Dell Unveils New OpenManage Systems Management Software; Announces Future Tools to Ease Management of Dell Servers and Storage Systems

Business Wire, Dec 5, 2000

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2000

Dell (Nasdaq:DELL) announced new software today that will make it easier for companies to manage the computers that power their enterprise infrastructures and outlined its roadmap for additional systems management tools.

Known as Dell OpenManage(tm), these tools ease the installation and configuration of Dell PowerEdge(tm) and PowerApp(tm) servers, and PowerVault(tm) storage systems, while enhancing system status monitoring, enabling remote systems management, and helping organizations manage and track assets. With today's announcement, these tools enter the sixth generation of their lifecycle.

"We are making significant investments to enhance our systems management portfolio, which we believe make Dell OpenManage the best systems management suite for Intel-based servers in its class," said Michael Lambert, senior vice president of Dell's Enterprise Systems Group. "New offerings today and in the future will help our customers more effectively manage their growing computing infrastructures."

Dell updated two components of its systems management suite, Dell OpenManage Server Assistant and Dell OpenManage IT Assistant with new features that rank them among the most advanced in their class.

Dell Server Assistant, which helps customers set up their Dell servers -- installing the operating system, configuring drivers, etc. -- now includes the ability to configure RAID (Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks) and storage arrays at the time of system setup.

This new feature enables IT managers to completely set up a Microsoft(R) Windows(R) NT server with RAID support in about 20 minutes, nearly twice as fast as was possible before. The combination of storage setup and Dell Server Assistant's wizard-based design make the tool one of the easiest to use and fastest setup utilities in the industry.

Dell IT Assistant helps customers manage Dell servers by monitoring processor status, internal temperature, fan status, etc. and alerting IT managers with screen-based, e-mail and pager messages when there are problems. Version 6.0 integrates new RAID and storage subsystem management as well as access to the Remote Assistant Card in a single user's interface.

The updated agent-based application helps IT managers more effectively troubleshoot problems by automatically launching the appropriate management application, such as the storage array management application to address a system storage issue. The new combination of server and storage management capabilities into one framework makes Dell OpenManage IT Assistant one of the most complete active management solutions available today.

Because all Dell OpenManage tools feature a convenient Web-based interface, systems management is available to administrators from virtually any location on the network.

Next year, Dell plans to further simplify management of its systems by consolidating existing management tools into one Web-based console. The system will provide individual system health monitoring and management as well as management of clusters and storage area networks and will feature:

-- Management of all Intel-based hardware components, including storage
systems, on heterogeneous networks, regardless of vendor;

-- Enhanced integration with leading systems and application management
frameworks, including HP OpenView, CA Unicenter TNG, Tivoli Enterprise Console,
Tivoli Netview, BMC Patrol and Microsoft SMS;

-- Simpler management control for setup and administration of servers and
storage systems in remote locations, such as a branch office;

-- Improved version control utilities to ensure that servers and storage not
only run the latest bios and system software, but also that there are no
system-level conflicts;

-- Continued direct integration between a customer's installation and Dell
technical support to automatically collect diagnostic hardware and software
information and provide Internet-based collaboration between IT managers and
Dell;

-- More robust cluster management capabilities designed to provide setup,
configuration and management of all the Microsoft(R) Cluster Server clusters
from a single management console; and

-- Additional utilities for setting up and managing servers and storage systems
quickly and easily.

The newest versions of Dell OpenManage IT and Server Assistant ship with all new Dell servers. For further information about the Dell OpenManage for managing the Internet infrastructure, please visit www.dell.com/openmanage.>

About Dell

Dell Computer Corporation (Nasdaq:DELL) is the world's leading direct computer systems company, based on revenues of $30 billion for the past four quarters, and is a premier provider of products and services required for customers to build their Internet infrastructures. The company ranks No. 56 on the Fortune 500, No. 210 on the Fortune Global 500 and No. 3 on the Fortune "most admired" lists of companies. Dell designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained on the World Wide Web at www.dell.com.