Dell boosts enterprise virtualization portfolio

Dell has introduced a number of business products and services that are designed to bring more efficiency to tasks such as deploying virtualization or setting up a data center.

The new products, announced on Wednesday, include ready-to-use virtualization systems and servers and storage products. A consulting service called ProConsult has also been launched.

For virtualization deployments, Dell announced two pre-configured packages of servers, storage and connection technology: one for data centers and the other for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). The configurations are designed to simplify the design, procurement and deployment of virtualized infrastructure, Dell said.

Dell also announced three pre-configured packages aimed at simplifying the management of virtualized infrastructure, including tools for migration between physical and virtual systems, as well as for virtual server monitoring.

The company introduced two new storage products, the EqualLogic PS4000 storage array and the PowerVault NX3000 network attached storage device, as well as the PowerEdge T410 and T710 tower servers, and the R410 rack server.

The storage and server products are all designed for SMBs or for branch offices, Dell said. The R410 is also suitable for high-performance computing environments in the public or private sector, Dell said.

Finally, Dell introduced consulting services aimed at helping companies plan and run data centers.

The services, all under the ProConsult brand, focus on five areas: virtualization services, data center planning and management, disaster recovery, data management and facilities, which examines space, power and cooling issues.