Dell, Microsoft Bring Enterprise-Class Storage Capabilities to the Mainstream

6th December 2006

Dell and Microsoft Corp. today announced a unified, networked storage system for file and application data that delivers enterprise-class manageability, versatility and performance for businesses of all sizes.

The Dell PowerVault NX1950 with Microsoft Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 goes beyond traditional network-attached storage solutions. The integrated hardware and software system offers the performance, advanced management features and flexibility of a mid-range unified storage device at an affordable price. It can also help customers reduce complexity and storage costs by eliminating separate licensing for additional features and protocols such as snapshots, replication and resource management.

"At Dell and Microsoft, we've listened to our customers and designed a system for a market segment that historically has been under-served and overcharged," said Darren Thomas, vice president and general manager, Dell storage and services. "Dell and Microsoft share a vision of redefining the economics of the storage industry through simplicity, affordability and capability."

The PowerVault NX1950 integrated solution includes single or two-node cluster configurations featuring a redundant SAS-based back-end storage array scaling up to 45 drives.

Windows Unified Data Storage Server 2003 is a new Microsoft storage platform providing an advanced file server and IP SAN (iSCSI) capabilities, as well as unified management tools for easy deployment and maintenance in heterogeneous environments.

"Customers want more powerful storage solutions to meet increasingly challenging business demands, yet networked storage technologies are still complex and costly," said Gabriel Broner, general manager of storage at Microsoft. "With Windows Unified Data Storage Server, Microsoft and Dell have focused on changing that dynamic. This is a significant step for Microsoft's Universal Distributed Storage strategy of delivering enterprise storage capabilities to a broader market."

Source: www.microsoft.com