuts PartnerDirect 2.0 Program, Affirms Commitment to Client Hardware

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Lenovo Overtakes Dell in Worldwide PC Shipments

For the first time, computer maker Lenovo surpassed technology giant Dell in worldwide PC shipments, leaping into the number two-spot behind Hewlett-Packard, according to the latest data from IT analytics firm Gartner. Total worldwide PC shipments rose to 91.8 million units in the third quarter, a 3.2 percent increase from the third quarter of 2010.

HP, the number-one vendor based on global PC shipments, grew faster than the industry average, and its market share reached 17.7 percent in the third quarter. Despite announcing in August it was considering spinning off its PC business, HP experienced strong growth in the United States, while outside the United States, growth was relatively weak or average.

The Gartner report noted Lenovo s expansion was boosted in part by the joint vendor with NEC in Japan and the company s aggressive marketing to both the professional and consumer PC markets accelerated its shipment volume. Meanwhile, the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region contributed to lower-than-expected growth led by a weak Western European market.

"The inventory buildup, which slowed growth the last four quarters, mostly cleared out during the third quarter of this year; however, the PC industry has been performing below normal seasonality," Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, said in a statement. "As expected, back-to-school PC sales were disappointing in mature markets, confirming that the consumer PC market continues to be weak."

Kitagawa said the popularity of non-PC devices, including media tablets like the iPad as well as smartphones, took consumers' spending away from PCs. As the PC market faced a slowdown, vendor consolidation has become a more apparent trend in the industry, she explained. Lenovo's recent merger with NEC, and its acquisition of Medion, as well as HP's announcement that it may spin off or sell its PC business, underlined this trend during the quarter."

In the United States, PC shipments totaled 17.8 million units in the third quarter, a 1.1 percent increase from the same period in 2010. The U.S. PC market experienced year-over-year growth for the first time in three quarters. The report noted that while the consumer market continued to be weak with disappointing back-to-school sales in the third quarter, the inventory was kept mostly in check as industry expectations were relatively low. HP showed strong growth in the U.S. PC market, as shipments increased 15.1 percent in the third quarter, and its market share totaled 28.9 percent, while Dell struggled as shipments declined 7.2 percent in the third quarter.

The main contributor to the weak consumer PC market in the United States was intensified competition for consumers' money," Kitagawa said. "Media tablets and smartphones took center stage in the U.S. retail sector, and the expectation is for continuing demand for these devices throughout the holiday season. Dell's issue has been balancing profitability and market share gain, a difficult task in a PC industry where high volumes and low margins are the norm.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Lenovo Passes Dell in Worldwide PC Shipments: Gartner

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At NRF Dell affirms commitment to the connected consumer, announces Dell ProSupport for Retail and renewed partnership for Elo TouchSystems Products

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Dell Kills Streak 7 Tablet

Dell is discontinuing its Streak 7 tablet, a few months after killing the smaller Streak 5. Together, that means the end of the manufacturer s first foray into Android-based tablets.

Streak 7 is no longer available online, read a new note on Dell's Website, but you can browse our other mobile devices for similar products. Those include the Inspiron Duo Tablet PC, which transforms into a laptop with a swing of its hinge, and a collection of smartphones running Windows Phone and Android.

Dell s 5-inch Streak, released in the U.S. market in August 2010, wrestled in the gray area between the tablet and smartphone form factors. Dell hoped the device would appeal to an audience in the market for both types of device--the risk being that, in attempting to hit that sweet spot between the two, the Streak would end up an also-ran in both the tablet and smartphone categories.

The Streak 7, on the other hand, came down heavily on the side of full-sized tablets. It entered the tablet arena in February, at a time when rival manufacturers were placing big bets on the 7-inch size: Samsung had unveiled the original Galaxy Tab, and Research In Motion was prepping its PlayBook tablet for launch later that Spring.

Dell launched the Streak 7 with Android 2.2 (Froyo), originally developed for smartphones and their smaller screens. Almost immediately, it began promising an over-the-air software upgrade to the tablet-optimized Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). Hardware-wise, the Streak 7 offered 800-by-480 resolution, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a dual-core 1GHz Nvidia Tegra processor.   

However, like the other Android tablets entering the market then or since, neither version of the Streak managed to carve away substantial market share from the Apple iPad, whose blockbuster sales run has reinvigorated the previously-moribund consumer tablet industry. But neither did Dell invest the same manufacturing and promotional capital in its tablet efforts as, say, Hewlett-Packard with its doomed TouchPad; as a result, if the Streak didn't perform up to expectations, its anemic sales also didn t blow a money-spewing hole in the company s flank. 

During an August call with analysts and journalists, Dell CEO Michael Dell said that "our early work on Windows 8 on the tablet side looks to be pretty encouraging." In light of that, it seems a sure bet that Dell's next big tablet foray will center on Windows 8, which Microsoft is designing with touch-screens in mind.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Ends Streak 7 Sales

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Dell, EMC Kill Storage Reseller Partnership Two Years Early

Something that has been talked about openly in storage circles for more than two years has come to pass: Dell and EMC are parting ways in selling storage hardware, and they are ending their agreement two years early.

Now Dell and EMC are officially competitors. Following a complicated 10-year partnership that was to run until 2013, Dell revealed Oct. 17 that it has officially discontinued reselling all EMC storage products. This includes Dell-branded EMC OEM and resold EMC storage products, including CLARiiON, Celerra, Data Domain and VNX.

EMC and Dell had partnered to sell not only branded EMC storage systems of various sizes to midrange and SMB markets but also EMC-made but Dell-branded NAS gateways, backup disk arrays, midrange 10Gb Ethernet arrays and myriad other storage-related products.

This news was hardly unexpected. EMC announced a few months ago the discontinuation of its older CLARiiON and Celerra storage lines in favor of its new VNX machines and new-generation storage lines from Data Domain and Isilon, companies it acquired in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

When Dell bought EqualLogic in 2007 and followed that with the acquisition of Compellent in 2010, they turned out to be deals that eventually were going to make reselling another company's arrays redundant -- especially in the low-margin IT hardware business.

CLARiiON and Celerra served EMC well for 15 years as a result of the Data General acquisition in 1996.

Partnership Was Fruitful for Years

Basically, the decade-long partnership had worked because EMC provided the hardware and software to its sales partner, Dell, which then rebranded the package under its more well-known name and modified some of the add-on features and support offerings.

But it could be confusing to potential buyers because Dell and EMC sometimes marketed the same product under both brand names, offering slightly different feature sets, support packages and price ranges.

This caused friction on the sales sides of both companies, to say the least. There were times when salespeople from Dell and EMC have competed for the same customer, selling basically the same arrays. 

Data center managers with Dell/EMC equipment and service-level agreements won't have to worry for a while, however. Dell said it will continue to provide these existing users with services and support and hardware upgrades (with Dell hardware) until they are ready to be replaced.

"We are 100 percent committed to providing quality service and support to our existing Dell/EMC customers, but the future is Dell storage intellectual property and the robust, end-to-end Fluid Data architecture we are delivering," Dell Storage Vice President and General Manager Darren Thomas told eWEEK via email.

Dell's corporate Fluid Data strategy initiative is based on the style and IP of Compellent's automated data-tiering storage hardware.

"Dell is making serious investments in both acquisition and internal development to assemble a competitive storage portfolio that provides customers with superior technology, such as automated tiering, virtualization and content aware deduplication and compression," Thomas said. "Our customers are seeing the benefits of Dell's storage portfolio and the context within a broader data center strategy as compared to storage products built around costly and old architectures."

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell, EMC End Storage Reseller Partnership Two Years Early

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Dell's Sales Flat, but Profits Up for Third Quarter

Michael Dell told eWEEK last August that his company is steering more aspects of the business toward the higher-margin enterprise markets. That strategy apparently is starting to make a difference on the bottom line.

Dell on Nov. 15 posted profits that were up 9 percent over the same period a year ago, despite banking only a small decrease in revenue. The company's third quarter fiscal year 2012 earnings report showed it brought in $15.4 billion, relatively flat from 2010.

However, despite the level-off in sales, Dell increased its net income by 9 percent to $893 million.

The Austin, Texas-based company missed its Wall Street consensus revenue target, but its gross margin came in substantially higher at 23 percent against an expectation of 22.5 percent. The company has executed better than expected in the face of HDD shortages due to flooding of manufacturing facilities in Thailand.

Enterprise Sales Up 13 Percent in Quarter

On the earnings teleconference, Dell executives said that enterprise hardware, software and services comprised 31 percent of its total revenue. Dell also said income from sales of servers and networking equipment grew 13 percent.

"Consistent with our strategy and the investments we have made, we continued to see excellent momentum in our enterprise business, with double-digit revenue growth in services, servers and networking, and in key growth countries, despite some macroeconomic uncertainty," CFO Brian Gladden said.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell's Revenue Flat, but Profits Are Up

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When You Think Cloud, Think CRM

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The Alienware X51 Brings the Gaming Experience to New Frontiers

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Dell Discontinues Inspiron Mini Netbooks

Dell apparently is doing away with netbooks to make room for ultrabooks.

The world's second-largest PC maker is no longer selling its line of Inspiron Mini notebooks, choosing instead to focus its efforts on thin and light notebooks, including the ultrabook category championed by giant chip maker Intel.

The 10-inch Inspiron Minis are no longer listed on the company's Website, and a search returns a message saying the systems are no longer available. Instead, the site recommends what it calls "the next best thing": the Inspiron 14R, a 14-inch laptop "with SWITCHable lids."

Dell officials said the Dell Mini netbooks are gone and won't be coming back. In an emailed statement to CNET, Matthew Hutchison, director of Dell global consumer PR, said the company "sold through the Dell Mini some time ago. We're committed to the highly portable space and have focused on delivering thin + powerful solutions, for which we've seen strong success, particularly in our XPS line."

Netbooks hit the market in 2008 and found a strong following, in large part fueled by the global recession. Consumers were looking for relatively inexpensive computing options, and the small netbooks met the demand. Intel introduced its Atom line of low-power processors initially for the netbook market. In May 2009, IDC analysts said netbooks and cloud computing were two of the key emerging technologies for that year, due to buyers' collapsing budgets.

Netbooks saw greater competition from the growing numbers of low-power and higher-performing laptops that were hitting the market that offered more functionality than netbooks. Then came Apple's iPad in 2010, which kicked off a reinvigorated tablet PC market and has severely limited sales of netbooks and slowed the growth of the overall PC market, according to analysts.

"The U.S. PC market continued to contract in 2Q11, largely as a result of three factors," IDC analyst Rajani Singh said in a statement in July, when the analyst firm announced its second-quarter PC market numbers. "The first is an ongoing contraction in the Mini Notebook (Netbook) market and related inventories. The second is the impact of 2Q10's difficult-to-sustain 12% growth. And third, demand has softened as corporate buyers continue to focus on increasing share of their IT budget in new IT solutions such as cloud and virtualization, and consumer interest shifts to media tablets."

Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa saw the same thing in October, when the firm announced its third-quarter PC numbers. "The popularity of non-PC devices, including media tablets, such as the iPad and smartphones, took consumers' spending away from PCs," Kitagawa said in a statement.

Still, some vendors, including Acer, Asus and Toshiba, continue to push netbooks.

However, Intel and PC OEMs are now pushing another PC segment, the ultrabook, which is designed to have the functionality of traditional notebooks while offering features such as instant-on and always-connected capabilities, longer battery life and, eventually, touch capabilities that are found in tablets.

Analysts say ultrabooks could jump-start a listless PC market while also giving Intel some traction in the highly coveted mobile computing space.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Discontinues Inspiron Mini Netbooks

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Video Demonstration of Hybrid Cloud Computing on Dell’s Public vCloud

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Dell Launches 'Beautifully Uncompromised' XPS 13 Ultrabook

Computer marker Dell unveiled its ultraportable XPS 13 notebook, a compact 13.3-inch Ultrabook featuring an edge-to-edge hardened Gorilla Glass, near frameless display and powerful battery life. Starting at just under 3 pounds and less than a quarter-inch at its thinnest point, the XPS 13 offers Intel technology such as Rapid Start and Smart Connect. The XPS 13 will be available at the end of February in the U.S. through the company's Web site and in select retail stores nationwide at a starting price of $999 with an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD hard drive and 4GB memory.

The XPS 13 is part of Dell's XPS brand and boasts second-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, Intel HD 3000 graphics and a high definition WLED 300-nit display. For users who store media files, the XPS 13 has 128GB and 256GB solid state hard drive options, plus an additional 100GB of cloud storage through Dell DataSafe for content backup and sharing at no extra cost. Additionally, all XPS 13 units include a 12-month Skype Premium subscription.

"The XPS 13 is the culmination of an extensive design and development process focused on creating the best Ultrabook on the planet," said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman, global operations and end user computing. "It is specifically engineered to help both our consumer and commercial customers be more productive and connected in every way possible. From the edge-to-edge frameless display that packs more screen into a compact body, to the innovative carbon fiber base that is lightweight and cool to the touch, the XPS 13 exemplifies our commitment to offering industry-leading mobile solutions that deliver durability and performance without compromise."

The notebook also features a full-size backlit keyboard with a large glass touchpad with integrated buttons and multi-gestural support; and up to eight hours, fifty-three minutes of battery life. The 13.3-inch display with slim bezel fits in a body size similar to the form factor of an 11-inch product. Smart Connect technology is also included, which wakes periodically to detect known networks and update calendar and email. Dell will also integrate location awareness via Skyhook and Google Places shortly after launch.

In addition, the first 10,000 customers to purchase an XPS 13 in the U.S. will receive a free T-Mobile 4G Mobile HotSpot, which links up to five WiFi devices to high speed Internet and 90 days of free mobile broadband service at up to 4G speeds on T-Mobile s 4G Network with no annual contract at time of purchase.

"The XPS 13 represents the most balanced of the Ultrabook class of notebooks to hit the market so far," said Rob Enderle, analyst for the Enderle Group. "Ultrabooks started by forcing people to make a choice between beauty and practicality and Dell took the time to make sure their offering would not only be very attractive, but address the critical needs of business and education buyers as well. Perhaps the best way to describe the XPS 13 is beautifully uncompromised ."

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Offers Slim Profile, Enhanced Security

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Dell to Hold Inagural Storage Forum in London in January

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Dell launches IT planning Online Exchange

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Michael Dell: The End of the PC Era Is 'Complete Nonsense'

Don't look for Michael Dell to jump on the post-PC bandwagon.

The PC market might be under significant pressure--from the rise of tablets and smartphones to the increased focus on software and services to the uncertain global economic situation--but consumers and businesses alike are continuing to buy PCs, with Gartner analyst predicting as many as 2 billion being in use by 2014. And Dell's CEO sees his company playing a key role in the market s evolution.

There are a billion and a half PCs in the world, and while Gartner analysts  change their estimates here and there, they also estimate there will be 2 billion PCs in the world by 2014, Dell told the Financial Times. "When I look at that, I think the idea that the PC is no longer here is complete nonsense. You see PCs, tablets, you see smartphones. But those other devices aren't necessarily replacing the PCs, so we are very committed to that part of the business, as part of this broader, end-to-end IT solutions company."

Dell is the world's second largest PC vendor, with a market share of almost 13 percent. It trails only Hewlett-Packard. However, HP is now looking to get out of the commodity computer space and spin off its PC business, a move that Dell said will have a sizeable effect on the market and open up opportunities for his company. Dell told the Financial Times that he was no interested in buying HP's business.

The world s third largest PC maker is Lenovo, which burst onto the international scene when it bought IBM's PC business in 2006.

HP executives have said they want to ditch their PC business in order to better focus on its enterprise offerings, particularly in software and services. Dell told the Financial Times that, like HP, Cisco Systems and others, his company is looking to become less a seller of computers and more of an solution provider to businesses, offering everything from software and services to servers, networking and storage.

Having a large PC business gives Dell the scale it wants when pushing everything from servers to storage to software to services, he said.

The PC market is continuing to see slowing sales, which analysts say have a number of causes. Those include growing sales of tablets and smartphones, as well as a pause in consumer sales after the refresh of the last year or so following Microsoft's launch of Windows 7. Analysts and vendors alike say corporate PC sales are still strong. There's also the uncertain economy, which is forcing consumers to hold back on purchases.

Both Gartner and IDC have revised downward their expectations for the PC market in 2011, and the ripple effect is being felt in other sectors. Gartner analysts have revised their projections for the semiconductor market in 2011 and 2012, due in large part to the slowing PC sales.

However, Dell is not the only top executive in the industry to talk about a strong future for PCs. During his keynote speech at the Intel Developer Forum Sept. 14, Mooly Eden, vice president and general manager of Intel's PC Client Group, noted that 1 million PCs are sold every day, and that that number is expected to grow.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell: PCs Are Still Important to Business

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Dell Enters Dedupe Appliance Market with DR4000

Dell is announcing new capabilities and features within its Fluid Data architecture storage product lines at Dell Storage Forum in London, England. Included in the list of new and enhanced products is Dell?s first backup appliance featuring deduplication technology, marking the vendor?s entrance into appliance-based deduplication and going head-to-head against competitors like Data Domain and IBM.

The Dell DR4000 appliance provides disk-to-disk backup with deduplication and compression technologies. According to Dell, the DR4000 can reduce time needed to back up data by up to 15 times.

?It?s all about IP, and even though it?s not our first entry into the backup space ? we?ve been shipping tape libraries with CommVault and Symantec for quite awhile ? this is our first product that is a dedicated disk-to-disk appliance with dedupe,? said Mike Davis, director of product marketing for NAS and backup storage products at Dell.

The deduplication and compression technologies included in the DR4000 come from Dell?s acquisition of Ocarina in July 2010. The DR4000 is the second Ocarina-enabled product Dell has released since the acquisition was completed. Dell is casting a wide net with the launch of its first deduplication-enabled appliance. Three models will be available ? two models aimed at small and medium businesses, and a third (which tops out at 130TB of logical capacity) being targeted at enterprise customers.

?The DR4000 is a product targeted at backup workflows in the mid-size business up to mid-enterprise, down into the SMB and off into the remote office workflows,? Davis said.

Customers can use the DR4000 to retain more backup images for longer periods of time, including up to 90 days. According to Davis, customers could potentially eliminate tape backups with the DR4000 or use the disk-to-disk backup capabilities of the appliance to complement existing tape backups.

?We?re very much focused on value and ease of use here, and we think it?s going to be a great channel product,? he said. Dell is providing all-inclusive pricing so that all features, both current and future, will be available to customers without the need to purchase additional licenses for specific features, he added.

Dell also announced a new software version of Dell Compellent Storage Center 6.0, which is the first major release of a Compellent product since Dell acquired the company a year ago. Storage Center 6.0 marks the software?s transition from 32-bit to 64-bit architecture, a move praised by Scott Winslow, CEO of Winslow Technology Group, a Boston-based Dell reseller and an early Compellent partner.

?The Compellent announcement is of particular interest to us. They?re going to be going to a 64-bit operating system as part of their architecture. Today it?s a 32-bit architecture. We?re very bullish about the Compellent product,? said Winslow, who has been a Compellent partner for eight years and became a Dell partner upon Dell?s acquisition of Compellent.

Winslow noted that Compellent?s software was designed for persistence rather than obsolescence, and it provides an easy way to upgrade without having to do a forklift replacement. He added that his customers appreciate the investment protection of Compellent products.

The latest version of the software also expands on Dell?s integration and partnership with VMware. It includes several VMware-specific enhancements, including Dell Compellent VMware vSphere Storage APIs for Array Integration, Storage Replication Adapter (SRA) for Site Recovery Manager 5 and vSphere 5 Client Plug-In and Enterprise Manager for vSphere 5 integration.

With a focus on storage, Winslow also said that the launch of a disk-to-disk backup appliance with deduplication technology is another strong step forward for Dell in the storage space.

?Dell has never had a dedupe appliance, a category that Data Domain made really popular and revolutionized five or six years ago,? Davis said. ?They acquired Ocarina, and how is that going to play out? Now we?re seeing that Dell is introducing their own dedupe appliance into the market place. It gives Dell a broad range and gives us a wider solution set to sell.?

Dell is also introducing a new product designed to optimize Microsoft SharePoint infrastructure through improved data and storage management. SharePoint Infrastructure Optimization (SIO) is a combination of services, hardware and software, and it addresses issues businesses are facing with the increasing adoption of SharePoint, Davis said.

Additionally, Dell also announced expanded for support for Dell Force10 and Dell PowerConnect Ethernet products, as well as Brocade 16Gb fibre channel switches.

 

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Dell's Latitude ST Enterprise Tablet Aims for Healthcare, Education Markets

Dell has unveiled details about its Latitude ST ultraportable enterprise tablet, a unit suitable for workers in fields such as health care and education.

The Latitude ST slate features an Intel Atom CPU, Windows 7, a 10.1-inch multitouch display and six hours of battery life.

Kirk Schell, executive director and general manager of Dell's business client product group, announced the Latitude ST in an Oct. 27 post on the Direct2Dell corporate blog.

Starting at less than 2 pounds, the unit also features front and rear Webcams, which can be used for telehealth sessions or remote video conferencing. The unit has a 720-pixel camera in the front and a 5-megapixel camera in the back.

In addition, the Latitude ST comes with embedded Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 600 graphics. It also includes USB and High-Definition Multimedia Interface ports, and an SD memory card slot. The optional docking station connects the Latitude ST to peripherals such as projectors and printers.

In addition, a rubberized bumper and antiglare Corning Glass screen should allow the unit to withstand fieldwork.

It also comes with support for remote management and compatibility with Dell Kace appliances. Kace is a unit of Dell that makes system-management hardware.

The Latitude ST will be available Nov. 1.

In health care, medical professionals can view patient histories in electronic health records (EHRs) at patients' bedsides, and input symptoms and notes using the multitouch capabilities or the N-Trig stylus, which allows you to write on the screen exactly as you would on paper.

The tablet also allows doctors to monitor patients remotely or hold telehealth sessions with patients over Skype.

The Latitude ST is certified by the Continua Healthcare Alliance, a nonprofit group of health care and technology companies looking to establish compatibility among health care IT products and allow patients to self-manage their health.

In addition, the unit will also be able to access streaming data in EHR applications from Athena Health and NextGen Healthcare.

It also works with Dell's Mobile Clinical Computing platform, which through desktop virtualization allows IT workers to centrally manage patient data and improve clinical workflows using server-based computing.

Doctors can also use the Latitude ST to e-prescribe medications, Dell reports.

In education, teachers will use the tablets in classrooms to collaborate with students on projects as well as conduct remote classes. Teachers can also hold remote meetings with parents off-site using Skype.

Meanwhile, insurance agents can complete and submit accident documentation on-site on the slate, according to Dell.

Security features include remote hard drive wipe, Microsoft Bitlocker and the Kensington Lock anti-theft device. Bitlocker encrypts hard drives on devices running Windows. By enabling Bitlocker, all files are encrypted automatically. 

Although the Apple iPad is many doctors' first choice in health care, competition is growing, especially from Google, according to Mobihealthnews.

In addition, rugged tablets from companies such as Itronix, Motion Computing, Panasonic and Xplore Technologies offer support for workers in extreme environments, including the military, construction and first response in emergencies.

On Oct. 18, Motion Computing announced it would add a SlateMate module to its CL900 tablet to incorporate a magnetic stripe reader and bar-code scanner. Dell's Latitude ST enables workers to add a bar-code scanner through a USB connection.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell Latitude ST Multitouch Tablet Headed for Hospitals, Schools

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Dell Enhances PowerEdge Server Portfolio With AMD Opteron 6200 Processors

Technology giant Dell introduced enhancements to its PowerEdge server portfolio with AMD (NYSE: AMD) Opteron 6200 Series processors for better energy efficiency and performance for enterprise applications, Web, private cloud and virtualization. The company offers the AMD Opteron 6200 Series processors in its PowerEdge R715 and R815 rack servers, the PowerEdge M915 blade server and the ultra-dense PowerEdge C6145.

With up to 16 cores per processor, the AMD processors achieve up to 24 to 84 percent better performance helping applications to run more effectively, according to AMD. The PowerEdge M915 supports four high-performance AMD Opteron 6282SE processors, enabling it to outperform HP's Proliant BL685c G7 blade servers by up to 8 percent, based on reports published on the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation s Web site.

For customers seeking to save data center space, the high-density Dell PowerEdge R815 provides four processors in a 2U chassis compared to the 4U designs of the HP DL580 and HPDL585. "Highly virtualized environments and scale-out workloads like cloud and Big Data are changing the dynamics of the data center," said Sally Stevens, vice president of server platform marketing for Dell.

"From economical 2-socket platforms to high-performance 4-socket blades and ultra-dense servers, Dell PowerEdge systems are tuned to deliver outstanding performance and scalability," she explained. "Our customers want to be able to do more work in less space, and we re giving them that capability with a complete AMD-based server portfolio that allows them to effectively manage high volumes of system traffic while reducing workload costs."

Built specifically to drive higher compute in less space, the Dell PowerEdge C6145 delivers enhanced performance, increased scalability for virtualization with less overhead, and more efficient scale-out economics for cloud computing. The PowerEdge C6145 now packs up to 128 AMD 6200 Series processor cores in 2U with shared infrastructure that is designed to increase server density and a feature set that helps minimizes power drain. As a result, customers such as the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) are able to handle massively parallel applications at 2-3 times less cost compared to typical 4-socket processing.

"NCSA's iForge supercomputer helps improve the design and manufacturing of a variety of products, from aircraft engines to mobile phone networks," said Evan Burness, project manager of the private sector program at the NCSA. "NCSA's early testing of the PowerEdge C6145 with Opteron 6200 series processors demonstrates excellent performance and parallelism across a range of commercial engineering applications. Dell and AMD have done a superb job creating a powerful and balanced HPC solution, and one that we believe helps deliver a distinct competitive advantage to our partners as part of iForge."

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Dell PowerEdge Server Portfolio Sports AMD Opteron 6200 Processors

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Dell AIM ranks in top three for systems management in SearchDataCenter.com 2011 Products of the Year

Dell’s momentum in the software arena is growing, and we’re glad to, once again, have one of our software offerings receive recognition. Dell Advanced Infrastructure Manager (AIM), part of the Virtual Integrated System (VIS) portfolio, received the bronze in Systems Management in SearchDataCenter.com’s 2011 Products of the Year Awards.  

Two features were highlighted as sealing the prize for Dell AIM: Its ability to “work with a variety of different vendors to maximize data center compute resources” and easing “the burden of reconfiguring the environment every time something in the data center changes.”

Dell AIM is a workload mobility and recovery management solution that works on multiple vendors’ servers, storage and networking hardware. Additionally, to aid organizations as they expand their virtualization and get ready for the cloud, Dell AIM integrates with multiple partners, such as Microsoft, VMware and BMC using open application program interfaces (APIs).

SearchDataCenter.com described Dell AIM as “a great tool to help system administrators maximize their compute environment while decreasing the administration workload.” Dell AIM achieves this increase in resource utilization by pooling storage, server and networking resources and allowing increased workload mobility. 

Two other Dell products were in the top eight for their categories: vStart in Computing Hardware, and Energy Smart Containment Rack in Infrastructure.

Dell AIM also received best of show award at Interop Tokyo 2011.

Here's more recognition our products received:

Dell vStart has been awarded “the Best Server Virtual Platform” by - Zdnet.com.cn (China)Dell VIS has been awarded the 2011 Annual Data Center Management Product Award.- Doit (China)

For more information on Dell AIM and VIS as Dell’s Enterprise Private Cloud, go to Dell.com/aim.

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