Suggestions posted on Dell’s IdeaStorm website were instrumental in shaping the technology giant’s latest portfolio of PowerEdge servers that serve an emerging segment of the vital SME market.
Aamir Paul, who runs the advanced systems group in charge of server sales across Europe at Dell, told siliconrepublic.com that the inclusion of features such as an eSata port for SME IT managers to migrate data as well as one-button push configuration, were directly influenced by suggestions on the IdeaStorm website.
IdeaStorm was a service Dell introduced in 2007 to gauge public opinion on features they would like included in Dell products.
Paul explained that one of the consequences of Dell’s restructuring over the last two years has been a heavy focus on technologies and solutions for the large and growing global SME market.
The company’s latest portfolio of small business technologies take capabilities of larger enterprise systems and simplify them to be utilised in the server rooms of small and medium firms.
Lifecycle Controller 1.2 simplifies the deployment of new server platforms by automating the operating system installation of local and remote servers for small businesses and large enterprises alike. It saves time and money by including the correct drivers for all the operating systems and components pre-loaded on Dell PowerEdge servers.
The PowerEdge T110 is a customer-inspired first server for small businesses, with a desktop-sized chassis and the right combination of security, basic systems management for easy system monitoring and reliability. The T110 will be available in EMEA on 30 September starting at €629 which includes a three-year service warranty.
The PowerEdge R210 is an ideal first rack server for a small business with space constraints or can be used as a specialised application server for larger corporations. Because of its small 15.5-inch chassis depth and its low-wattage power supply, the PowerEdge R210 has the smallest energy footprint of any Dell PowerEdge server. The R210 will be available in EMEA on 30 September, starting at €759 which includes a three-year service warranty.
“This is all about creating technology that makes sophisticated enterprise-level capabilities accessible to SMEs.
“A few years back, if you were a small business with 10 to 15 people you were probably running everything off a desktop in the back office.
“The fascinating thing we’ve done here was step back and take a lot of input from customers in those kind of environments and help SMEs transition to full-blown servers.
“We got rid of the idea of IT managers having to install 15 CDs of media to putting in a lifecycle controller that has a library of what they need.
“Software companies have built these capabilities into their software for a long time and now its time for hardware to take a step in the right direction and provide SMEs with the robust architecture they need for their business,” Paul said.
Photo: IdeaStorm’s homepage.
By John Kennedy
