Dell launches data centre virtualisation products

Data centre virtualisation

Dell is launching two new products and a new service to help its customers consolidate and virtualise their data centres.

The main attraction of this announcement is its new CX4 storage array, developed in partnership with EMC.

Offering 10gb Ethernet connectivity, it also features 10GB iSCSI, slower drive spin to conserve power, and new virtualisation management software called Navisphere.

Along with 10gb Ethernet for its storage array, Dell is launching a new 48-port Gigabit Ethernet Blade Switch, claiming to be the highest port count single switch I/O module compared to any of its rival x86 server vendors. The provision of extra gigabit ethernet ports helps to create a more efficient virtualised environment.

Praveen Asthana, vice president of enterprise storage and networking at Dell, said in a statement: "Ethernet is increasingly being chosen as the networking technology for storage as customers look to consolidate and virtualise their data centers."

"With a 10 gigabit option and its inherent advantages in virtualised environments, Ethernet's case gets even stronger as the most simple and capable networking fabric."

To round off the launch, Dell is also announcing a new storage consolidation service for those wanting to use the joint Dell and EMC products. It offers design services for SANs, local data protection, remote data protection and backup as well as consolidation of your existing arrangements.

All these new additions to Dell will be available within the next month.

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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.