Dell looks to take cloud mainstream with new servers

Dell PowerEdge server

A new line of servers has been launched today by Dell with the aim of bringing the lessons learned from large, scaled-out cloud environments to the masses.

The new Dell PowerEdge C-Series consists of three servers the C1100, the C2100 and the C6100 designed to bring the bespoke ideas of large-scale cloud computing models down to more affordable solutions for companies who want to explore the new technology.

Speaking at the launch in San Francisco, Forrest Norrod, vice president and general manager of server platforms at Dell, said: "This set of servers... [has] an acute focus on efficiency, ease of management and ease to scale out for private cloud, cloud builders, web 2.0 and high performance computing."

He claimed that companies of all sizes could benefit from the cloud efficiencies that large internet companies of today see as such an imperative.

However, Norrod admitted that the new C-Series products were nothing on the scale compared to the solutions Dell makes for the big internet players.

"Frankly these are fantastic products, highly efficient [but] they are also some of the most conservative products from our hyperscale customers," added Norrod.

"We are starting with what we think our customers can easily comprehend and see the impact they can have, but at the same time the [products] are familiar enough."

He concluded that the three new servers were just the "start of a journey" when it comes to this range and added that more scale-out systems will be rolled out in the future.

Dell also confirmed it would be refreshing the rest of its server line and start shipping three new PowerEdge servers based on the latest Intel EX processor.

Norrod said: "These platforms really have a continuous place in the power performance spectrum and we think they are fantastic vehicles to help customers come off the risk legacy alternatives."

Jennifer Scott

Jennifer Scott is a former freelance journalist and currently political reporter for Sky News. She has a varied writing history, having started her career at Dennis Publishing, working in various roles across its business technology titles, including ITPro. Jennifer has specialised in a number of areas over the years and has produced a wealth of content for ITPro, focusing largely on data storage, networking, cloud computing, and telecommunications.

Most recently Jennifer has turned her skills to the political sphere and broadcast journalism, where she has worked for the BBC as a political reporter, before moving to Sky News.