On this storage provider profile, we take a look at Dell storage, which is a part of the infrastructure options group of the Texas-based big Dell Applied sciences.
Because the final profile we did on Dell, its acquisition of EMC, which fashioned such an vital a part of its storage portfolio, has been eclipsed because the tech world’s largest ever. However solely simply, and by the sale of former EMC subsidiary VMware to Broadcom in 2023 for $69bn.
What has been eclipsed, nonetheless, is any hint of EMC branding in Dell storage. And, whereas underneath the hood, and within the unfold and scale of its storage merchandise, EMC’s legacy stays, you wouldn’t know until intimately accustomed to it.
Right here, we take a look at Dell’s storage provide, which sees upgraded storage for synthetic intelligence (AI) use instances and consists of the power to increase on-premise to cloud storage, handle containers and benefit from as-a-service strategies of storage procurement.
What are the origins of Dell storage?
Dell made its first foray into storage in 2008 when it purchased iSCSI storage space community (SAN) participant EqualLogic. It then added tiered storage SAN specialist Compellent in 2011.
Its massive transfer got here in 2015 when it purchased enterprise SAN big EMC for $67bn in a deal that closed in 2016. That additionally introduced virtualisation pioneer VMware, which was bought to Broadcom for $69bn in 2023.
Dell was based in 1984 by Michael Dell in Texas, the place he began to promote IBM-compatible PCs. The corporate made massive good points from the early shopper PC market and noticed off rivals, however by the early 2000s it began to develop past PCs whereas gross sales progress slowed.
How does Dell EMC rank towards different storage gamers?
In 2023, IDC ranked Dell EMC prime of the storage array makers with market share of 26%. That was fairly a good distance forward of Huawei (9.7%), HPE (8.3%), Lenovo/Lenovo-NetApp (7.7%), NetApp (7%), Pure Storage (6.1%), and Hitachi and IBM (each slightly below 5%).
Dell Applied sciences was ranked forty eighth in 2024’s Fortune 500. That’s a bit of down on the final time we wrote about it in 2023, when it was thirty fourth.
In 1996, Dell revenues have been $5.3bn. That elevated to round $60bn between 2008 and 2012. After that, revenues declined to a low of $51bn in 2016, solely to start restoration following absorption of EMC to face at $102bn in 2023. That dropped away to close $88.5bn in 2024.
What are Dell EMC’s key storage merchandise?
PowerMax SAN and network-attached storage (NAS) arrays – previously EMC’s VMAX – are non-volatile memory express (NVMe) flash-equipped merchandise aimed toward essential databases, massive digital machine (VM) clusters and mainframes. PowerMax is available in two sequence, the 2500 and 8500, each powered by Intel Xeon processors, NVMe flash drives and Nvidia BlueField DPUs. The 8500 can scale from two nodes to 16 nodes and is aimed toward demanding combined workloads, with superior cyber resiliency options just like the Cyber Restoration Service for PowerMax.
Within the mid-range, PowerStore is the successor to the EMC VNX and Unity strains. The most recent model of the platform’s working system is PowerStore 4.0, whereas array merchandise run from the 500T to the 9200T, with incremental fashions between, and the lately launched 3200Q, which provides high-density quad-level cell (QLC) flash storage capability.
The former EMC Isilon scale-out NAS is now called PowerScale, with a model range that includes F-series (high performance, low latency), H-series (balanced performance and capacity), and A-series (long-term bulk storage and archives). The Isilon heritage still persists in the form of the OneFS operating system, or PowerScale OneFS as it is now called.
F-series arrays range from F2XX to F9XX with all-flash and QLC and triple-level cell (TLC) high-density choices and scaling from a number of hundred terabytes to close 8PB. In the meantime, H-series arrays provide laborious disk drive (HDD)-based capability with a solid-state drive (SSD) cache with cluster capability up previous 100PB potential, when the utmost 250-plus nodes are deployed. A-series PowerScale arrays are additionally HDD-equipped with most cluster capacities just like the H-series.
The flagship F900 is aimed toward AI, machine studying (ML) and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, media and leisure 8K processing, genomics, algorithmic buying and selling, and so forth.
The previous EMC ScaleIO software-defined storage is now PowerFlex, which it dubs “software-first” as it’s out there in pre-configured rack, equipment and software-only modes. It provides file and block storage and might scale to 16PB uncooked capability. PowerFlex goals at knowledge/analytics, AI/ML, and enterprise purposes corresponding to enterprise useful resource planning (ERP) and buyer relationship administration (CRM).
ECS is Dell’s S3-compatible object storage {hardware} household, which is aimed toward unstructured knowledge storage. ECS home equipment come because the EX500, EX5000 and EXF900 product strains. Solely the latter is all-flash, with the EX500 and 5000 taking SATA HDDs. Capacities vary from the low tens of terabytes to 7.6PB, 14PB and slightly below 24PB in a rack.
PowerVault ME5 is low-cost, scalable block storage aimed toward small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and distant workplace deployments. Advised use instances differ massively, from backup and archive, by way of virtualisation/digital desktop infrastructure, to database operations, in addition to edge deployments corresponding to CCTV.
Primary choices are ME5012, which is available in a 2U chassis with as much as 12 drives and 288TB; ME5024, which might take as much as 24 drives and 184TB, configurable with flash or as all-flash; and ME5084, which is available in 5U type issue and 84 drives for the extra data-heavy finish of goal workloads and most capability of simply over 2PB.
What markets and workloads do Dell EMC goal?
Dell EMC storage covers all bases, from probably the most performance-hungry AI and HPC use instances, by way of database and transactional workloads, to all common workloads, together with entry-level and SME storage. Block, file and object storage, and mainframe use instances might be dealt with by product households within the Dell EMC vary.
How does the cloud match Dell EMC’s technique?
Dell EMC has lengthy had private and non-private cloud connectivity from its storage {hardware}. This consists of MultiCloud Information Providers, which delivers internet hosting, cloud connectivity, and storage and knowledge safety as absolutely managed providers.
In the meantime, PowerMax, PowerStore and PowerScale storage arrays, and PowerProtect (previously EMC Information Area) backup home equipment can entry a number of public clouds. Use instances focused right here embrace multicloud catastrophe restoration, check and improvement, and distributed high-performance computing.
Additionally, final yr, cloud storage supplier Wasabi Applied sciences introduced a collaboration with Dell to offer clients with hybrid cloud options. Dell PowerProtect home equipment can natively tier knowledge to Wasabi.
What’s the Dell EMC container technique?
In 2023, Dell launched its Apex Crimson Hat OpenShift service to permit clients to make use of open supply container administration software program in enterprise deployments.
Crimson Hat OpenShift is the IBM-owned firm’s container orchestration service that’s primarily based on Kubernetes and works with Ceph open supply storage.
Previous to that, Dell made Container Storage Modules (CSMs) typically out there in 2021. CSMs are plug-ins that present Kubernetes storage and knowledge safety administration that transcend fundamental container storage interface (CSI) performance.
CSI drivers usually assist in provisioning, deleting, mapping and unmapping volumes of information. CSMs are for enterprise clients that need extra automation and management through a comparatively easy person interface.
CSI plug-ins can be found for all Dell storage {hardware} merchandise.
What consumption fashions of buying does Dell EMC provide?
Dell EMC’s consumption mannequin of buying is Apex, which permits clients to pick from block, file and object storage {hardware}, plus knowledge safety home equipment.
Dell has dedicated to supply clients the power to increase the Dell expertise to public cloud providers (“floor to cloud”), deliver the cloud expertise to on-premise environments (“cloud to floor”), and supply an “air visitors management layer” to assist monitor and handle it.
Apex clients work with Dell to find out a “dedicated capability” and “buffer capability” that’s prone to be required sooner or later. Uncooked and usable capability knowledge is measured at element degree, day by day averages are calculated and a month-to-month common then derived from that.
Dell additionally has a partnership with Equinix that gives knowledge colocation within the UK for purchasers.
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Sourcing from TechTarget.com & computerweekly.com
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