Dell Drives Mainframe-Class Storage Technologies Into Windows NT Market; Storage Area Network Offers Dell Customers Data Center Capabilities for Less Cost

Business Wire, Feb 23, 1999

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 1999--Dell Computer Corporation (NASDAQ:DELL), the world's leading direct computer systems company, today announced new PowerVault(tm) storage products that enable customers to build low-cost storage area networks for Microsoft(R) Windows NT(R) environments, which help reduce their cost for storing, managing and protecting business-critical data.

Dell's storage area network (SAN) solution is designed to improve application performance across a network, deliver virtually uninterrupted access to data, offer faster data backup and provide enhanced disaster protection and data management capabilities, all for less cost than most options available today. Dell expects its pricing for a full-featured SAN solution to be about 30 percent less than most competitors (see separate news release for new product details).

The Dell SAN is based on data-center class, fibre-channel technology, which enables high performance and reliability. Data from up to four Dell PowerEdge(R) servers running Windows NT can now be consolidated on to one PowerVault 650F storage subsystem and a PowerVault 130T digital linear tape library for high-speed storage and backup.

Through a joint development effort, Dell and Microsoft produced the software that makes it possible for multiple PowerEdge servers running Windows NT to share one PowerVault storage subsystem.

"Microsoft is excited that Dell is delivering a SAN and storage consolidation solution for the Windows NT Server platform," said Edmund Muth, group product manager, Microsoft Corp. "Our joint efforts with Dell have resulted in a scalable solution that addresses our mutual customers' needs to managing and protecting their business-critical data assets."

International Data Corp., a leading industry analyst firm, estimates the disk array portion of the SAN market will grow to more than $11.4 billion in annual sales by 2002. Based on internal research, Dell estimates the total SAN market may exceed $15 billion by 2002.

"The market for storage area networks will grow considerably in the next three years and Dell is well positioned to provide a leading solution for customers requiring the benefits that SANs deliver," said John McArthur, program director, Storage Systems Research at IDC. "Dell's SAN strategy, products offered, and selection of leading partners demonstrate a strong commitment to its storage business, which will translate into real benefits for a broad range of customers."

Dell's SAN includes several new PowerVault storage products and has the ability to grow larger as business needs grow or change. The benefits customers will receive from implementing a SAN are well suited for most business-critical applications, like electronic commerce, web serving, decision support, and enterprise resource planning. To deliver its SAN, Dell worked with leading industry partners, including Brocade Communications, Data General's CLARiiON division, Computer Associates, Crossroads, Legato, Microsoft, Seagate, StorageTek, Tivoli, Veritas, and Qlogic.

"In response to the strong customer demand for a standards-based approach to managing the growth of business critical data, Dell is now offering a feature-rich SAN that, until now, typically existed only in mainframe and Unix environments," said Michael Lambert, senior vice president of Dell's Enterprise Systems Group. "By leveraging our relationships with technology leaders in the storage arena, we are providing customers an expanded portfolio of products to ensure the integrity of vital data at value-driven price points previously unseen in this market."

Dell first entered the storage market last year with the introduction of the fibre channel-based PowerVault 650F storage subsystem, which now offers customers up to two terabytes of data storage in one rack. Dell expanded its line late last year with the SCSI-based (Small Computer System Interface) PowerVault 200S, the PowerVault 130T tape library for high volume data backup, and the Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller 2 (PERC 2), providing high performance data storage to PowerEdge servers with SCSI-based storage. For network attached storage, Dell announced an OEM agreement with Network Appliance, Inc., that will make Dell the first computer vendor to bring Network Appliance's industry-leading storage technology to the Windows NT and Windows 2000(R) market. Products that result from this agreement will be available from Dell in 1999. Service and Support

In support of the SAN solution, Dell will also expand its portfolio of technical consulting services to include: storage planning, storage consolidation, storage performance and backup and recovery. This portfolio will be available from Dell in May 1999.

Dell currently offers customers a range of service and support for its PowerVault storage products through its alliances with NCR Corp., UNISYS Corp. and Wang Global. By integrating these world-class service companies into its direct business model, Dell offers its global customers a single point of contact. Dell customers have access to a worldwide force of more than 35,000 highly trained engineers, technicians, analysts and consultants.