Dell Technologies Drives Storage Innovation for Cyber Resiliency and Energy Efficiency on Multicloud

Dell Technologies is revolutionizing the storage landscape through its commitment to software-driven innovation, providing customers with a cutting-edge portfolio that delivers increased cyber resiliency, energy efficiency, and automation capabilities for seamless multi-cloud transformations.

Over the past twelve months, Dell has introduced more than 2,000 advancements across every category of the external storage industry, all offered to existing customers at no additional cost. These advancements can be accessed through on-premises software or via Dell APEX as-a-Service, empowering customers to maximize the value of their IT investments.

Jeff Boudreau, President and General Manager of Dell Technologies’ Infrastructure Solutions Group, commented, “With the ever-growing data volume and the scarcity of skilled IT talent, companies are seeking ways to do more with less. We are addressing this challenge by enabling customers to optimize their IT investments through storage software innovation that enhances energy efficiency, boosts productivity, and fortifies cyber resiliency.”

The exponential growth of data, coupled with the adoption of multi-cloud environments and the constant threat of cyberattacks, has elevated the need for a future-ready storage portfolio. Manish Gupta, Vice President of Dell Technologies’ Infrastructure Solutions Group in India, highlighted the significance of software-driven storage innovations in supporting Zero Trust adoption, scaling productivity, and leveraging existing IT investments to meet the demands of today’s businesses.

Dell’s PowerStore Plus portfolio is strategically positioned to cater to these needs, offering automation, security, and multi-cloud capabilities while enabling businesses to achieve their sustainability goals.

One notable innovation is PowerStore, Dell’s intelligent all-flash data storage array, designed to meet the most stringent security requirements across industries. It enables organizations to adopt a Zero Trust model, ensuring continuous verification of users and resources to authorize only known entities and actions. The latest security software enhancements include:

• STIG-hardening: PowerStore meets the rigorous configuration standards defined by the U.S. federal government and the Department of Defense through Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs). PowerStore’s adherence to the NIST Cyber Security Framework, a requirement for U.S. federal networks and global government entities, further enhances its security posture.
• Secure and immutable snapshots: Prevents unauthorized deletion or modification of snapshots before their intended expiration date.
• Streamlined file permissions: Empowers storage administrators to efficiently manage access directly from PowerStore, enabling rapid response to security threats.
• Increased file resiliency: Supports up to 4 times more mounted snapshots per system, providing users with additional protection points for precise recovery, if needed.
• Multi-factor authentication: Strengthens administrative access security by implementing increased user identity verification measures.

Dell’s focus also extends to driving productivity while optimizing costs. The new PowerStore software automation and multi-cloud advancements enable customers to leverage their existing IT investments while reducing operational and energy expenses. Key features include:

• Dell PowerProtect native integration: Organizations can seamlessly implement their multi-cloud data protection strategies by leveraging PowerStore’s deep integration with Dell’s physical and software-defined data protection solutions. Backup configurations can be easily established in less than two minutes directly from the PowerStore user interface, facilitating the use of PowerProtect appliances with advanced capabilities, such as up to 65:1 data reduction and DD Boost technology. This integration facilitates cost-effective cloud archiving, reducing on-premises capacity requirements and lowering power and cooling costs.
• DevOps workflow enhancements: PowerStore introduces integrations with Ansible and Terraform, along with application mobility capabilities through Dell Container Storage Modules. These integrations empower PowerStore customers to accelerate innovation with flexible storage automation. By supporting open-source solutions, PowerStore simplifies storage automation for DevOps teams, enabling the creation of repeatable, automated processes across diverse environments without the need for low-level coding or help desk support.

Among the highlights is the remarkable performance of the PowerStore system, which delivers up to 60% more IOPS (input/output operations per second) per watt. Additionally, PowerStore is now available with ENERGY STAR-certified configurations, making it the most energy-efficient system of its kind. Dell’s focus on energy efficiency and sustainability addresses the growing need for environmentally conscious IT solutions, a key consideration for businesses according to a recent IDC survey.

In addition to PowerStore, Dell is ramping up its software-driven storage innovation across its entire portfolio. These innovations include:

• Dell PowerMax: Regarded as the world’s most secure and mission-critical storage solution, PowerMax reinforces cybersecurity by enabling an operational airgap. This feature enables customers to expedite the recovery of compromised production data in the event of a cyberattack.
• Dell PowerFlex: This software-defined infrastructure solution accelerates modernization through enhanced NVMe/TCP and security capabilities.
• Dell ObjectScale: Offering faster enterprise S3 object storage performance, Dell ObjectScale simplifies deployment and support, providing a seamless experience for users.
• Dell CloudIQ: Dell’s AIOps software extends its AI/ML-driven performance and capacity analytics, along with VMware integration. This integration streamlines and accelerates IT and DevOps operations.
• Dell Unity XT: The flexible hybrid storage platform now includes enhanced Ansible support, enabling customers to enhance storage automation. This feature helps businesses reduce costs, minimize errors, and increase overall productivity.

Availability:

• The advancements in Dell PowerStore and ObjectScale will be globally available in June 2023.
• Dell PowerMax, CloudIQ, and Unity XT capabilities are already available worldwide.
• Dell PowerFlex advancements are expected to be globally available in the third quarter of 2023.