Dell expands datacentre storage and network options

New storage and networking options address datacentre bottlenecks

Dell has announced updates to its storage and networking products aimed at datacentres, which it said will address network bottlenecks and assist customers using virtualisation to consolidate their infrastructure.

The announcement includes updates to the Dell/EMC CX4 storage arrays, new consulting services for storage consolidation, and additional network options including 10Gbit Ethernet adapters for blade servers.

Dell said that its Dell/EMC CX4 storage arrays will add 10Gbit iSCSI support from next month. The devices already have 1Gbit iSCSI, plus 4G and 8G Fibre Channel ports.

Also due for availability next month is EMC's Navisphere Management Suite to help customers manage storage in virtual environments, plus drive spin-down to reduce power consumption.

Meanwhile, the new ProConsult Storage Consolidation services are intended to help customers implement technologies including storage area networks (SANs), data protection for SANs, and backup of data.

Dell also announced new blade server networking options available from next month, including the PowerConnect M6348 48-port gigabit Ethernet switch and two new quad-port mezzanine adapter cards for Dell's full-height PowerEdge blades, the Broadcom NetExtreme II 5709 and Intel Gigabit ET Quad Port Ethernet.

The company will also make available a 10Gbit Ethernet Pass-Through Blade I/O Module from the fourth quarter of 2009, which directly connects blade servers using dual-port mezzanine adapters to external resources such as servers or switches for more scalable connectivity.