Dell delivers new storage systems with Windows Storage Server 2003

Enterprise Networks & Servers, Oct 2003

Dell PowerVault network attached storage (NAS) systems will support Microsoft Corp.'s new Windows Storage Server 2003 operating system, Dell has announced. In addition, Dell will help customers migrate from the previous-generation Microsoft platform to Windows Storage Server 2003.

"Dell and Microsoft began working together three years ago to develop and deliver standards-based NAS products. In the second quarter of this year, we shipped more NAS units than any other vendor," said Randy Groves, Dell's chief technology officer.

"We are committed to helping customers leverage standards-based technologies, such as Windows Storage Server 2003, to lower overall storage costs and meet future growth requirements, while protecting existing storage investments."

Dell will offer Windows Storage Server 2003 on its PowerVault 770N and 775N systems designed for small and medium-sized businesses, and departments or workgroups within larger organizations. These products also include support for 2.4 and 2.8GHz Intel Xeon processors with 533MHz front side bus technology. Customers can use Dell OpenManage systems management tools to monitor the performance and status of their PowerVault NAS systems.

Additional Windows Storage Server 2003 features on Dell PowerVault NAS systems include:

Support for up to 8-node clustering helps increase reliability and availability;

Print services can increase manageability and decrease administration costs;

Volume Shadow Copy Services can provide easy user access to point-in-time copies of data to defend against information loss; and

Volume Disk Services allow for online expansion of storage volumes without disrupting system uptime.

"With the combination of advanced storage features in Windows Storage Server 2003 and Dell's PowerVault 770N and 775N, our joint customers will benefit from high-performance, reliable and easily managed storage solutions," said Charles Stevens, corporate vice president of the Enterprise Storage Division at Microsoft Corp.

"Together with Dell, Microsoft is pleased to be evolving network storage offerings and meet our customers' critical storage needs."

www.dell.com/storage