Dell is revamping its services and storage efforts as it continues its quest to be seen as more than just a computer maker.
After completing the acquisition of storage area networking company EqualLogic, Dell has wasted no time in integrating the line into its storage portfolio. Best known for its iSCSI technology, EqualLogic’s products will become Dell’s PS 5000 series and help Dell drive into mid-sized businesses. Dell will offer the former EqualLogic products both directly and through resellers.
“No-one is saying one will replace the other but iSCSI presents great opportunities [compared to Fibre Channel],” said Simon Negus, vice president of services. “It’s a simplification technology and iSCSI and server virtualisation are joined at the hip; sixty-nine per cent of iSCSI early adopters are also using server virtualisation.”
Dell also cited Clipper Group research suggesting iSCSI connections will surpass Fibre Channel links in 2009. Burgeoning email attachments, increased use of multimedia and corporate governance demands are making storage more central to IT strategies.
“There’s a multiplier effect,” said Forrester Research analyst Andrew Reichman. “The more you’re storing, the more the cost of wasting storage and the greater the potential risk.”
Separately, Dell said it is simplifying its services tariffs with global specifications and shorter rosters of options for both IT helpdesks and individual remote users.
“We found our model was overly complex and made it quite difficult for users to find what service was best for them in a particular geography,” said Craig Routledge, Dell services director. “It became clear that the fragmented support model was too complex.”
Dell chief executive Michael Dell was once dismissive of companies that built large services wings but now his company sees the area as a profit centre. Routledge added that Dell plans to grow in services by exploiting acquisitions such as asset management company ASAP Software, remote service outfit Silverback Technologies and application delivery firm ACS.
