http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/en/newsroom?c=us&l=en&s=corp Dell Power Solutions is your one-stop shop in today's complex IT environment. It offers a forum to help you discover solutions that work, learn best practices from peers, review customer success stories, and examine real-life deployments in the emerging and ever-changing IT landscape. The authors of Dell Power Solutions articles address the life cycle of enterprise server and storage solutions. They not only provide you with a companion guide, but they also become your problem-solving team. en-us Copyright 2006 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:00:00 CST Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:00:00 CST http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/pressoffice/en/rss_howto?c=us&l=en&s=corp Dell 445583 Dell Inc. brad_klenzendorf@dell.com (Brad Klezendorf) 40 http://img.dell.com/images/us/segments/dhs_odg/rss/gmoon_60x.gif http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/en/newsroom?c=us&l=en&s=corp 60 60 Systems Management http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/systems_management_simplified? The new Dell Management Console Powered by Altiris from Symantec is designed to significantly simplify systems management, enabling administrators to manage the myriad aspects of their IT environments—including deployment, help-desk support, security, backup, and servers and storage—from a single centralized console. Based on the flexible, extensible Symantec Management Platform architecture, this tool can integrate easily with an entire catalog of high-value plug-ins without requiring complicated integration services. Implementing a single console that can support a wide variety of systems management tasks not only helps reduce operational costs, but can also help simplify training for IT staff and enable administrators to focus on enhancing the business value of their IT infrastructures rather than on managing their management tools. Administrators can implement the Dell Management Console either by performing a clean installation of the software, which includes the Symantec Management Platform, or by first upgrading an existing Altiris Notification Server 6 installation to the Symantec Management Platform and then installing the console as a plug-in solution. The Symantec Installation Wizard (SIM) can guide administrators through the upgrade process and help ensure that existing Altiris Notification Server 6 data is migrated correctly. After upgrading to the Symantec Management Platform, administrators can then use a migration wizard in the Dell Management Console to import discovery ranges and schedule settings from an existing installation of Dell OpenManage IT Assistant 8.0 or later. By upgrading from an existing Altiris Notification Server 6 infrastructure and migrating data from Dell OpenManage IT Assistant, administrators can help ensure a smooth transition and begin taking advantage of this powerful, flexible console in their own environments. By Manoj Poonia and Ed Casmer Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/systems_management_simplified? Systems Management http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_management_console_and_itil? In enterprise IT environments, efficient systems management processes can be critical to success. Effective management tools must provide broad support for different devices and technologies while still delivering powerful capabilities. To help meet these needs, Dell has partnered with Symantec to develop its new systems management solution: the Dell Management Console Powered by Altiris from Symantec. Based on the modular Symantec Management Platform architecture, this tool enables administrators not only to simplify management of Dell hardware, but also to manage many other aspects of IT environments, including OS deployment and migration; hardware refreshes; endpoint security; system monitoring and availability; software inventory, metering, and reporting; and application packaging, delivery, and monitoring. Over 20 plug-in solutions are available to help manage a variety of devices and technologies, with more expected to be released from Symantec, Dell, and their partners in the future. For example, Dell and Symantec have worked together to integrate the hardware component configuration capabilities of the Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit with the powerful automation capabilities of the Altiris Deployment Solution plug-in, creating Altiris Deployment Solution for Dell Servers—a tool that can help significantly reduce server deployment times, potentially from hours to minutes. The Altiris Monitor Solution plug-in contains a set of predefined rules and metrics for monitoring OS performance and availability. Symantec Endpoint Protection integrates comprehensive endpoint security technologies. And the Altiris Client Management Suite and Server Management Suite plug-ins can capture detailed information about servers, desktops, and laptops, including key data on application installations and usage. By taking advantage of the modular Symantec Management Platform architecture and its plug-in solutions, administrators can use the Dell Management Console to implement robust automation, control, and extensibility through a single management interface.By Jordan GardnerWed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_management_console_and_itil? Systems Management http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/new_dell_management_console? IT organizations often struggle to efficiently manage a large number of systems while still maintaining a secure environment—and deploying hardware, firmware, and software updates in these environments can be fraught with challenges. Efficiently managing system updates requires using a management solution that can scale and automate update deployment in a reliable way. To help meet this need, Dell and Microsoft have collaborated to simplify and accelerate hardware configuration and deployment through an integrated solution that combines Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Dell Hardware Update Catalogs. Administrators can use Dell Hardware Update Catalogs to import Dell BIOS, firmware, driver, and application updates for Dell business clients and servers into Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, where they can be seamlessly integrated with the security updates feature in System Center Configuration Manager. Administrators can then easily scan and push these updates out to the appropriate systems. Dell provides two catalogs that integrate with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager: the Dell Business Client Update Catalog and the Dell Server Update Catalog. The Business Client Update Catalog covers several Dell business clients, including the Dell OptiPlex 960 desktop, Dell Latitude E-Family laptops, and Dell Precision workstations. The Server Update Catalog includes eighth-generation and later Dell PowerEdge server models. Managing Dell updates by combining these catalogs with System Center Configuration Manager can offer multiple advantages in enterprise environments, including enabling a single administrator to manage updates across a variety of hardware devices, minimizing reboots and interruptions for end users, and simplifying ongoing update deployment.By Greg Ramsey and Donnie TaylorWed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/new_dell_management_console? Systems Management http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/managing_os_app_dell_mang_conslose? Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/managing_os_app_dell_mang_conslose? Systems Management http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_update_deployment? Organizations are constantly faced with the challenge of accommodating increasing amounts of data, increasing numbers of devices and users, and increasingly powerful servers to support critical applications—all while controlling data center costs for power, cooling, and other operations. How IT staff utilize and structure rack enclosures, power distribution units (PDUs), and other accessories can play a key role in helping meet these challenges and support green IT strategies. The new Dell PowerEdge 4220 rack enclosure provides advanced features designed for optimal energy efficiency and manageability. This 42U rack design supports optimal PDU placement—providing easy access to power outlets within the rack and supporting compact PDUs in the 0U space along the sides. Additional space at the rear can hold full-length vertically mounted PDUs and enable placement of full-length PDU outlets as far away from the back panel as possible to provide ample cable distribution space, while the rack itself is designed to hold more three-phase PDUs than was possible with previous-generation Dell racks. Eighty percent front- and rear-door perforation provides efficient airflow to help maximize the amount of cool air going directly to the server, while strategically placed air dams help eliminate in-rack air recirculation. Adjustable cable rings and a removable tail bar help maximize flexibility to support effective cable management. Taking advantage of these features can help administrators enhance hardware utilization, create highly efficient power and cooling, and reduce server footprint to help increase data center density. Also covered: How the Dell Data Center Capacity Planner and Dell M1000e Rack and Cable Advisor online tools can help organizations plan optimized data center designs.By William Muscato and Andre FuochiWed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_update_deployment? Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/psq109.pdf Systems management frameworks have been notoriously complex to implement, often failing to deliver on expectations for an easy-to-manage, enterprise-wide console view of the server infrastructure. The root causes of a failed deployment can encompass a broad range of issues. However, because frameworks are nothing more than a suite of software applications, it is the cost of customizing to meet an organization’s unique management requirements through software development that is often the tallest bar on a postmortem Pareto chart. Enter the new Dell Management Console Powered by Altiris from Symantec. This framework redefines much of the systems management paradigm through a holistic, Web browser–based “single pane of glass” approach to enterprise management. The default wizard-based installation provides a rich library of so-called portal pages, which are Web page views of the most common server management, monitoring, and reporting tasks. In a significant departure from the norm, customization does not typically involve any coding, and is accomplished through the addition of Web parts—predefined and configurable objects that administrators can easily snap into a portal page with a few mouse clicks. Our cover story, "Systems Management Simplified," explains why migrating from a piecemeal management approach to a customizable and extensible Dell Management Console framework promises to usher in a new era of IT staff efficiency. Plus, three drill-down technical articles explore how the console embraces IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) principles, best practices for smoothing migration, and approaches to managing operating systems and applications. For late-breaking information on the Dell Management Console, visit the Dell TechCenter community site at www.delltechcenter.com.By Tom KolnowskiWed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/psq109.pdf Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q09-TOC.pdf Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q09-TOC.pdf Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/your_framework_your_way? Systems management frameworks have been notoriously complex to implement, often failing to deliver on expectations for an easy-to-manage, enterprise-wide console view of the server infrastructure. The root causes of a failed deployment can encompass a broad range of issues. However, because frameworks are nothing more than a suite of software applications, it is the cost of customizing to meet an organization’s unique management requirements through software development that is often the tallest bar on a postmortem Pareto chart. Enter the new Dell Management Console Powered by Altiris from Symantec. This framework redefines much of the systems management paradigm through a holistic, Web browser–based “single pane of glass” approach to enterprise management. The default wizard-based installation provides a rich library of so-called portal pages, which are Web page views of the most common server management, monitoring, and reporting tasks. In a significant departure from the norm, customization does not typically involve any coding, and is accomplished through the addition of Web parts—predefined and configurable objects that administrators can easily snap into a portal page with a few mouse clicks. Our cover story, "Systems Management Simplified," explains why migrating from a piecemeal management approach to a customizable and extensible Dell Management Console framework promises to usher in a new era of IT staff efficiency. Plus, three drill-down technical articles explore how the console embraces IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) principles, best practices for smoothing migration, and approaches to managing operating systems and applications. For late-breaking information on the Dell Management Console, visit the Dell TechCenter community site at www.delltechcenter.com. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/your_framework_your_way? Power and Cooling http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/enhancing_energy_efficiency? As energy costs rise and green IT initiatives become increasingly widespread, reducing power consumption in data centers has become a key focus for many organizations. Rapid increases in processor and server density, meanwhile, only magnify the need to control costs. Many of these organizations are optimizing their power consumption by transitioning to renewable energy sources, installing cabinet-level cooling technologies, or arranging system configurations in hot and cold aisles. However, because the cost of cooling often matches or exceeds the cost of system power, organizations that focus instead on reducing system-level power can simultaneously reduce cooling requirements and compound their energy savings. The Dell / PAN System combines PAN Manager Software by Egenera for Dell with efficient Dell PowerEdge 1950 III rack servers and PowerEdge M600 blade servers configured with low-voltage dual-core and quad-core Intel Xeon processors. The Egenera Processing Area Network (PAN) architecture used by the system creates flexible shared pools of processing resources using a high-performance fabric that connects servers and controllers within a single chassis. Together, this fabric and PAN Manager switching protocols constitute an I/O virtualization layer that helps significantly reduce the number of required peripheral interface devices while also helping reduce associated server power consumption across production, development, testing, and high-availability systems. By supporting a comprehensive approach to reducing power consumption—including energy efficiency enhancements, server consolidation through virtualization, and the reliable dynamic data center—and leveraging the advanced infrastructure orchestration capabilities of PAN Manager, the Dell / PAN System can help organizations eliminate unnecessary equipment, optimize use of available resources, and automatically power down unused or underused servers to help meet the power and cooling challenges presented by rising energy costs and increasing equipment density.By Michael BakerWed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/enhancing_energy_efficiency? Power and Cooling http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/unleash_data_center_productivity? Standard measures of data center efficiency focus exclusively on how a computing infrastructure uses the power flowing into it. Given that many data centers are reaching the limits of their power and cooling capabilities, these are important metrics. However, a second and equally important consideration can also affect the balance sheets: server utilization. To unlock the true potential of the data center, enterprises must shift their focus from power consumption patterns to the overall productivity of their IT environments. In this interview, Dr. Albert Esser, vice president of power and data center infrastructure solutions at Dell, discusses several key topics related to overall data center effectiveness, why utilization is so important to data center productivity, and how organizations can dramatically improve their data center productivity while still staying within the boundaries of limited power supplies. For example, Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Data Center Infrastructure Efficiency (DCiE)—the industry-standard metrics commonly used to measure data center effectiveness—can be misleading, because they are not designed to capture actual productive work being performed. A new metric proposed by Dell, data center performance per watt, captures not only power efficiency, but also the effectiveness of computing resources in doing actual work. Similarly, the metric of data center IT utilization captures how effectively a data center takes advantage of compute power already in place. These metrics can help identify ways to improve infrastructure efficiency and increase IT productivity. Following key best practices—including optimizing data center temperature, utilizing best-practices data center design, and optimizing utilization through virtualization and regular hardware refreshes—can help organizations increase data center productivity and reduce power consumption to meet compute demand for years to come. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/unleash_data_center_productivity? Power and Cooling Systems Management http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/pan_manager_software_by_egenera? The combination of powerful multi-core processors and virtualization has enabled significant increases in data center efficiency, supporting server consolidation and increased hardware utilization while still maintaining high performance. To evaluate new six-core Intel Xeon processors in virtualized environments, in September 2008 the Dell Enterprise Technology Center (Dell TechCenter) team ran tests comparing performance and power consumption on three server configurations running the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V virtualization platform at 80 percent processor utilization: a Dell PowerEdge R900 server with six-core Intel Xeon processors, the same server with quad-core Intel Xeon processors, and an HP ProLiant DL585 G2 server with quad-core AMD Opteron processors. Virtualized server performance can be measured in two components: sizing or capacity, which indicates the number of VMs that a server can support, and the aggregate performance that those VMs can achieve. In addition to performance, however, organizations should also consider power consumption when evaluating a server. Power consumption depends on multiple factors, including amount of RAM, number of PCI adapters, number of internal disks, and load level. In the Dell TechCenter tests, the Dell PowerEdge R900 with six-core Intel Xeon processors offered up to a 27 percent performance advantage over the HP ProLiant DL585 G2 with quad-core AMD Opteron processors and up to a 6 percent advantage in performance per watt. In addition, simply upgrading to six-core processors in the PowerEdge R900 increased its performance by approximately 18 percent while decreasing power consumption by approximately 11 percent—providing up to a 32 percent increase in performance per watt. These results can provide an idea of the potential performance and efficiency advantages these six-core processors can offer in Hyper-V virtualized environments. By The Dell TechCenter Team Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/pan_manager_software_by_egenera? Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/comparing_microsoft_hyper_v_performance? Virtualization has had a shape-shifting effect on IT infrastructures, enabling administrators to encapsulate live, running workloads in virtual machines and move them transparently across pooled resources without service interruption. Until recently, however, integration of storage area networks (SANs) and virtualization platforms was restricted to basic storage protocols, limiting the coordination and intelligent use of advanced SAN features in the virtualized environment. Lack of integration between the hypervisor and the underlying storage infrastructure has typically prevented virtualized servers from taking full advantage of the data protection, backup, and performance features of enterprise-class storage. Virtualizing and consolidating physical server and storage resources into a cooperative pool of well-integrated resources that can be dynamically applied to virtual workloads are key capabilities of VMware Infrastructure, an example of a Virtual Data Center Operating System (VDC-OS). A VDC-OS can help address the need for flexibility, speed, resiliency, and efficiency by transforming the data center into an elastic, self-managing, self-healing, shared infrastructure. Dell and VMware are further advancing these capabilities through a cooperative engineering initiative designed to integrate Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) SAN arrays and storage management technologies with VMware Infrastructure. Through this collaboration, new services based on VMware vStorage are being developed by VMware to tightly integrate advanced EqualLogic PS Series capabilities—including data protection through Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager/VMware Edition, disaster recovery through the VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM) Adapter, and fast and efficient data movement through SAN-accelerated VMware Storage vMotion technology—into the VMware Infrastructure environment. Ultimately, these benefits reach far beyond reductions in capital outlays and operating costs—affording fast, flexible IT response to keep pace with evolving business requirements. By Eric Schott and Scott Davis Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/comparing_microsoft_hyper_v_performance? Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/scalable_architecture_for_vmware_virtual_desktop? To help achieve the full benefits of recent technology innovations, many organizations are expanding their virtualization strategies to include storage virtualization together with server virtualization. Although this approach enables huge advances in IT flexibility, responsiveness, and efficiency, it also requires administrators to contend with an added layer of complexity that can make deploying, monitoring, and managing virtualized data center resources challenging and costly. Akorri BalancePoint virtual infrastructure management software is designed to help IT organizations easily and effectively monitor, manage, optimize, and grow virtualized IT infrastructures from end to end. BalancePoint supports management of both virtualized servers and virtualized storage, and combines enterprise-wide systems monitoring with Cross-Domain Analysis and advanced visualization tools to help administrators efficiently and effectively diagnose problems, optimize resource utilization, and plan capacity as business needs evolve. The BalancePoint Performance Dashboard, for example, offers a concise view of comprehensive infrastructure health and status, while the BalancePoint Performance Index feature provides a single-number measure of application performance and efficiency. Comprehensive configuration and storage analyses are designed to help organizations assess the efficiency, appropriate size, and growth of their physical resources. BalancePoint can integrate with Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays, which enable organizations to deploy virtualized storage in a highly scalable, available, and manageable way. By combining the virtualized storage features of Dell EqualLogic PS Series iSCSI SAN arrays with the cross-domain performance monitoring, advanced visualization, and analytic capabilities of Akorri BalancePoint, organizations can efficiently and effectively monitor, manage, optimize, and grow virtualized data center environments—ultimately helping to improve resource utilization, enhance application performance, and reduce total cost of ownership. By Andrew Gilman and Tom Joyce Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/scalable_architecture_for_vmware_virtual_desktop? Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/vmware_vstorage_enabled_dell_equallogic_iscsi_sans? Although virtualization technology can offer a host of key benefits in enterprise data centers, it can also bring new challenges for IT administrators. These challenges can include ensuring that the specific implementation is optimized for the data center environment, balancing workloads appropriately across available hardware resources, and protecting virtualized systems as part of an overall disaster recovery strategy. Multi-platform PlateSpin solutions from Novell—including the PlateSpin Recon planning and analysis solution, PlateSpin Migrate workload portability software, PlateSpin Protect recovery software, and PlateSpin Forge disaster recovery appliances—are designed to accelerate the adoption of virtualization technology in enterprise data centers. These solutions not only help automate the planning, testing, and workload migration phases of a virtualization initiative, but also help simplify management of both physical and virtualized environments once the implementation is in place. PlateSpin workload management technology supports many current- and previous-generation Dell PowerEdge servers as well as multiple virtualization platforms and operating systems. These solutions are specifically designed to address three key data center challenges: workload profiling (to aid planning and management), workload portability (to balance workload demands across available resources and help reduce risk), and workload protection (to support cost-effective disaster recovery). Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services can help organizations plan and design an optimal virtualized environment with a multi-vendor Dell Virtualization Readiness Assessment that includes use of PlateSpin Recon. By enabling organizations to adopt a unified approach to common challenges, PlateSpin technology can help accelerate and optimize virtualization initiatives. And, critically, the ability to support heterogeneous physical and virtualized infrastructures in a single environment can help both reduce the risk of adopting virtualization and increase return on investment from new and existing virtualized environments. By Peter Spencer Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/vmware_vstorage_enabled_dell_equallogic_iscsi_sans? Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/akorri_balance_point? Downtime, whether planned or unplanned, often translates into lost opportunities and increased costs—and for many enterprises today, any amount of downtime is unacceptable. Having an effective recovery strategy and a set of coherent disaster recovery plans is essential to helping avoid downtime during a crisis. The need for enhanced quality, efficiency, and predictability for disaster recovery and business continuity has increased significantly, highlighting the necessity of a well-defined set of recovery plans and regular testing. However, as the required scope of critical processes, production applications, and enterprise demands increases, sustaining the timeliness and effectiveness of a recovery plan can become increasingly difficult. For most organizations, disaster recovery is extremely labor intensive, often requiring the manual coordination of hundreds of recovery tasks. So although the importance of having an effective disaster recovery plan is clear, organizations often find it difficult to achieve the level of protection they need. Dell and VMware have partnered to offer a cost-effective, high-availability architecture based on Dell server and storage clusters and VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM)—one designed to minimize scheduled and unscheduled downtime by protecting against component failures, automating the recovery process, eliminating complex manual recovery steps, and enabling nondisruptive testing. Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays, for example, are designed for high availability and include auto-replication features that can integrate with VMware vCenter SRM and VMware vCenter Server to support a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy. Implementing this type of high-availability architecture, following best practices for disaster recovery planning, and taking advantage of expert guidance from Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services can help organizations create a comprehensive solution for simplified, cost-effective disaster recovery. By Paul Rad, Debi Higdon, and Tim Webb Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/akorri_balance_point? Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/fast_track_virtualization_plans? Although virtualization technology can offer a host of key benefits in enterprise data centers, it can also bring new challenges for IT administrators. These challenges can include ensuring that the specific implementation is optimized for the data center environment, balancing workloads appropriately across available hardware resources, and protecting virtualized systems as part of an overall disaster recovery strategy. Multi-platform PlateSpin solutions from Novell—including the PlateSpin Recon planning and analysis solution, PlateSpin Migrate workload portability software, PlateSpin Protect recovery software, and PlateSpin Forge disaster recovery appliances—are designed to accelerate the adoption of virtualization technology in enterprise data centers. These solutions not only help automate the planning, testing, and workload migration phases of a virtualization initiative, but also help simplify management of both physical and virtualized environments once the implementation is in place. PlateSpin workload management technology supports many current- and previous-generation Dell PowerEdge servers as well as multiple virtualization platforms and operating systems. These solutions are specifically designed to address three key data center challenges: workload profiling (to aid planning and management), workload portability (to balance workload demands across available resources and help reduce risk), and workload protection (to support cost-effective disaster recovery). Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services can help organizations plan and design an optimal virtualized environment with a multi-vendor Dell Virtualization Readiness Assessment that includes use of PlateSpin Recon. By enabling organizations to adopt a unified approach to common challenges, PlateSpin technology can help accelerate and optimize virtualization initiatives. And, critically, the ability to support heterogeneous physical and virtualized infrastructures in a single environment can help both reduce the risk of adopting virtualization and increase return on investment from new and existing virtualized environments. By Peter Spencer Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/fast_track_virtualization_plans? Business Continuity Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/disaster_recovery_with_dell_and_vmware? Server virtualization technology enables organizations to achieve high levels of efficiency and cost-effectiveness in their data center operations. However, to help achieve the full benefits of server virtualization, administrators must deploy storage virtualization as well. A high-availability storage area network (SAN), for example, can help improve the overall availability of a server-based IT infrastructure. Storage must have the same scalability that virtualization brings to servers, so that both storage and servers can grow at the same pace. Virtualized storage also extends the cost benefits of virtualization by enabling increased disk utilization and reduced need for equipment purchases. Dell and Citrix have partnered to bring together storage and server technologies that help organizations further increase efficiency and cost savings when deploying virtualization. The Citrix XenServer Adapter module for Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) SAN arrays is designed to simplify virtualized storage management and enable hosts to take advantage of advanced EqualLogic features. This adapter is included in Citrix XenServer Dell Edition, which is designed to run from internal flash storage in supported Dell PowerEdge servers, and integrates Dell EqualLogic control interfaces directly into the Citrix XenCenter Management Client. The greatly simplified management provided by Citrix XenServer and Dell EqualLogic integration also extends to advanced techniques such as thin provisioning, fast cloning, automated snapshots, multipath I/O, and auto-replication for disaster recovery. With the Citrix XenServer Adapter module for Dell EqualLogic PS Series iSCSI SAN arrays, organizations can combine streamlined management from Citrix XenCenter with the cost-effective iSCSI infrastructure and built-in intelligence of an EqualLogic SAN. This integrated server and storage approach is designed to boost efficiency, protect data, and reduce management overhead—helping to lower total cost of ownership while advancing fast, flexible response to evolving enterprise needs. By Achmad Chadran and Partha Ramachandran Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/disaster_recovery_with_dell_and_vmware? Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_ps_series_iscsi_sans? Data protection is a critical business concern. However, increasingly stringent demands are stretching the limits of traditional host-based backup and recovery methods, which often cannot meet enterprise requirements for reduced backup windows, high performance, and rapid recovery. Off-host backups, in which backup processing is offloaded to a separate system, can help reduce or eliminate the performance and availability impact of backups on production environments. The Veritas NetBackup 6.5 data management tool from Symantec works with Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager and Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to support fast, reliable off-host backups of Microsoft application data stored on Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays. The off-host approach requires that backup applications have access to application-consistent, point-in-time snapshots of application data. Microsoft VSS enables the creation of these snapshots of NT File System (NTFS), Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft SQL Server application data, which Veritas NetBackup and Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager can then use to support off-host backup and recovery. Veritas NetBackup 6.5 also includes features designed to simplify and streamline backup and recovery operations, such as built-in data life cycle policies and comprehensive security and management capabilities, while EqualLogic PS Series arrays support automated load balancing and storage virtualization to help optimize scalability and performance. Together, these tools can help organizations enhance business continuity, increase application performance, and streamline the management of data protection and recovery. By Sarah Doherty and Troy Lehman Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_ps_series_iscsi_sans? Microsoft Windows Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hyper_v_ and_dell_equallogic_virtualized_sans? Most leading tape drive technologies, including the popular Linear Tape-Open (LTO) format, support three primary system interfaces: SCSI, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS), and Fibre Channel. Until now, organizations with an Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) typically had two options for tape backup that would not significantly reduce transfer rates: using an intermediary backup or media server to act as a buffer between the tape backup target and the iSCSI SAN, or using an external iSCSI bridge to translate between protocols. With the introduction of iSCSI-to-SAS bridge cards for Dell PowerVault TL2000 and PowerVault TL4000 tape libraries, organizations can now directly attach SAS-based tape backup targets to iSCSI SANs such as the PowerVault MD3000i with minimal or no degradation in transfer rates. The internal card acts as an iSCSI target and provides SAS connectivity for full-height LTO-4 and half-height LTO-4 and LTO-3 SAS drives, helping provide a seamless, cost-effective tape backup target. The setup process for iSCSI-capable PowerVault TL2000 and PowerVault TL4000 tape libraries, based on the Dell iSCSI Bridge Management Console and Dell Modular Disk Storage Manager, is designed for simplicity. Organizations can take advantage of these bridge cards to implement traditional backup to tape as part of a comprehensive backup strategy, which might also include traditional backup to disk or continuous backup to disk. Following best practices when configuring backup servers in iSCSI environments—such as use of full and incremental backups, an appropriate iSCSI initiator, Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) for security, and an optimized network configuration—can help optimize data recovery, enhance security, and significantly increase backup performance. Also covered: Using Symantec Backup Exec 12 software to provide scalable, comprehensive data protection in iSCSI environments. By Michael Linane, Jo Ann Varble, Neil Ozarkar, Curt Krempin, and Charles Butler Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hyper_v_ and_dell_equallogic_virtualized_sans? Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Business Continuity Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_auto_snapshot_and_veritas_netbackup? As small and medium businesses (SMBs) generate increasing amounts of critical data, the need to flexibly access and protect those resources becomes increasingly important. SMBs have traditionally shared unstructured file data by creating network shares for files stored within desktops and servers. This direct attach storage (DAS) approach is often quick and easy at first—but can also become complex, expensive, and difficult to manage as capacity and backup requirements grow, straining limited budgets and IT staffs. The Dell PowerVault NF family of storage servers is designed to provide simplified, cost-effective network attached storage (NAS) optimized for SMB file sharing and data protection. In July 2008, the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) Lab evaluated a Dell PowerVault NF100 NAS server as a company-wide repository for file sharing and as a backup and recovery platform for both local and remote users. ESG had been relying on DAS systems and two legacy NAS appliances to share files, and was seeking a way to simplify its storage infrastructure. The ESG Lab team was impressed with how easy it was to order, configure, and manage the Dell PowerVault NF100. Rapid, simple deployment is often a key requirement for SMBs, and the PowerVault NF100 was ready to go right out of the box, with the ESG Lab team able to deploy it and begin serving files to end users in less than 15 minutes. For SMBs contending with rising amounts of data, the PowerVault NF100 provides a simplified, cost-effective alternative to DAS for file sharing and centralized data protection.By Brian Garrett and Claude BouffardWed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_auto_snapshot_and_veritas_netbackup? Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/cost_effective_tape_backup_for_iscsi_sans? Most leading tape drive technologies, including the popular Linear Tape-Open (LTO) format, support three primary system interfaces: SCSI, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS), and Fibre Channel. Until now, organizations with an Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) typically had two options for tape backup that would not significantly reduce transfer rates: using an intermediary backup or media server to act as a buffer between the tape backup target and the iSCSI SAN, or using an external iSCSI bridge to translate between protocols. With the introduction of iSCSI-to-SAS bridge cards for Dell PowerVault TL2000 and PowerVault TL4000 tape libraries, organizations can now directly attach SAS-based tape backup targets to iSCSI SANs such as the PowerVault MD3000i with minimal or no degradation in transfer rates. The internal card acts as an iSCSI target and provides SAS connectivity for full-height LTO-4 and half-height LTO-4 and LTO-3 SAS drives, helping provide a seamless, cost-effective tape backup target. The setup process for iSCSI-capable PowerVault TL2000 and PowerVault TL4000 tape libraries, based on the Dell iSCSI Bridge Management Console and Dell Modular Disk Storage Manager, is designed for simplicity. Organizations can take advantage of these bridge cards to implement traditional backup to tape as part of a comprehensive backup strategy, which might also include traditional backup to disk or continuous backup to disk. Following best practices when configuring backup servers in iSCSI environments—such as use of full and incremental backups, an appropriate iSCSI initiator, Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) for security, and an optimized network configuration—can help optimize data recovery, enhance security, and significantly increase backup performance. Also covered: Using Symantec Backup Exec 12 software to provide scalable, comprehensive data protection in iSCSI environments. By Michael Linane, Jo Ann Varble, Neil Ozarkar, Curt Krempin, and Charles Butler Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/cost_effective_tape_backup_for_iscsi_sans? Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_powervault_nf100? The evolution of unified communications—where e-mails are accessed over the telephone and calls are made using a PC—can offer huge business opportunities for hosted service suppliers. Yet the demands for providing such unified communications are high. The software is processor intensive and relies on high-performance servers, which can be expensive to power and complex to manage. These challenges were a concern for M Dados, a hosted services provider based in Portugal offering leading-edge communications technologies. The company, a subsidiary of the José de Mello Group, planned to roll out a suite of services based on Microsoft unified communications software. The suite enables businesses to unite desktop telephony, e-mail, instant messaging, fax, Internet, legacy phone networks, and voice mail. Implementing and optimizing the new services, however, required high performance with a small footprint, low energy consumption, and simplified management. This case study describes how M Dados worked with Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services to seamlessly transition to a new high-performance infrastructure to support these services. The new environment was based on a Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure housing PowerEdge M600 blade servers with quad-core Intel Xeon processors running VMware virtualization software. Virtualization helped the company reduce the number of required physical servers by 40 percent while also helping reduce server provisioning time from days to hours and to reduce the risk associated with hardware failures. The energy-efficient Dell PowerEdge blade servers meet high performance demands while helping simplify management and scalability, and a Dell/EMC CX500 storage area network (SAN) can scale cost-effectively to help meet growing data requirements. And because M Dados has Dell ProSupport for IT, the environment can remain highly available both now and in the years ahead. By Brian Garrett and Claude Bouffard Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_powervault_nf100? Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/unifying_communications? While IT organizations often struggle to do more with less, finance departments are traditionally wary of new technology investments. This is not the case, however, at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), a nonprofit organization of more than 330,000 members that sought to consolidate 250 Web and application servers onto a scalable server and storage infrastructure and improve online service availability. This case study describes how the AICPA migrated an aging infrastructure of 250 stand-alone HP servers to just five Dell PowerEdge 6850 servers with Intel Xeon processors running VMware virtualization software, using PlateSpin software from Novell to accelerate the process. The organization also deployed Dell/EMC CX300 and Dell/EMC CX3-10c storage area networks (SANs) as well as Dell desktops and laptops—making them completely a Dell organization. To support new initiatives, the AICPA added a Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure with PowerEdge M600 and PowerEdge M605 blade servers. The AICPA was impressed with how easy the blade servers were to set up: Dell Deployment Services came to the site to verify that the systems were properly configured, but AICPA staff members were able to perform the installation themselves. As a result of the migration, the AICPA reduced its hardware footprint by 98 percent and saved over US$3 million while reducing systems administration time by approximately 60 percent. Using VMware vMotion technology for load balancing and failover enables the AICPA to provide 99.999 percent uptime for its Web sites and accounting certification services. Thanks to its powerful, scalable, and compact Dell infrastructure, the AICPA can now take on new IT projects that it couldn’t have considered before, and is in prime position to continue to enhance the services it delivers to its members. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/unifying_communications? Power and Cooling Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/cost_effective_and_efficient_virtualization? Tora Trading Services is the recognized leader in electronic trading systems and liquidity access for Asia. Its TORA Compass trading platform is used by clients across Asia, the United States, and Europe, and accounts for more than 25 percent of the electronic trading flow on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Such demanding work and high availability require an efficient, scalable, and robust IT infrastructure. However, the company’s existing data centers could not meet these requirements because they depended on 1U and 2U servers that consumed significant power and management resources. This case study describes how Tora worked with Dell Infrastructure Consulting Services to migrate its trading application to three Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosures housing 33 PowerEdge M600 blade servers. These energy-efficient blade servers immediately reduced energy use by 30 percent, while design features such as high-flow/low-power fans, an ultra-efficient power supply, and optimized airflow help ensure Tora can operate the blades within a specified power envelope. Simplified systems management features in these blade servers, such as the built-in Chassis Management Controller and Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC), enable Tora to deploy new server resources quickly and efficiently—helping reduce the time required for initial setup by up to 90 percent as well as reducing time required for common tasks such as performing remote shutdowns, taking power readings, and performing hardware configuration. Tora has also benefited from the density of the blade servers compared with 1U servers, reducing space requirements by 35 percent. These enable Tora to get the most out of its data center space in a cost-effective way—and the company is confident that its clients are benefiting from the most reliable and efficient technology available today. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/cost_effective_and_efficient_virtualization? Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/accounting_for_the_future? While IT organizations often struggle to do more with less, finance departments are traditionally wary of new technology investments. This is not the case, however, at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), a nonprofit organization of more than 330,000 members that sought to consolidate 250 Web and application servers onto a scalable server and storage infrastructure and improve online service availability. This case study describes how the AICPA migrated an aging infrastructure of 250 stand-alone HP servers to just five Dell PowerEdge 6850 servers with Intel Xeon processors running VMware virtualization software, using PlateSpin software from Novell to accelerate the process. The organization also deployed Dell/EMC CX300 and Dell/EMC CX3-10c storage area networks (SANs) as well as Dell desktops and laptops—making them completely a Dell organization. To support new initiatives, the AICPA added a Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure with PowerEdge M600 and PowerEdge M605 blade servers. The AICPA was impressed with how easy the blade servers were to set up: Dell Deployment Services came to the site to verify that the systems were properly configured, but AICPA staff members were able to perform the installation themselves. As a result of the migration, the AICPA reduced its hardware footprint by 98 percent and saved over US$3 million while reducing systems administration time by approximately 60 percent. Using VMware vMotion technology for load balancing and failover enables the AICPA to provide 99.999 percent uptime for its Web sites and accounting certification services. Thanks to its powerful, scalable, and compact Dell infrastructure, the AICPA can now take on new IT projects that it couldn’t have considered before, and is in prime position to continue to enhance the services it delivers to its members. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/accounting_for_the_future? Power and Cooling Server Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/trading_application_an_edge? Many enterprises today are running multiple operating systems in their data centers, challenging IT administrators to manage disparate systems while simultaneously working to make the most of IT investments as energy costs continue to rise. Data center hardware is often underutilized, and administrators are overburdened with the task of maintaining various operating systems on tight budgets. Administrators need solutions that allow them to adapt to changing business needs and manage systems effectively. As a result of a joint effort between Dell and the interoperability partnership of Microsoft and Novell, enterprises can implement comprehensive virtualization solutions based on Dell PowerEdge servers running Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V virtualization and the Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 OS. Dell PowerEdge servers utilize multi-core processors designed to create scalable and efficient hardware platforms for virtualization solutions. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V and Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 work together seamlessly through application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable communication and assistance for key I/O paths between operating systems. Together, Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 on Dell PowerEdge servers offer a powerful virtualization solution designed to reduce the cost and complexity of managing heterogeneous environments while supporting flexible and robust interoperability, savings on hardware and energy costs, enhanced responsiveness and performance, and world-class combined support from Dell, Microsoft, and Novell. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/trading_application_an_edge? Virtualization Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/optimized_desktop_infrastructure? IT administrators face a variety of challenges related to desktop management, including the need to enhance management, mobility, and security while efficiently carrying out asset tasks. The Dell Flexible Computing Solutions suite of products and services is designed to centralize the processing and storage resources of a distributed computing environment—offering a flexible computing architecture that can help increase control, manageability, and security while helping reduce total cost of ownership and enhancing desktop continuity. The Dell Flexible Computing Solutions suite is composed of three main solutions. The Dell On-Demand Desktop Streaming (ODDS) solution utilizes diskless Dell OptiPlex 755, OptiPlex 760, OptiPlex 960, or OptiPlex FX160 desktop clients with Dell EasyConnect technology along with Dell PowerEdge streaming servers and the Citrix Provisioning Server for Desktops platform, creating a many-to-one desktop OS streaming solution that uses local processing to help optimize the end-user experience. The Dell Virtual Remote Desktop (VRD) solution utilizes Dell OptiPlex FX160 thin clients, Dell servers and storage, and Citrix XenDesktop or VMware View virtualization software to create a one-to-many solution in which end users access virtual desktops from a client device—helping contain, secure, and centralize management regardless of access device or user location. The Dell Dedicated Remote Workstation (DRW) solution utilizes Dell Precision R5400 rack workstations with Teradici PC-over-IP technology to create a one-to-one solution that provides the advantage of dedicated workstation processor, memory, and graphics capabilities. Combining these solutions and taking advantage of complementary technologies such as application streaming or client-hosted virtualization can also help further enhance the manageability and utility of a centralized enterprise client infrastructure. Together, these solutions offer a holistic approach to flexible computing that can help meet a variety of needs. By John Schouten and Ramesh Radhakrishnan, Ph.D. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/optimized_desktop_infrastructure? Simplify IT http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/moss_2007_on_dell_server? The Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 enterprise productivity platform incorporates rich integrated capabilities and provides a common end-user experience. It can support a wide range of IT functions, including enterprise Web presence, employee intranets, regulatory compliance repositories, satellite office sites, extranets, team and project sites, and social networking. MOSS is built on Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services (WSS), which is integrated into the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 OS and available as a complimentary download for Windows Server 2008. WSS provides the base infrastructure for MOSS as well as basic functionality such as document collaboration, calendars, task lists, discussion boards, and blogs. To this infrastructure MOSS 2007 adds rich business process functionality including content management, search, portals, and business processes and intelligence. When appropriately implemented, WSS and MOSS 2007 can help organizations of all sizes meet a variety of needs, including simplified management, comprehensive search capabilities, and enterprise and regulatory compliance. MOSS implementations are very flexible and can range from single-server deployments up to large server farm deployments, with typical implementations consisting of one or more Microsoft SQL Server database servers, Web front-end servers, search index and query servers, and other application servers. Understanding the MOSS topology and taking appropriate deployment steps can help organizations create an infrastructure that can meet their specific needs. By following best practices to deploy MOSS 2007 on a farm of Dell PowerEdge servers, create the necessary Web applications and Shared Services Provider (SSP), and configure site collections, administrators can create a robust foundation for end-user productivity while still maintaining a manageable infrastructure. By Gong Wang and Steven A. Grigsby Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/moss_2007_on_dell_server? Cover Story Security Systems Management Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/smart_path_to_virtualization? As server virtualization continues to transform the data center, enterprises have some critical decisions to make. How will they migrate to a fully virtualized environment? How should the IT infrastructure be configured for maximum business benefit? Dell is partnering with other industry leaders to build a flexible, industry-standard approach that helps simplify the transition. By Jeanne Feldkamp, Deb McDonald, Kay Kerr, and Tom Kolnowski Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/smart_path_to_virtualization? Server Technology Microsoft Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/microsoft_windows_server_hyper_v_on_dell_servers? Microsoft Hyper-V technology provides a simplified virtualization platform integrated directly into the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS. This article provides an introduction to Hyper-V virtualization, discusses the overall architecture and underlying technologies, and offers guidance on best practices for deployment on Dell PowerEdge servers. By Ranjith Purush, Sitha Bhagvat, Ryan Weldon, Brent Douglas, and David Schmidt Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/microsoft_windows_server_hyper_v_on_dell_servers? High Availability Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/virtualization_with_microsoft_hyper_v_and_scvmm_2008? In virtualized environments, high availability can be critical to avoiding lost revenue, maintaining productivity, and protecting data from system failure. Combining Microsoft Hyper-V technology with Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 on Dell platforms can help organizations create highly available virtualized systems while offering simplified management, dynamic performance, workload optimization, and reduced costs. By Ray Weinstein and Burk Buechler Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/virtualization_with_microsoft_hyper_v_and_scvmm_2008? Business Continuity Virtualization Workstation Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/flexible_computing_centralized_control? Supporting an increasingly distributed workforce can be a huge drain on IT resources. By enabling a customized end-user experience with server-based control of data, settings, and applications, the Dell Flexible Computing Solutions suite of products and services is designed to simplify management, enhance security, and lower total cost of ownership. By Jeremy Ford and Roberto Ayala Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/flexible_computing_centralized_control? Workstation Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_optiplex_desktops_powering_bussiness? The new Dell OptiPlex family of desktop computers is designed to deliver high performance, flexibility, and reliability together with enterprise-class security and enhanced manageability in an environmentally conscious way—helping organizations to maximize employee productivity, simplify management, and lower total cost of ownership. By David Schweighofer Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_optiplex_desktops_powering_bussiness? Workstation Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_precision_r5400_rack_workstation? Organizations in manufacturing, energy, digital content creation, and other industries require workstation-class performance for compute- and graphics-intensive applications. The Dell Precision R5400 rack workstation and optional Dell FX100 remote access device enable secure access to applications and data with outstanding performance for an increasingly mobile workforce. By Richard Thwaites Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_precision_r5400_rack_workstation? Storage Technology Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/vmware_dell_equallogic_sans_vrd? Virtualization can offer increased scalability, reliability, and availability while helping simplify management and reduce operating costs. Now, Virtual Remote Desktop solutions based on VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and virtualized Dell EqualLogic Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area networks (SANs) can offer similar benefits for the desktop environment—helping reduce the traditional cost and complexity of managing physical laptops, desktops, and workstations. By Timothy Sherbak and Chris Banson Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/vmware_dell_equallogic_sans_vrd? Storage Technology Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_vmware_protect_virtual_environments? Protecting and restoring virtual machines (VMs) can be slow and inefficient, and can take precious server resources away from critical applications. Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager/VMware Edition enables administrators to quickly and easily create hypervisor-aware snapshots of VMs—helping simplify data management, enhance scalability of data protection and recovery, and increase application performance. By Andrew Gilman and William Urban Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_vmware_protect_virtual_environments? Server Technology Systems Management Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_and_egenera_drive? The new Dell / PAN System combines Dell PowerEdge server technology with advanced Egenera management software in a simplified system—providing a highly available, dynamic, flexible platform for next-generation data center virtualization. By Greg Lyon Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_and_egenera_drive? Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/vmwarwe_infrastructure_with_symantec_backup? Effectively protecting virtualized environments using traditional backup tools can be both difficult and time-consuming. Symantec Backup Exec 12.5 software, part of the new Dell PowerVault DL2000 – Powered by Symantec Backup Exec, is designed to provide powerful, simplified backup and recovery for VMware virtualized environments. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/vmwarwe_infrastructure_with_symantec_backup? Networking Technology Server Technology Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/virtualization_ready_10gb_ethernet? As virtualization becomes pervasive, increasing the number of high-bandwidth network ports is not always enough to meet the bandwidth needs of enterprise data centers. To help support the I/O requirements of multiple virtual machines in server consolidation and virtualization scenarios, Dell, Intel, and Cisco have teamed up to offer organizations a virtualization-tuned 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ direct attach solution. By Shefali Chinni, Omar Sultan, and Nelson Stewart Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/virtualization_ready_10gb_ethernet? High-Performance Computing Server Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/microsoft_hpc_on_dell_poweredge_clusters? The Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008 high-performance computing (HPC) platform is designed to simplify the deployment, configuration, and management of HPC clusters while also integrating multiple performance enhancements. Running this platform on clusters of Dell PowerEdge servers can provide a highly available, high-performance foundation for HPC applications. By Aziz Gulbeden and Mausmi Kotecha Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/microsoft_hpc_on_dell_poweredge_clusters? High-Performance Computing Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/deploying_hpc_cluster? As high-performance computing (HPC) environments continue to grow in size and complexity, cluster deployment and management have become increasingly challenging. Platform Open Cluster Stack – Dell Edition helps address these challenges with an open source, modular, hybrid architecture designed to easily integrate third-party software and help simplify deployment and management for cluster administrators. By Sreeram Vedantham; Arun Rajan; Shivaraj Nidoni; Li Ou, Ph.D.; Gabor Samu; and Mark Black Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/deploying_hpc_cluster? High-Performance Computing Linux Server Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hpc_productivity_with_intel_cluster_ready_solutions? The Intel Cluster Ready program provides a standardized, replicable way to build and run high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, helping simplify cluster deployment and management. By using Intel Cluster Ready–certified Dell HPC clusters, organizations can quickly install and configure clusters to begin running registered HPC applications. By Brock A. Taylor, Vishvesh Sahasrabudhe, and Onur Celebioglu Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hpc_productivity_with_intel_cluster_ready_solutions? High-Performance Computing Server Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hpc_linux_cluster? High-performance computing (HPC) cluster deployments can be complicated, time-consuming, and costly. The Red Hat HPC Solution enables organizations to deploy enhanced systems quickly and run them efficiently, helping reduce the cost and complexity of their Linux cluster deployments. By Wayne Slater and Gord Sissons Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hpc_linux_cluster? High-Performance Computing Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/amd_processor_hpc_workload? Third-generation AMD Opteron processors are designed to optimize multi-threaded application performance, and include multiple architectural enhancements over second-generation AMD Opteron processors. To help organizations understand the performance increases possible when upgrading to third-generation processors, Dell engineers performed benchmark tests against a variety of high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. By Jacob Liberman, Mausmi Kotecha, and Vishvesh Sahasrabudhe Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/amd_processor_hpc_workload? High-Performance Computing Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/mellanox_connectx_infiniband? IT organizations need an efficient communication subsystem to sustain application performance. The Dell team tested bandwidth and benchmarks to determine speedup rates in high-performance computing (HPC) clusters used on Dell PowerEdge servers. Next-generation InfiniBand ConnectX technology helps address some I/O challenges by improving scalability and performance across symmetric multiprocessing systems. By Munira Hussain, Toby Sebastian, Shivaraj Nidoni, and Gilad Shainer Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/mellanox_connectx_infiniband? Server Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_poweredge_m805_m905_blade_servers? Dell PowerEdge M805 and PowerEdge M905 full-height blade servers are designed to deliver outstanding performance in virtualized and database-intensive environments. Combining robust processing power, tremendous RAM capacity, and massive I/O throughput in a space- and energy-efficient, easy-to-deploy blade form factor, these blade servers help increase performance and reliability while helping simplify management. By Thomas Cloyd and Romy Bauer Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_poweredge_m805_m905_blade_servers? Server Technology Storage Technology Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/business_of_success? Dell PowerEdge blade servers and Dell EqualLogic Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network arrays help the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania quintuple computing power while simplifying management and reducing costs. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/business_of_success? Server Technology Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/healthy_it_infrastructure? Dell PowerEdge blade and rack servers provide the foundation of a high-density virtualized infrastructure at ALERT Life Sciences Computing—supporting simplified management, high performance, and rapid deployment. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/healthy_it_infrastructure? Server Technology Power and Cooling Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/blades_shift_broker_into_high_gear? Dell PowerEdge blade servers help PT Ciptadana Capital support future expansion of its security trading service while reducing energy use, simplifying management, and optimizing limited data center space. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/blades_shift_broker_into_high_gear? Server Technology Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/mortgage_lenders? A high-performance, energy-efficient solution based on Dell PowerEdge blade servers and a Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network array provides Optimal Blue with an anticipated 50 percent improvement in application response time. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/mortgage_lenders? Server Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/recreating_big_bang? Powerful Dell PowerEdge blade servers deployed in just nine days provide high levels of performance and efficiency to help put a German research center on track for a major scientific breakthrough. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/recreating_big_bang? Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_ps5500e_iscsi_sans? The Dell EqualLogic PS5500E Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) array allows organizations to simply and cost-effectively deploy high-density, highly scalable, and consolidated SANs for tiered storage, primary and secondary applications, and disaster recovery operations. By Dylan Locsin and Travis Vigil Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_equallogic_ps5500e_iscsi_sans? Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/seagate_sas_drives? New Seagate Barracuda ES.2 Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) hard drives, available in Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell PowerVault storage, are designed to provide the exceptional performance, efficient operation, robust data integrity, and seamless integration required by near-line ecosystems in enterprise data centers. By Barbara Craig Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/seagate_sas_drives? Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/data_protection_dell_commvault? Dell and CommVault have teamed up to create a next-generation disk-based backup system that combines leading-edge Dell hardware with innovative CommVault data protection software. The new state-of-the-art Dell PowerVault DL2000 – Powered by CommVault integrates disk-based backup and recovery with de-duplication technology to help deliver fast, reliable data protection. By Sanjeet Singh and Jeff Echols Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/data_protection_dell_commvault? Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/streamlining_data_management? Ongoing data growth can present major challenges for IT organizations. The combination of CommVault Simpana backup-to-disk software and Dell EqualLogic PS5500E Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays can provide a simplified, scalable, cost-effective way to gain control over enterprise data and create a platform to support future growth. By Jeff Echols Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/streamlining_data_management? Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/data_protection_with_disk_based_backup? Combining high-performance Dell hardware with market-leading Symantec Backup Exec software, the new Dell PowerVault DL2000 – Powered by Symantec can help organizations of all sizes deploy simplified, cost-effective data protection—helping accelerate backup and recovery, enhance media reliability, reduce total cost of ownership, and minimize the need for IT staff intervention and management. By Sanjeet Singh and Charles Butler Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/data_protection_with_disk_based_backup? Networking Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/broadcom_iscsi_offload_engine? Internet SCSI (iSCSI) is rapidly becoming a convergent data center technology for disparate types of networking. The Broadcom iSCSI Offload Engine technology available in 9th- and 10th-generation Dell PowerEdge servers can free server resources to help increase performance and throughput, enabling organizations to maximize the benefits of iSCSI in their environments. By Dhiraj Sehgal Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/broadcom_iscsi_offload_engine? Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/software_architecture_multicore_computing? Defragmentation software has long been a standard tool for enterprise servers. Now, an increasingly mobile workforce is demanding top performance and reliability from systems on the go. Diskeeper 2008 software provides transparent, automatic disk defragmentation designed to boost productivity across the entire system spectrum, from the smallest laptop to the largest server. By Matt Gillespie Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/software_architecture_multicore_computing? Online-Only Content Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/collaborative_resources? The Dell Enterprise Technology Center (TechCenter) wiki provides a central collaborative environment offering a range of IT resources, from blogs, chats, and discussions to white papers, video demos, and links—now featuring virtualization, Microsoft Hyper-V technology, and other timely topics. By Todd Muirhead Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/collaborative_resources? Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Online-Only Content Virtualization Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/virtualization_microsoft_sql_server_2005? Understanding performance can be critical when virtualizing key enterprise applications. To demonstrate how the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database platform can perform in a VMware virtualized environment, Dell engineers tested its performance when scaling virtual resources on a Dell PowerEdge server and when migrating virtual machines between physical hosts. By Todd Muirhead Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/virtualization_microsoft_sql_server_2005? Online-Only Content Server Technology Storage Technology Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_perc_6_raid_controller? The Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller (PERC) 6.1 firmware release introduces multiple features designed to enhance reliability, performance, and ease of use to help organizations meet the challenges of ongoing data growth. By André Dumouchelle, Joe H. Trickey III, and John Seward Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/dell_perc_6_raid_controller? Microsoft Windows Online-Only Content Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/ms_windows_server_2008_on_dell_servers? Designed specifically to help meet the needs of small businesses, the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 platform provides an all-in-one server solution that incorporates many key features used by large organizations while offering cost efficiency, simplified data security, and enhanced productivity. By Perumal Raja P. and Manjunath Narayanan Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/ms_windows_server_2008_on_dell_servers? Online-Only Content Systems Management Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/e_support_tool? By automating and consolidating hardware, software, and firmware information into a single comprehensive report, the Dell System E-support Tool can help streamline troubleshooting and accelerate problem resolution for environments using Dell PowerEdge servers. By Shruthi Jayatheertha, Lokesh S. Balu, and Ajaykumar C. H. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/e_support_tool? Dell Enterprise Software Updates Online-Only Content Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Dell periodically releases updates for its servers, storage, and other enterprise platforms.The following table summarizes recent firmware updates for Dell PowerEdge components. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Dell Power Solutions Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q08.pdf Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q08.pdf Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q08-TOC.pdf Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q08-TOC.pdf Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q08-20090102-Kolnowski.pdf The digital magazine you have been asking for is here. The new Dell Power Solutions Digital Edition—eminently green, eco-friendly and instantly—is just a few clicks away at powersolutionsdigital.dell.com. By Tom Kolnowski Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q08-20090102-Kolnowski.pdf Dell Power Solutions Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08.pdf Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08.pdf Dell Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-TOC.pdf Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-TOC.pdf Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080387-Kolnowski.pdf The production process for Dell Power Solutions is a neatly framed case study for a mobility-enabled workforce. It is a mosaic of technologies and a high level of global collaboration that gel to make us a truly mobile medium. By Tom Kolnowski Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080387-Kolnowski.pdf Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080397-RecentCitings.pdf The production process for Dell Power Solutions is a neatly framed case study for a mobility-enabled workforce. It is a mosaic of technologies and a high level of global collaboration that gel to make us a truly mobile medium. By Tom Kolnowski Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080397-RecentCitings.pdf Cover Story Security Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080388-CoverStory.pdf As legions of employees take their work outside the office and to the far reaches of the globe, supporting the diverse needs of a highly mobile workforce has become a strategic business priority. To encompass this new world order, organizations must implement strong security technologies, intuitive remote management tools, streamlined backup solutions, and a plan for smooth product transitions. By Jeanne Feldkamp, Daniel Bounds, Terry Myers, and Tom Kolnowski Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080388-CoverStory.pdf Workstation Technology Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080380-Bounds.pdf Dell Latitude laptops have been completely reengineered to take on the demands of an increasingly mobile workforce. Designed with the core values of both IT managers and end users in mind, the new Latitude laptops make remote management and endpoint security a breeze—while providing a user experience mobile workers will want to write home about. By Daniel Bounds Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080380-Bounds.pdf Server Technology Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080410-Musgrave.pdf When done right, industrial design is invisible. But inspiring a sense of delight and lust from a business laptop that is effortless to use—that takes a lot of work. Ken Musgrave, director of industrial design and usability at Dell, reveals what happened behind the scenes when Dell went to the drawing board to design the new family of Dell Latitude laptops. By Daniel Bounds Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080410-Musgrave.pdf Workstation Technology Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080407-Thwaites.pdf Dell Precision M2400 and M4400 mobile workstations enable engineers, computer-aided design (CAD) designers, video editors, animators, and other creative and business professionals to run high-performance, graphics-intensive applications in a lightweight, durable chassis—and share docking stations and peripherals with the new Dell Latitude laptop family. By Richard Thwaites Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080407-Thwaites.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080378-LANDesk.pdf The combination of LANDesk Management Suite with the Intel vPro technology in Dell OptiPlex desktops and Dell Latitude laptops can provide a powerful, flexible way for administrators to remotely manage, troubleshoot, and secure client systems throughout their life cycle. By Travis Zhao and Brett Twiggs Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080378-LANDesk.pdf Server Technology Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080425-MediaGeneral.pdf Dell Precision mobile workstations and Dell PowerEdge servers help a media company maintain its competitiveness in the evolving news business, reducing the time needed to publish breaking stories by 50 percent. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080425-MediaGeneral.pdf Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080424-Marjon.pdf Preconfigured Dell Latitude D531 laptops running the Microsoft Windows Vista Business Edition OS and Microsoft Office 2007 help provide a flexible learning environment and efficient administration and support for university students. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080424-Marjon.pdf Product/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080374-Dell-ProSupport.pdf Unleashing the workforce to conduct business anytime, anywhere, is a complex undertaking. Dell ProSupport Mobility Services offers a comprehensive suite of professional support services designed to improve worker productivity with flexible, comprehensive asset and data protection services and global data recovery and destruction services. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080374-Dell-ProSupport.pdf Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Windows Product/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080355-Weinstein.pdf Planning and performing a migration to a new IT platform can be difficult and time-consuming for enterprise administrators. The tools and best practices offered by Dell Infrastructure Consulting, including powerful migration applications from Quest Software, provide comprehensive solutions to help organizations migrate smoothly from a Novell platform to a Microsoft platform. By Ray Weinstein Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080355-Weinstein.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080422-SOHO.pdf Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosures helped Soho VFX deliver a Hollywood blockbuster on deadline—more than doubling the company’s processing capacity while helping reduce power consumption by 20 percent. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080422-SOHO.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080423-YCH.pdf Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosures connected to a Dell/EMC CX3-20 storage area network helped supply chain provider YCH Group reduce data center floor space by 70 percent and power consumption by up to 45 percent compared with the previous solution. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080423-YCH.pdf High-Performance Computing Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20070608-Microsoft.pdf When the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Holland Computing Center teamed up with Dell to build a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, the result was a flexible dual-boot system of Dell PowerEdge servers with dual-core AMD Opteron processors—and one of the world’s largest and most powerful Microsoft Windows OS–based clusters. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20070608-Microsoft.pdf Business Continuity Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080283-SUNY.pdf For institutions of higher education, a scalable IT infrastructure can be critical. To demonstrate the scalability and performance of SunGard Higher Education’s Banner software on Dell hardware, Dell collaborated with the State University of New York to build and test a proof-of-concept architecture designed to handle up to 175,000 students with sub-second response times. By Dave Jaffe, Ph.D.; Kai Yu; and Dan Brint Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080283-SUNY.pdf Oracle Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080288-Shaver.pdf Safeguarding data is critical for many organizations, but auditing data access activity to comply with regulatory standards can be a complex undertaking. As part of its initiative to simplify IT, the Dell IT group implemented the Guardium platform and database activity monitoring technology to help protect its globally distributed database servers and streamline compliance processes. By Phil Neray, Addison Lawrence, David McMaster, and Venugopal Nonavinakere Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080288-Shaver.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080394-Doherty.pdf Creating application-consistent point-in-time data snapshots at the storage area network level can work well in traditional environments, but can also be a complex, manual process. Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager allows IT administrators to quickly and easily create and restore snapshots, clones, and replicas at the application level—helping simplify data management, reduce business disruption, and improve data integrity. By Sarah Doherty Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080394-Doherty.pdf Business Continuity Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080395-Gilman.pdf Virtualized IT infrastructures can simplify management and facilitate business continuity while helping minimize power consumption and procurement costs. Virtualization also helps organizations automate disaster recovery plans. Dell EqualLogic PS Series arrays and VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) software provide integrated, cost-effective, automated site recovery and testing for enterprise data centers. By Andrew Gilman and Jon Bock Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080395-Gilman.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080351-EMC.pdf Small and medium businesses (SMBs) often contend with the same storage growth challenges as large enterprises, but with limited IT staff and resources. The Dell AX4-5 storage array is designed to help SMBs consolidate their data to a streamlined, scalable, high-performance storage environment in a cost-effective, easy-to-manage way. By Greg White and Eric Cannell Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080351-EMC.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080240-Srikrishna.pdf The new Dell PowerVault MD1120 storage enclosure is designed to provide high-performance direct attach storage for ninth-generation and later Dell PowerEdge servers. Taking advantage of energy-efficient, rack-dense 2.5-inch Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) drive technology, this enclosure is well suited for applications requiring high I/O or throughput rates. By Rohit Bhat and Vishal Kadam Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080240-Srikrishna.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20070559-DoubleTake.pdf In heterogeneous storage environments, a lack of interoperability can be a critical barrier to effective data management. Double-Take software helps overcome this challenge by providing a cost-effective, simplified way to migrate, consolidate, and protect data in these environments, including those using multiple types of Dell servers and storage. By Ward Wolfram, Michael Hickey, and Nicholas Schoonover Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20070559-DoubleTake.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080379-DataStorage.pdf By helping eliminate redundant backup data, de-duplication provides a key way to streamline backup, recovery, and archiving (BURA) for organizations of all sizes. Combining Data Storage Group ArchiveIQ software with Dell EqualLogic PS Series storage arrays can help overcome common BURA challenges and enable cost-effective, scalable, and simplified disk-based data protection. By Pete Caviness Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080379-DataStorage.pdf Power and Cooling Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080356-QLogic.pdf QLogic 2500 Series 8 Gbps Fibre Channel host bus adapters are optimized for next-generation data centers built on multiprocessor, multi-core Dell PowerEdge servers, including support for virtualization; dynamic power management; high levels of reliability, availability, and serviceability; flexible, powerful security; and simplified deployment. By David P. Clark Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080356-QLogic.pdf Small Business Solutions Storage Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080367-Diskeeper.pdf Defragmentation software has long been a standard tool for enterprise servers. Now, an increasingly mobile workforce is demanding top performance and reliability from systems on the go. Diskeeper 2008 software provides transparent, automatic disk defragmentation designed to boost productivity across the entire system spectrum, from the smallest laptop to the largest server. By Howard Butler Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080367-Diskeeper.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080328-Microsoft.pdf Configuring servers in enterprise environments can be complex and time-consuming, often requiring complicated scripts. The integration of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and the Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit helps simplify this process by providing easy-to-use graphical tools for the deployment of Dell PowerEdge servers. By Robert Hearn Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080328-Microsoft.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080420-Hargett.pdf Tuning database servers can be key to simplifying operations and enhancing performance. Best practices based on real-world experience can help administrators successfully deploy and optimize the 64-bit version of the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 database platform on Dell PowerEdge servers running the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64 Edition OS. By Eric Hale, Corey Bunch, and Laura White Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080420-Hargett.pdf Networking Technology Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080375-Intel.pdf To help meet the growing bandwidth demands of multi-core architectures and server virtualization, Dell, Intel, and VMware have collaborated to develop virtualization solutions built on Dell PowerEdge servers, Intel Xeon processors and 10 Gigabit Ethernet adapters, and VMware ESX software. Utilizing Intel Virtual Machine Device Queues (VMDq) and VMware NetQueue technology, these solutions can enhance performance, increase flexibility, and simplify management in virtualized environments. By Shefali Chinni, Carl Hansen, Bill Henderson, and Nelson Stewart Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080375-Intel.pdf Networking Technology Virtualization Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080213-Ramos.pdf Dell has used VMware virtualization extensively to help optimize its hardware utilization, streamline provisioning processes, and increase resilience. By following the networking best practices used by Dell engineers in their own IT environment, organizations can create an efficient, resilient virtualized infrastructure. By Alberto Ramos Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080213-Ramos.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology Systems Management Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080174-Bhadri.pdf The enhanced power monitoring and management features available in supported Dell PowerEdge servers enable IT administrators to easily track and manage energy use through tools such as the Dell OpenManage suite—ultimately helping optimize server power consumption and control operational costs in their data centers. By Santosh Bhadri G. V., Ramakrishna M. S., and Surendra Bhat Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080174-Bhadri.pdf Storage Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080242-Balakrishnan.pdf Brocade storage area network (SAN) switches are designed to meet the needs of rapidly growing enterprise IT environments. As the first Brocade switch to support both the Brocade Fabric OS and McDATA Enterprise OS platforms, the Brocade 5000 offers flexible interoperability in a scalable, high-performance switch, while the port-dense Brocade 4900 facilitates cost-effective consolidation. By Nivetha Balakrishnan and Aditya G. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080242-Balakrishnan.pdf Dell Enterprise Software Updates Online-Only Content Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Dell periodically releases updates for its servers, storage, and other enterprise platforms. These updates are classified as urgent, recommended, or optional depending on the enhancements they provide. Dell recommends customers keep their system firmware and software up-to-date to take advantage of these enhancements, which are designed to improve system functionality and minimize potential problems. The following tables summarize recent firmware updates for Dell PowerEdge components and Dell PowerVault storage. To sign up for Dell Technical Updates, visit support.dell.com/support/notifications/technicalupdates.aspx. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Industry Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080309-RecentCitings.pdf Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080309-RecentCitings.pdf Cover Story Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080305-CoverStory.pdf The Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS promises to supercharge enterprise computing by providing a solid foundation to support critical workloads and deliver rich Web-based experiences—all in an exceptionally secure, industry-standard operating environment. Dell smooths the way by providing business-ready platforms optimized for Windows Server 2008 together with Structured Solution Designs to make the migration flexible, simple, and green. By Laine Tsujii; Stephen Miller; Ben May; Jeanne Feldkamp; Jemilson Pierrelouis, Ph.D.; and Tom Kolnowski Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080305-CoverStory.pdf Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080290-DellSvcs.pdf For many enterprises, the biggest hurdle in upgrading to the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS is the complexity of the migration process. Dell helps simplify IT and reduce risk with comprehensive service offerings and a validated, repeatable approach that includes seamless support for integrated Microsoft applications on Dell servers. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080290-DellSvcs.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070609-Narayanan.pdf Upgrading to the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS can offer myriad advantages, including enhanced performance, security, and stability. By following best practices for in-place upgrades and taking advantage of tools such as the Dell Windows Server 2008 Readiness Advisor, administrators can help ensure a smooth migration on their Dell PowerEdge servers. By Aarthi M.; Jemilson Pierrelouis, Ph.D.; Narayanan D.; and Perumal Raja P. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070609-Narayanan.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070572-Zhang.pdf The image-based installation and systems management support in the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS can offer multiple advantages over conventional native installation on local and remote systems, including streamlined OS image deployment on Dell PowerEdge servers in complex, heterogeneous environments. By Weijia (John) Zhang, Ph.D. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070572-Zhang.pdf Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070610-Waggoner.pdf Microsoft Windows Deployment Services (WDS) provides an accessible, flexible way to perform mass deployments of current and legacy Windows operating systems. Using customized answer files and taking advantage of scripting and other tools with WDS can help dramatically reduce the time to perform highly configured mass deployments with minimal infrastructure impact. By David Waggoner Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070610-Waggoner.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070611-Tsai.pdf The Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS offers an alternative Server Core installation option that creates a minimal environment for specific server functionality. Although this installation option can present challenges when upgrading Dell PowerEdge servers, administrators can use native tools and the Dell OpenManage suite to help customize Server Core installations for optimum performance. By Peter Tsai, Barun Chaudhary, Steven Grigsby, and Joseph Rojas Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070611-Tsai.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070570-Troeger.pdf Upgrading Dell PowerEdge servers to the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS also typically requires selecting, installing, and troubleshooting device drivers. Using tested and validated drivers and following best practices can help administrators ensure optimal performance in their environments. By David Troeger; Weijia (John) Zhang, Ph.D. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070570-Troeger.pdf Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080222-Shabana.pdf Cluster environments enable multiple systems to provide higher availability for applications and services than a single system can typically provide. The Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS introduces multiple enhancements designed to increase the availability, scalability, and manageability of failover clusters. By Nam Nguyen, Shabana M., and Biraja Ashis Deo Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080222-Shabana.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080224-Gavankar.pdf The Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS includes significant changes to the failover clustering architecture designed to enhance flexibility and availability, but migrating a cluster from Windows Server 2003 can be challenging. Following best practices can help administrators plan and execute a smooth migration for clusters based on Dell PowerEdge servers. By Bhushan Gavankar, Subhashini Prem, and Daniel Moges Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080224-Gavankar.pdf Microsoft Windows Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080294-CommVault.pdf Migrating data associated with Microsoft operating systems, applications, and other software can be a challenge administrators overlook when planning system upgrades. Dell PowerVault and Dell EqualLogic storage and CommVault Simpana data management software enable flexible data migration and transparent, release-specific data object recovery and backup to help simplify upgrades in enterprise environments. By K.E.H. Polanski Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080294-CommVault.pdf Microsoft Windows Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-50080342-Dell-WS08.pdf Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-50080342-Dell-WS08.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080153-Chandrasekaran.pdf The new Dell PowerEdge R805 server is designed and optimized specifically for virtualization. By including VMware integrated virtualization, the PowerEdge R805 enables quick and easy deployment right out of the box, simplified management, and enhanced security, as well as diskless configuration to help reduce power costs. By Balasubramanian Chandrasekaran, Brent Douglas, Joseph Rispoli, and David Schmidt Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080153-Chandrasekaran.pdf Microsoft Exchange Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080324-VMware.pdf Building a simple, flexible, resilient infrastructure can be essential to successful Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 deployments. By using a virtualized solution based on VMware Infrastructure 3 software, Dell PowerEdge servers, and Dell/EMC CX3-20 storage arrays, organizations can create a scalable and highly available Exchange implementation. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080324-VMware.pdf Microsoft Exchange Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080277-Vasudevan.pdf The Dell On-Demand Desktop Streaming solution can enhance IT manageability, reliability, and security, but may limit software features not designed for networked storage. This article outlines four approaches organizations can take to help accommodate end-user requirements for offline storage of e-mail when using a platform such as Microsoft Exchange. By Ananda Sankaran and Bharath Vasudevan Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080277-Vasudevan.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080217-Symantec.pdf Symantec Backup Exec software is designed to provide simplified, comprehensive backup and recovery for Microsoft Windows environments. The new Symantec Backup Exec 12 introduces multiple enhancements, including enhanced granular recovery and continuous protection, comprehensive support for the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 OS, and innovative integration with other Symantec products. By Charles Butler Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080217-Symantec.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070524-Symantec.pdf The Dell PowerEdge M-Series modular blade enclosure and blades can offer significant advantages, including high efficiency and rapid deployment. For enterprises planning to migrate from stand-alone servers to blade servers, Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery 8 provides powerful, versatile features to help ensure a smooth, rapid transition. By Charles Butler Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20070524-Symantec.pdf Security Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080218-F5Networks.pdf The Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure offers the power and flexibility to meet the most demanding workloads. Dell and F5 Networks provide a comprehensive delivery system for Web applications designed for high performance and scalability as well as tight security to help safeguard critical data. By Scott Siragusa and Dan Kim Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080218-F5Networks.pdf Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080286-Altiris.pdf Altiris Deployment Solution for Dell Servers now enables administrators to update Dell PowerEdge server firmware in a preboot environment rather than using a traditional OS update agent. Using this approach can help reduce incompatibilities and alleviate common concerns about deploying updates in production environments. By Eric Szewczyk and Trenton Potgieter Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080286-Altiris.pdf Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080209-Broadcom.pdf The new Broadcom RemotePHY technology offered in Dell PowerEdge M600 and PowerEdge M605 server blades helps simplify the integration of blade server enclosures into data centers wired with 10/100 Mbps copper Ethernet. By David Christensen Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080209-Broadcom.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080314-EqualLogic.pdf Thin provisioning is designed to address the storage management and capacity planning challenges posed by fast-growing enterprise applications. This article explores how a thin provisioning strategy using Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage arrays can help increase storage utilization rates, improve staff productivity, and reduce costs. By Kevin Wittmer Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080314-EqualLogic.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080231-Albatal.pdf In 24/7 production environments, advanced backup and recovery features can be critical to minimizing downtime. Combining Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 and Dell EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage arrays can provide an efficient and cost-effective way for enterprises of all sizes to implement comprehensive, enterprise-wide data protection. By Kevin Wittmer and Jason Buffington Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080231-Albatal.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080311-Intel.pdf Booting servers from an Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network further enhances the enterprise advantages of iSCSI, helping significantly reduce the time needed to deploy new or replacement servers. This article provides hands-on guidance for configuring iSCSI remote boot on Dell PowerEdge servers with Intel Ethernet adapters. By Travis Vigil and Jordan Plawner Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080311-Intel.pdf Networking Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080255-Dixit.pdf The Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller (PERC) 6 family of enterprise-class Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) RAID controllers is designed for enhanced performance, increased reliability and fault tolerance, and simplified management—providing a powerful, easy-to-manage way to create a robust infrastructure and help maximize server uptime. By Bhanu Prakash Dixit, Sanjay Tiwari, Kedar Vaze, and Joe H. Trickey III Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080255-Dixit.pdf Product/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-50080291-DellSvs_ID.pdf Image management can be complicated, costly, and time-consuming. The Dell ImageDirect service helps IT organizations streamline the process of securely creating, deploying, and managing software builds on Dell Latitude laptops, Dell OptiPlex desktops, and Dell Precision workstations—boosting productivity while helping lower total cost of ownership. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-50080291-DellSvs_ID.pdf Product/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-50080265-DellSvs_CMD.pdf Client migrations can put an enormous strain on enterprise resources. The end-to-end Dell Client Migration Solution can help save time and money while relieving network congestion—using patent-pending automation technology to help cut costs by up to 62 percent, shave administrator time by up to 88 percent, and reduce required network bandwidth up to 70 percent for client deployments. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-50080265-DellSvs_CMD.pdf Security Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080296-Symantec.pdf The unpredictable and rapidly growing volume of spam e-mail can present a major management challenge in enterprise environments. Deploying Symantec virtual antispam appliances on Dell PowerEdge servers can help organizations cost-effectively scale e-mail filtering capacity to meet the peaks and troughs of spam volume while reducing management time and costs. By Mathew Lodge and Doug Iler Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080296-Symantec.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080269-Wave.pdf Dell Latitude D630 and Latitude D830 notebooks with Seagate Momentus hard drives and EMBASSY management software from Wave Systems offer a comprehensive, simplified, hardware-based encryption solution to help protect critical data. By Brian Berger Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080269-Wave.pdf Implementation Study Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080341-Shanghai.pdf Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell PowerVault storage arrays helped the Shanghai Community International Schools enhance high-capacity data storage and backup, reducing data recovery time by an estimated 98 percent and server administration time by approximately 60 percent. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080341-Shanghai.pdf Implementation Study Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080344-MisterArt.pdf For online retailer MisterArt.com, the Dell PowerVault MD3000i Internet SCSI (iSCSI)–based storage array simplifies storage management and provides high performance in support of 80 percent annual business growth. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080344-MisterArt.pdf Implementation Study Power and Cooling Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080345-Deutsche.pdf The efficient power usage and heat output of Dell PowerEdge Energy Smart 1950 servers helped Deutsche Rentenversicherung reduce energy bills and avoid a potentially costly upgrade to its existing infrastructure. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080345-Deutsche.pdf Implementation Study Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080346-Magna.pdf The Dell Premier Pages service combined with VMware virtualization on Dell PowerEdge servers enabled automotive supplier Magna International to take control of its IT procurement processes and streamline its server infrastructure—helping increase efficiency and reduce costs company-wide. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080346-Magna.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080246-McGary.pdf The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controllers (iDRACs) in Dell PowerEdge M-Series server blades provide powerful, easy-to-use remote management and configuration options designed to simplify management, increase flexibility, and enhance security in enterprise environments. By Jon McGary Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080246-McGary.pdf Networking Technology Online-Only Content Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080312-Dixit.pdf The Dell Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 6/iR family of integrated RAID controllers provides a cost-effective, entry-level RAID configuration and management solution for internal storage on Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell Precision workstations. By Bhanu Prakash Dixit, Sanjay Tiwari, and Kedar Vaze Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080312-Dixit.pdf Online-Only Content Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080190-Long.pdf By evaluating the expected reliability of different RAID levels alongside that of other system components and key factors such as performance, enterprises can choose a data protection configuration appropriate to their environment and overall IT strategy. By Abraham Long Jr. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q08-20080190-Long.pdf Dell Enterprise Software Updates Online-Only Content Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Recent firmware updates for Dell PowerEdge components and Dell PowerVault storage can help improve system functionality and minimize potential problems. Wed, 14 May 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080328-Microsoft.pdf Configuring servers in enterprise environments can be complex and time-consuming, often requiring complicated scripts. The integration of Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and the Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit helps simplify this process by providing easy-to-use graphical tools for the deployment of Dell PowerEdge servers. By Robert Hearn Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080328-Microsoft.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080253-RecentCitings.pdf Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080253-RecentCitings.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080179-CoverStory.pdf Going green can be the secret to significant cost savings as well as aggressive performance growth. Dell offers a comprehensive strategy that includes virtualization and consolidation onto energy-efficient systems, best practices for power and cooling optimization, and expert services that can help businesses achieve immediate benefits. By John Pflueger, Ph.D., and Albert Esser, Ph.D. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080179-CoverStory.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080198-Esser.pdf Dr. Albert Esser, vice president of data center infrastructure at Dell, shares his perspective on the momentum that is building behind green data center design. Plus: How IT organizations can put unused capacity to work and leverage tactics for fast, flexible growth that helps maximize the bottom line. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080198-Esser.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080199-GreenGrid.pdf An efficient data center can enhance business performance and help lower costs. The Green Grid—an international consortium dedicated to improving energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems—is developing platform-neutral standards, metrics, measurement methods, processes, and technologies that promise to help conserve energy for sustainable growth. By Christian Belady and John Pflueger, Ph.D. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080199-GreenGrid.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080199-GreenGrid-SOE.pdf Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080199-GreenGrid-SOE.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080171-EMC.pdf Enterprises must consider multiple variables when designing an efficient storage environment, including performance, power and cooling requirements, and energy costs. Energy-efficient technologies in Dell/EMC CX3 series storage are designed to help enterprises optimize application performance while reducing energy use and controlling ongoing operational costs. By Rodan Zadeh Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080171-EMC.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080207-Altiris.pdf Configuring and maintaining power settings for client systems can be a critical part of enterprise efforts to manage energy usage. For organizations built on Dell desktops, notebooks, and workstations, Dell Client Manager software from Altiris provides a simple, effective way to manage power schemes and other settings to help reduce power consumption and energy costs. By Todd Mitchell Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080207-Altiris.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080216-Emerson.pdf The increasing need for high-performance, rack-dense servers has strained the limits of many data center cooling systems. Dell-Liebert Energy Smart Solutions can help organizations overcome these limits, enabling them to increase performance while maintaining existing levels of energy use or to provide sufficient cooling for a maximum-performance infrastructure. By Fred Stack Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080216-Emerson.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080249-EqualLogic.pdf Built on a patented peer storage architecture, the EqualLogic PS Series of Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage arrays offers high performance, reliability, intelligent automation, and seamless virtualization of a single pool of storage to enable simplified enterprise storage deployment, ease of management, and comprehensive data protection. By John Joseph, Eric Schott, and Kevin Wittmer Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080249-EqualLogic.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080250-EqualLogic.pdf The advent of Internet SCSI (iSCSI) technology, combined with the latest in server virtualization software, can offer enhanced capabilities and benefits to enterprises of all sizes. This article provides guidance on building a virtualized infrastructure with EqualLogic PS Series iSCSI storage arrays and VMware virtualization software. By Timothy Sherbak Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080250-EqualLogic.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080252-EqualLogic.pdf Robust business continuity has historically been out of reach for small and medium businesses (SMBs) because it was often too costly and overly complicated. EqualLogic PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage arrays enable organizations of all sizes to deploy an enterprise-level storage infrastructure offering comprehensive data and application protection. By Kevin Wittmer Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080252-EqualLogic.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080206-Fenner.pdf The innovative new Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade server enclosure is designed to meet evolving requirements for blade servers in enterprise environments—including comprehensive functionality comparable to standard rack-mounted servers, efficient energy use through Dell Energy Smart technology, upgradable components, and simplified deployment and management. By Chad Fenner Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080206-Fenner.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070500-Loffink.pdf Modular components can be key to keeping pace with fast-moving IT advancements. The architecture of the new Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade server enclosure and its 10th-generation Dell server technology is designed to support both current and future network technologies, helping protect enterprise modular server investments. By John Loffink Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070500-Loffink.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070529-Avocent.pdf The Avocent iKVM (integrated keyboard, video, mouse) switch, an analog KVM switch integrated into the Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure, is designed to simplify administrative tasks by letting IT staff easily view, monitor, and manage server blades and by providing access to the remote management and power control functions of the PowerEdge M1000e Chassis Management Controller. By Stephen M. Hahn and Chad Fenner Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070529-Avocent.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070310-Altiris.pdf Altiris Deployment Solution for Dell Servers software offers simple drag-and-drop bare-metal provisioning and ongoing server management of Dell PowerEdge servers. Version 3.0 of this software introduces multiple features and enhancements designed to further simplify key administrative tasks, and incorporates support for the Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure and PowerEdge M600 series server blades. By Eric Szewczyk Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070310-Altiris.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080188-DCS.pdf A growing number of organizations today utilize computing “clouds” to deliver many applications familiar to Internet users as well as flexible access to powerful compute and storage resources. Integrated solutions designed to minimize acquisition and operating costs, maximize energy efficiency, and enable rapid scalability can help operators of these and other hyper-scale data centers speed deployment, lower total cost of ownership, and reduce environmental impact. By Jimmy Pike, Ty Schmitt, Frank Frankovsky, and Todd Brannon Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080188-DCS.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080175-Prince.pdf The Dell On-Demand Desktop Streaming solution with Dell EasyConnect technology is designed to stream virtual disks from servers to diskless client systems. Deploying this solution can help enterprise administrators simplify IT, increase efficiency, and enhance security while providing end users with stable, robust client systems. By Aaron Prince and Bharath Vasudevan Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080175-Prince.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080172-CommVault.pdf Hardware consolidation has become a key way for enterprises to increase efficiency and reduce ongoing data center costs. By combining this approach with de-duplication technologies such as those in CommVault Simpana 7.0 software, which are designed to remove unnecessary copies of data, they can reclaim storage space and extend consolidation down to the data itself. By K. E. H. Polanski Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080172-CommVault.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070484-Singh.pdf Dell and Microsoft have worked together to create unified disk-to-disk-to-tape systems—Dell PowerVault Data Protection Solutions—that help avoid the drawbacks of traditional tape- and disk-based data protection. Optimized for Microsoft software–based workloads, these systems can provide versatile, comprehensive protection for environments built with Dell PowerVault servers and Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2007. By Sanjeet Singh and Jason Buffington Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070484-Singh.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070485-Singh.pdf Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 is designed to combine the advantages of traditional tape backup and disk-based continuous data protection processes in a unified platform. This article delves into the key functionality of DPM 2007 and how it can help streamline and enhance data protection processes. By Jason Buffington and Sanjeet Singh Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070485-Singh.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080197-ProStor.pdf The Dell PowerVault RD1000 removable disk drive provides a flexible, cost-effective way for small and medium businesses to meet data growth and long-term archiving requirements—designed to provide both higher performance and simpler management than traditional tape media while being more portable and durable than traditional external hard drives. By Jeff Boles Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080197-ProStor.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080154-LANDesk.pdf Many enterprises are considering migrating to the Microsoft Windows Vista OS, but have postponed doing so because of concerns about application compatibility. By enabling the creation of self-contained virtualized applications, LANDesk Application Virtualization can help minimize risk, save time, increase user satisfaction, and reduce costs for support and regression testing during this type of migration. By Coby Gurr Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080154-LANDesk.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070597-Intel.pdf By using Intel 10 Gigabit Ethernet server adapters in Dell PowerEdge servers and unified storage systems such as the Dell PowerVault NX1950, organizations can achieve the performance required for high-bandwidth applications and meet the demand for increased storage capacity while moving toward network convergence on a simplified Ethernet infrastructure. By Jordan Plawner and Travis Vigil Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070597-Intel.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070593-Microsoft.pdf In manufacturing concerns, high-performance computing (HPC) has evolved from a cost center to a strategic asset. The Microsoft HPC solution stack facilitates seamless access to distributed computing resourcesenhancing end-user productivity and performance to accelerate global product innovation cycles. By Aditya Krishnan Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070593-Microsoft.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080193-McAfee.pdf Virtualization technology can offer significant advantages in enterprise data centers, but can also carry its own specific security risks. McAfee IntruShield network security and intrusion prevention system appliances are designed to provide comprehensive defenses against a wide array of external and internal threats in virtualized environments. By John Vecchi Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080193-McAfee.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080236-MarketLive.pdf When MarketLive found that limited power and rack space in its data centers had become a barrier to growth, Dell PowerEdge Energy Smart servers helped the company cut power consumption by an estimated 50 percent while providing twice the processing power in the same amount of space. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080236-MarketLive.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080238-TESCO.pdf Dell PowerEdge servers, Dell/EMC storage, and Dell OptiPlex desktops help online retailer Tesco.com support a 30 percent annual customer expansion rate. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080238-TESCO.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080239-TaiwanAdventistHospital.pdf By deploying an IT environment built on Dell PowerEdge servers and VMware virtualization software, Taiwan Adventist Hospital created a highly available IT environment that enables medical staff to focus on patients. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080239-TaiwanAdventistHospital.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080237-Ryerson.pdf By consolidating 90 percent of its physical servers onto Dell PowerEdge blade servers using the VMware virtualization platform, the Ryerson University IT group is poised to react quickly to university needs. Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20080237-Ryerson.pdf Power Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-50080247-Intel.pdf Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-50080247-Intel.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080113-MOM.pdf When rapid worldwide growth forced local Dell divisions to handle server monitoring and management on their own, Dell was left with an unwieldy decentralized management system. To regain control of the global Dell infrastructure, the Dell IT group deployed Microsoft Operations Manager 2005, enabling it to centralize and consolidate management of Microsoft Windows, Exchange, and SQL Server systems worldwide. Wed, 9 Jan 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080113-MOM.pdf Systems Management Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080109-Painter.pdf To help simplify the management of its large and complex IT infrastructure, Dell designed and deployed the Dell Business Service Management Dashboard. This innovative visual tool helps enhance IT efficiency, increase uptime of critical systems, and provide executive-level visibility into the global Dell IT environment. By Joshua David, Tom Painter, and Frank Tang Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080109-Painter.pdf Storage Technology High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070352-Saify.pdf Qualified high-performance computing (HPC) cluster configurations based on the IBRIX Fusion file system and Dell PowerVault MD3000 storage can provide a robust, cost-effective, high-performance architecture for parallel application deployments. By Amina Saify, Aziz Gulbeden, and Onur Celebioglu Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-20070352-Saify.pdf Application Development Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080112-Fielding.pdf EarthWatch, an application developed by the Dell eIntelligence team, combines hourly traffic on the Dell Web site with Google Earth images. Dell teams can now visually see where real customers are coming from and which cities are producing the most traffic with a near-real-time view into Web customer engagement worldwide. By Shawn Fielding and Christos Pattichis Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080112-Fielding.pdf Application Development Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080110-Yang.pdf As online commerce booms, many organizations struggle to maintain a compelling user experience without increasing the development burden of complex Web site architectures and processes. In a recent site upgrade, Dell IT identified additional Web capabilities and site analytics that help increase flexibility and streamline site development. By Jun Yang Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080110-Yang.pdf Application Development Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080108-Curry.pdf The interactions between customers and technical support call centers are part of a necessary and complex process that offers plenty of opportunities to increase efficiency. The Dell IT group is working to automate parts of this interaction to enhance both agent productivity and customer experience, and potentially simplify call center activities across the Dell enterprise. By Glenn Curry, Ralph Hilliard, and Carthikeyan Shanmuganathan Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q08-39080108-Curry.pdf Dell Enterprise Software Updates http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Virtualization Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070547-DeLaRosa.pdf The open source Xen virtualization hypervisor included in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 OS provides key components to help build dynamic, scalable virtualized environments. This article describes the basic features of Xen virtualization in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and how organizations can deploy it on ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers. By Jose De la Rosa and Puneet Dhawan Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070547-DeLaRosa.pdf Systems Management Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070387-Babu.pdf Although IPMItool provides a useful way to monitor and configure Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI)–compliant devices, its limited number of command-line options restricts access to some capabilities of the baseboard management controllers in Dell PowerEdge servers. To help maximize these capabilities, administrators can instead access hardware functions using IPMItool raw commands. By Seshadri N. and Raghavendra Babu Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070387-Babu.pdf Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070363-Sankari.pdf Microsoft Windows Deployment Services, the successor to Microsoft Remote Installation Services, provides administrators with a simple, fast, flexible way to deploy the Microsoft Windows Vista OS, the forthcoming Windows Server 2008 OS (code-named “Longhorn”), and multiple legacy Windows operating systems. By Sankari N., Manjunath Narayanan, and Gobinath Krishnamoorthy Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070363-Sankari.pdf High-Performance Computing High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070553-Sebastian.pdf Open MPI, an open source middleware implementation of Message Passing Interface (MPI), helps simplify the porting and execution of MPI-based applications and supports many high-performance computing (HPC) platforms, interconnects, and environments. This article outlines the Open MPI architecture and its flexible runtime configuration options, and offers tips that can help maximize bandwidth performance. By Toby Sebastian, Sanjay Lalwani, and Munira Hussain Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070553-Sebastian.pdf High-Performance Computing High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070550-Ou.pdf Using parallel rendering technologies with clusters of high-performance computing (HPC) workstations configured with high-end graphics processors helps scale out graphics capabilities by exploiting and coordinating distributed computing resources. This article discusses parallel rendering architectures and highlights open source utilities that can help meet rendering requirements for large-scale data sets. By Li Ou, Ph.D.; Yung-Chin Fang; Onur Celebioglu; and Victor Mashayekhi, Ph.D. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070550-Ou.pdf High-Performance Computing High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080151-Platform.pdf The Intel Cluster Ready program is designed to provide a common standard for high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, helping organizations design and build seamless, compatible configurations. Integrating the standards and tools provided by this program with Platform Open Cluster Stack and certified Dell clusters can help significantly simplify the deployment and management of HPC clusters. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080151-Platform.pdf High-Performance Computing High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070554-Vedantham.pdf The Myricom Myrinet-10G (Myri-10G) interconnect can offer high bandwidth and low latency in high-performance computing environments. This article describes the Myri-10G interconnect architecture and software stack as well as test results comparing the latency, throughput, and performance of Myri-10G, Myrinet-2000, and Gigabit Ethernet on ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers. By Sreeram Vedantham, Shivaraj Nidoni, and Munira Hussain Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070554-Vedantham.pdf High-Performance Computing High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070552-Gulbeden.pdf Using the FLUENT computational fluid dynamics application in conjunction with Microsoft Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 enables cluster users to easily run large simulations on high-performance computing clusters. This article describes tests performed to evaluate the scalability of these types of clusters when using multi-core processing to help increase performance. By Aziz Gulbeden and Amina Saify Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070552-Gulbeden.pdf High-Performance Computing High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070551-Hussain.pdf The OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED) provides a standardized software stack for high-performance computing (HPC) clusters using the InfiniBand interconnect. This article describes the development and architecture of OFED along with test results measuring the bandwidth and latency of OFED-based HPC clusters of Dell PowerEdge servers. By Munira Hussain, Arun Rajan, Sreeram Vedantham, and Jacob Liberman Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070551-Hussain.pdf Systems Management Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070568-Avocent.pdf The latest firmware updates for Dell 2161DS-2 and 4161DS remote console switches enhance remote server management through an on-board Web browser–based interface, virtual media features, and support for Avocent KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) over IP technology and Avocent DSView 3 management software. By Max A. Benham and William Muscato Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070568-Avocent.pdf Product/Services Showcase Product/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50080138-ATI.pdf Offering innovative technology, a high level of reliability, and vibrant visual fidelity, ATI FireGL graphics accelerators from AMD are designed to enhance 3D application performance and increase user productivity in professional environments. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50080138-ATI.pdf Security Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080137-Symantec.pdf Enterprises must constantly guard against stealthy, targeted, financially motivated attacks that can exploit vulnerabilities in endpoint devices to allow data theft and other damage. Through a seamless, multilayered approach, Symantec Endpoint Protection helps provide advanced threat prevention and simplified, holistic endpoint protection across notebooks, desktops, and servers. By Lauren Duda Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080137-Symantec.pdf Virtualization Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50070438-AMD.pdf Dell PowerEdge servers with Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors help drive down total cost of ownership while accelerating business agility. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50070438-AMD.pdf Industry Solutions Industry Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070592-Young.pdf As video-based gaming technology surges in popularity, Dell server and storage platforms are behind the scenes at many casinos, helping reduce management complexity while enhancing the reliability, serviceability, and scalability of highly customized gaming environments. By Patty Young, Franklin Flint, and David Havener Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070592-Young.pdf Industry Solutions Industry Solutions http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070565-Pennington.pdf Dedicated appliances help enterprises deploy critical data center capabilities; streamline support, development, and testing; accelerate time to market; bolster data security; and reduce costs. By offering platform life cycle support, change-management services, and engineering consultation, Dell helps ensure that hardware-based appliances perform seamlessly in enterprise IT infrastructures. By Jaleel Mohammed and David Pennington Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070565-Pennington.pdf Enterprise Resource Planning Enterprise Resource Planning http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070470-SAP.pdf Enterprise service-oriented architecture (SOA) can help reduce IT costs and increase flexibility, but successful deployment depends on the broad adoption of industry standards. SAP is committed to standards development and the integration of standards into the SAP NetWeaver platform, the foundation of SAP enterprise SOA. By Michael Bechauf Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070470-SAP.pdf Application Development Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50080141-Intel.pdf Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50080141-Intel.pdf Server Development Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080136-Citrix.pdf The ubiquity of the Web simplifies many aspects of delivering application services. However, the inherent performance and security inefficiencies of networking protocols can negatively affect user experience. Citrix NetScaler application delivery controllers provide advanced application-level acceleration, availability, and security functionality to address these issues while helping reduce the cost of delivering these applications. By John Gudmundson Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080136-Citrix.pdf Application Development Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-39080111-Swartz.pdf At Dell, maintaining high efficiency in supply chain and manufacturing operations is key to success. So when Dell IT saw the number of custom applications used in its factories spiraling out of control, it responded by planning and implementing a single standardized application layer, while simultaneously integrating tools allowing mobile users to easily access and control factory operations in real time. By Peter Swartz, Clay Johnson, and Richard Brown Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-39080111-Swartz.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080146-Hanson.pdf Virtualizing legacy servers nearing the end of their life cycle can help reduce power costs while maintaining similar levels of performance. Recent Dell tests show that migrating legacy servers to a virtualized Dell PowerEdge 2950 can help reduce average power use by approximately 2 kW, potentially saving more than US$6,000 over a three-year period. By Scott Hanson Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080146-Hanson.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080163-EMC.pdf Midsize businesses face the daunting challenge of managing rapid data growth with constrained budgets and limited staff. Advances in IP-based networked storage technology such as network attached storage and Internet SCSI (iSCSI) can help organizations of all sizes take advantage of existing resources to easily and cost-effectively build, maintain, and manage sophisticated storage networks. By Mike Apigian Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080163-EMC.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080169-Jaffe.pdf The Dell PowerVault MD3000i Internet SCSI (iSCSI) array enables enterprises to easily consolidate storage for multiple servers. To illustrate its performance in a consolidated environment, Dell engineers performed tests demonstrating that the PowerVault MD3000i provides sufficient throughput to handle five server workloads as well as two incremental backups over an eight-hour period. By Dave Jaffe, Ph.D., and Kendra Matthews Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080169-Jaffe.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070402-Vigil.pdf Small and medium businesses, remote offices, and departments and workgroups must cope with the same IT pressures as large enterprises, but with smaller budgets and fewer dedicated staff members. Internet SCSI (iSCSI)–based storage arrays such as the Dell PowerVault MD3000i offer a cost-effective way for these organizations to consolidate storage while providing powerful, easy-to-use management tools. By Travis Vigil Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070402-Vigil.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080123-CoverStory.pdf Digital data is outstripping storage capacity and complex systems are failing to adapt under the strain as storage demands grow faster than IT budgets. The good news is that easy-to-use IP-based networked storage with built-in data protection and management capabilities promises to bridge the budget gap—and effectively complement traditional Fibre Channel–based storage area networks. By Eric Endebrock; Dave Jaffe, Ph.D.; and Kathryn White Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080123-CoverStory.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50080159-DellSvcs.pdf A flood tide of digital data and increasingly complex regulatory requirements have made data backup, recovery, and archiving critical aspects of enterprise operations. Dell Services experts can assess how effectively an information infrastructure is getting the job done and deploy integrated, best-of-breed storage solutions to help ensure the safety and recoverability of critical data. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-50080159-DellSvcs.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070564-Cisco.pdf Storage area networks (SANs) have traditionally been reserved for large enterprises with the budgets and IT staff resources to handle them. Now, Dell and Cisco have collaborated to create SAN solutions designed specifically for small and medium businesses, allowing them to deploy high-performance, enterprise-class storage in a cost-effective, easy-to-manage way. By Bala Nagesh Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070564-Cisco.pdf Microsoft Exchange Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080166-Singh.pdf Dell-recommended solutions for Microsoft Exchange environments can help simplify the design and deployment of messaging infrastructures using industry-standard components. This article describes two optimized solutions using Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)–based Dell PowerVault MD1000 and PowerVault MD3000 storage. By Suman Kumar Singh and Mahmoud Ahmadian Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080166-Singh.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070596-Broadcom.pdf The ability to boot server operating systems over an Internet SCSI (iSCSI)–based storage area network can offer multiple advantages, including increased system reliability, simplified management, and accelerated restore processes. To help enterprises utilize this functionality, Broadcom and Dell have teamed up to offer enhanced iSCSI boot on Broadcom Ethernet controllers in Dell PowerEdge servers. By Robert Lusinsky and David Christensen Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070596-Broadcom.pdf Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070555-Chen.pdf Following best practices from Dell and Microsoft can help enterprises design a high-performance Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database on Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell PowerVault storage. This article provides specific guidance and best-practice recommendations in the areas of storage, OS, and database configuration. By Wendy Chen, Sumner Stewart, Paul Rubin Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070555-Chen.pdf Microsoft Exchange Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080147-Muirhead.pdf Before virtualizing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, organizations should understand how those virtual machines might perform. This article describes tests used to evaluate the performance and scalability of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 on a VMware ESX Server 3 virtualization platform. By Todd Muirhead and Kong Yang Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080147-Muirhead.pdf Scalable Enterprise SIMPLIFY IT http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080130-SimplifyIT.pdf Enterprises of all sizes struggle with the ever-increasing complexity of IT. By helping simplify and streamline the requirements for ongoing operations and systems maintenance, the Dell IT simplification approach enables organizations to reclaim the time, money, and personnel needed to turn innovation into a daily business practice. By Joe Pollock Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20080130-SimplifyIT.pdf Storage Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070463-Jaffe.pdf The Dell PowerVault NX1950 integrated network attached storage system offers cost-effective, versatile storage for small and medium businesses and remote offices. To demonstrate its performance in a high-availability configuration, Dell engineers simulated a mixed environment running key Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server workloads alongside Microsoft Windows and Linux file shares. By Dave Jaffe, Ph.D., and Todd Muirhead Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070463-Jaffe.pdf Microsoft Exchange Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070415-Symantec.pdf Implementing an e-mail archiving system can bring multiple challenges, including choosing which messages to archive, how long to retain them, and how to find specific messages after they have been archived. The Symantec intelligent archiving approach enables organizations to efficiently classify, filter, retain, and search for e-mail messages while helping simplify management and control resource costs. By Art Gilliland Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q07-20070415-Symantec.pdf Online-Only Content High Availability Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070417-Kosacek-OE.pdf Although virtualization is becoming increasingly popular as a way to consolidate servers and storage for efficient utilization, it can also extend the impact of hardware failures to multiple critical systems. Running Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 Release 2 (R2) on a Microsoft Cluster Service platform can help mitigate this problem by providing high-availability features for virtualized clusters. By Michael Kosacek Wed, 08 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070417-Kosacek-OE.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07.pdf Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070478-Kolnowski.pdf Virtualization is sweet. For this issue, we remotely connected to the Dell TechCenter lab directly from our editorial offices, and attached to an exceedingly well-stocked VM farm. Through the VMware VirtualCenter tool, we pointed and clicked our way to the hosted VMs running the business applications, management tools, and operating systems we needed for the cover artwork. By Tom Kolnowski Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070478-Kolnowski.pdf Cover Story Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070479-CoverStory.pdf Once an isolated island reserved for test and development, virtualization is unlocking untapped server, storage, and networking resources. Today, standards-based server virtualization is changing the tides with efficient cost-benefit models enabled by reduced IT infrastructure costs, simplified management, and unprecedented business response. By Jeanne Feldkamp, Deb McDonald, and Tom Kolnowski Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070479-CoverStory.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070251-Muirhead.pdf VMware Infrastructure 3 on ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers offers several important features and can help provide significant performance increases over previous-generation systems. Administrators can take advantage of the portability of virtual machines to easily perform a rolling upgrade to VMware Infrastructure 3, helping minimize downtime for users and applications during the transition. By Todd Muirhead Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070251-Muirhead.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070562-Hanson.pdf The VMware High Availability and Distributed Resource Scheduler features are designed to mitigate the risk of host failure while optimizing resource utilization in virtualized cluster environments. This article examines these features and describes tests that demonstrate their functionality and performance on Dell PowerEdge servers in common enterprise data center scenarios. By Scott Hanson Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070562-Hanson.pdf Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070563-Jaffe.pdf Dell Internet SCSI(iSCSI) storage arrays are designed to provide cost-effective, easy-to-deploy shared storage for software like the VMware Infrastructure 3 server virtualization suite. This article discusses the key features of these arrays, outlines how administrators can configure them for use with VMware software, and provides test results comparing their performance in a virtualized environment. By Dave Jaffe, Ph.D. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070563-Jaffe.pdf Systems Management Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070385-Dhawan.pdf Combining XenSource XenEnterprise software with Dell PowerEdge servers can provide a scalable, efficient virtualized environment in enterprise data centers. This article describes key features of XenEnterprise 3.2 and outlines how administrators can install and configure Dell OpenManage software to simplify management of XenEnterprise hosts. By Victor Mashayekhi, Ph.D.; Puneet Dhawan; Simon Crosby; and Roger B. A. Klorese Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070385-Dhawan.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070384-Chandrasekaran.pdf Managing large virtualized environments can be challenging and time-consuming. This article outlines how enterprises can use Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007, and the Dell OpenManage suite to help simplify administrative tasks and enhance operational efficiency in virtualized data centers. By Balasubramanian Chandrasekaran, Ranjith Purush, Brent Douglas, and David Schmidt Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070384-Chandrasekaran.pdf Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070260-VMware.pdf Combining VMware Infrastructure 3 and EMC layered applications provides powerful high-availability, business continuity, and disaster recovery capabilities that can help organizations create highly resilient IT infrastructures and meet stringent service-level agreements, recovery point objectives, and recovery time objectives for critical systems. By Eric Pan, Josh Donelson, and Mark Clifton Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070260-VMware.pdf Business Continuity Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070409-Vizioncore.pdf When Vizioncore, a leading developer of software for the virtualization industry, needed to implement an efficient, cost-effective disaster recovery strategy, it turned to its own esxRanger Professional software. In conjunction with VMware Infrastructure 3, esxRanger Professional helped Vizioncore create a reliable, easy-to-maintain disaster recovery system running on Dell and Dell/EMC hardware. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070409-Vizioncore.pdf Business Continuity Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070329-DoubleTake.pdf Virtualization has become a key enterprise technology, one that can help IT organizations not only consolidate servers and increase efficiency, but also create robust business continuity and disaster recovery strategies. Combining a virtualized environment with Double-Take data protection software can help dramatically increase the manageability and flexibility of data recovery for critical systems. By Kristine Lindely and Bob Roudebush Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070329-DoubleTake.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070486-EMC.pdf When deploying VMware virtualization software, choosing storage with complementary software can be critical. The advanced software functionality available with Dell/EMC CX3 UltraScale series storage arrays is designed to provide the data mobility and resource flexibility necessary to create an integrated, highly available virtualized information infrastructure. By Andrew Gilman Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070486-EMC.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070497-DellSvcs.pdf Transforming administration-intensive physical data centers into optimized, cost-effective virtualized infrastructures is not something most organizations do every day. By drawing on best practices culled from successful customer engagements around the world, Dell Infrastructure Consulting Services can help organizations maximize IT resources, simplify server management, and sustain value across the overall IT infrastructure. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070497-DellSvcs.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070511-VMware.pdf Once upon a time, CIOs could solve IT problems simply by adding new servers to handle additional workloads. Today, the legacy left by this strategy haunts enterprises everywhere. Server proliferation has become a serious challenge. However, virtualization is more than just a concept—it is a concrete business strategy that can provide tangible value for companies in virtually any industry. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070511-VMware.pdf Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070401-Baker.pdf Integrating virtualized servers with shared storage is necessary for flexible virtual machine (VM) mobility, but can be more complicated than many enterprises expect. The second article in this ongoing series details the advantages Internet SCSI (iSCSI) offers in virtualized environments, including simplified deployment, comprehensive storage management and data protection functionality, and seamless VM mobility. By Matt Baker and Travis Vigil Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070401-Baker.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070414-Symantec.pdf Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery is designed to provide advanced protection for systems running Microsoft Windows operating systems, enabling flexible recovery to dissimilar hardware platforms, virtual environments, and unattended remote locations. This article outlines the key features and enhancements of Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0. By Charles Butler, Carolina Martinez and Kyon Holman Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070414-Symantec.pdf Networking Technology Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070441-Intel.pdf As organizations move toward virtualized data centers with shared resources to increase capacity and resource utilization, Dell PowerEdge servers with Intel PRO server adapters can help multiply the advantages of Internet SCSI (iSCSI) technology in storage area networks (SANs) by offering remote boot-from-SAN capabilities and enhanced I/O throughput. By Jordan Plawner Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070441-Intel.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Business Continuity Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070455-Krempin.pdf Dell PowerVault Linear Tape-Open Ultrium 4 (LTO-4) tape drives and libraries afford exceptional storage security and performance to accelerate regulatory compliance and business continuance as well as routine data center backups. Features include native physical capacity of up to 800 GB, native data transfer rates of up to 120 MB/sec, and drive-level encryption. By Curt Krempin Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070455-Krempin.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070456-IBM.pdf Featuring a scalable industry-standard format, Dell PowerVault Linear Tape-Open Ultrium 4 (LTO-4) tape drives and libraries offer lots of room to grow, with outstanding data transfer rates, double-density native storage capacity, and enhanced data encryption capabilities. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070456-IBM.pdf Microsoft Exchange Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070394-Noman.pdf Implementing the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging feature to integrate e-mail, voice mail, and fax messages requires configuring and coordinating multiple systems. This article provides a guided tour of the basic components of Unified Messaging infrastructures and explains how administrators can deploy them in their own data centers. By Farrukh Noman and Suman Kumar Singh Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070394-Noman.pdf High Availability Microsoft Exchange http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070395-Sankaran.pdf The local continuous replication and cluster continuous replication features introduced in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 can help enterprises protect their messaging systems against system failures. This article outlines the basic design and capabilities of these features and describes test results measuring how each affects key performance metrics.The local continuous replication and cluster continuous replication features introduced in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 can help enterprises protect their messaging systems against system failures. This article outlines the basic design and capabilities of these features and describes test results measuring how each affects key performance metrics. By Ananda Sankaran, Mahmoud Ahmadian, and Farrukh Noman Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070395-Sankaran.pdf Scalable Enterprise Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070171-BMC.pdf Integrating critical monitoring infrastructures is key to a successful enterprise management framework. By using the Integration of BMC Impact Manager to MOM connector from Seamless Technologies, the Dell IT group was able to integrate Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) into its BMC software–based enterprise management framework while avoiding the pitfalls of developing a custom solution. By David Rubio, Lon Alonzo, and Nathaniel Alfaro Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070171-BMC.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070467-LANDesk.pdf Creating a repeatable and reliable approach to procuring, provisioning, and updating servers presents many challenges in enterprise environments. LANDesk Process Manager and LANDesk Server Manager can help simplify and streamline this process, and include features specifically designed for Dell PowerEdge servers. By Lisa Baker Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070467-LANDesk.pdf Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070437-ATI.pdf Workstation users are among the most demanding clients for IT administrators, pushing the limits of technology with compute- and graphics-intensive applications for 3D design, animation, CAD/CAM, and medical imaging. ATI FireGL workstation graphics accelerators from AMD help reduce TCO by streamlining configuration, boosting creativity, and ultimately enhancing user productivity. In addition, AMD’s software engineering teams help ensure ATI FireGL accelerators are optimized and ISV certified for today’s leading design and visualization applications. By Daniel Shapiro Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070437-ATI.pdf Application Development http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070513-Intel.pdf Parallel programming features supported by the Intel C++ Compilers and Intel Fortran Compilers enable developers to increase application performance, accelerate the development of multi-threaded programs, and simplify the transformation of sequential programs into parallel programs. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-50070513-Intel.pdf Systems Management Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070362-EDS.pdf Today’s global business environment calls for complex, widely distributed technologies to drive a highly mobile workforce. Together, EDS and Dell look to deliver a comprehensive suite of life cycle services that support enterprise technology—from personalized configurations for far-flung end-user devices all the way to the enterprise data center. By Matt Trevorrow Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070362-EDS.pdf Microsoft Exchange Online-Only Content Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070369-Yang-OE.pdf Before virtualizing critical systems such as Microsoft Exchange servers, enterprises should understand how those virtual machines might perform. This article describes tests evaluating the performance and scalability of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 on a VMware ESX Server 3 virtualization platform, and compares its performance with that of a dedicated physical server. By Kong L. Yang and Aravind Pavuluri Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070369-Yang-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070341-Kazim-OE.pdf The Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit includes utilities for the Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment and Linux OS to help administrators deploy and manage Dell Remote Access Controllers (DRACs) on supported Dell PowerEdge servers. This article discusses how administrators can use this toolkit and scripts to simplify DRAC 5 configuration and deployment. By Zain Kazim and Alan Daughetee Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070341-Kazim-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070343-Babu-OE.pdf Dell Remote Access Controller 5 (DRAC 5) firmware version 1.20 introduces several features designed to enhance flexibility when managing Dell PowerEdge servers. This article discusses how administrators can configure the DRAC 5 to use the standard schema of the Microsoft Active Directory directory service, without deploying the schema extension required by previous firmware versions. By Raghavendra Babu and Deepak Panambur Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070343-Babu-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070368-Olivarez-OE.pdf The Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)–based Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller 5 (PERC 5) can significantly increase performance over previous-generation SCSI-based PERCs. This article outlines the storage system architecture of the PERC 5 and discusses how administrators can optimize RAID storage performance for different types of workloads. By Dustin Sorenson and Leticia Olivarez Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070368-Olivarez-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070305-Singh-OE.pdf Centralizing access to routine tasks can help increase efficiency for data center administrators. Dell OpenManage Connection plug-ins are designed to simplify the monitoring and management of Dell hardware by integrating Dell systems management data and applications into Microsoft Operations Manager, IBM Tivoli Enterprise Console, CA Unicenter, and HP OpenView Network Node Manager software. By Sanjeev Kumar Singh and Neeraj Sharma Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070305-Singh-OE.pdf Microsoft Windows Online-Only Content Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070104-Gavankar-OE.pdf Service Pack 2 (SP2) for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Release 2 OS is designed to enhance the security, reliability, and productivity of enterprise IT resources. This article discusses key features of SP2 and describes best practices for deploying it on Dell PowerEdge servers. By Bhushan Gavankar Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070104-Gavankar-OE.pdf High-Performance Computing Networking Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070454-Sahasrabudhe-OE.pdf The increasingly popular InfiniBand high-speed interconnect now supports both single data rate (SDR) and double data rate (DDR) transmission, with DDR providing significantly increased speeds. This article discusses how InfiniBand has evolved and presents test results comparing the performance of Gigabit Ethernet, SDR InfiniBand, and DDR InfiniBand. By Rinku Gupta, Vishvesh Sahasrabudhe, Toby Sebastian, and Rizwan Ali Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070454-Sahasrabudhe-OE.pdf Database Management Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070344-Yu-OE.pdf Migrating a large Oracle database can require significant downtime, potentially disrupting critical enterprise systems. By integrating Oracle Data Guard and Oracle Recovery Manager features into the process, administrators can minimize this downtime and help maintain application availability during the migration. By Kai Yu and David Bryan Mar Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q07-20070344-Yu-OE.pdf Networking Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060449-Bignell-OE.pdf Administrators can choose from a number of methods when installing Broadcom NetXtreme and NetXtreme II device drivers on Dell PowerEdge servers during Microsoft Windows OS installations. This article discusses best practices for carrying out manual and automated installations using the Broadcom installer and utilities like Netset.exe as well as other considerations for Windows instllations involving these Broadcom adapters. By Ken Bignell, Subbu Ganesan, and Donnie Davis Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060449-Bignell-OE.pdf Storage Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060434-Golasky-OE.pdf The McDATA 4416 Fibre Channel switch module, when integrated into the Dell Modular Server Enclosure, can support a storage area network for a Dell PowerEdge 1855 or PowerEdge 1955 blade server system. This switch module builds on the functionality of the previous-generation McDATA Fibre Channel switch module and introduces several features to enhance management of demanding storage infrastructures. By Richard K. Golasky Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060434-Golasky-OE.pdf Networking Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060365-Jones-OE.pdf The standards-based Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) enables network administrators to design and implement default gateway redundancy on LAN segments. VRRP configurations can be implemented using Dell PowerConnect 6024 Gigabit Ethernet routing switches. By John L. Jones Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060365-Jones-OE.pdf Systems Management Online-Only Content Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060326-Thathireddy-OE.pdf Dell OpenManage IT Assistant 8.0 introduces several tools designed to increase the efficiency and flexibility of enterprise IT management, including a performance monitoring feature. This article discusses how to configure and use IT Assistant performance monitoring in enterprise environments. By Prathap Thathireddy and Sriranjan Bose Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060326-Thathireddy-OE.pdf Systems Management Online-Only Content Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060320-Bose-OE.pdf The Dell OpenManage suite of systems management applications, along with Dell Remote Access Controllers and baseboard management controllers, can help administrators efficiently monitor and manage Dell PowerEdge servers in enterprise data centers both locally and remotely. This article outlines four practical IT management tasks and how these tools can help administrators perform them. By Prathap Thathireddy and Sriranjan Bose Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060320-Bose-OE.pdf Business Continuity Online-Only Content Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060374-Liberman-OE.pdf Dell PowerEdge servers running VMware ESX Server virtualization software provide multiple host-level data protection features. However, none of these features can prevent catastrophic site-level failure resulting from serious accidents or natural disasters. Dell engineers integrated ESX Server with EMC MirrorView software in a Dell/EMC storage area network to demonstrate site-level disaster recovery. By Jacob Liberman and David Ulbrich Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060374-Liberman-OE.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070169-Ziff.pdf Virtualization can help make your business protection strategy comprehensive and affordable. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070169-Ziff.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060414-Ziff.pdf The benefits of infrastructure virtualization are many and proven. Increased operating efficiencies top the list. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060414-Ziff.pdf Business Continuity Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070165-EMC.pdf Implementing a business continuity solution to help protect and ensure the availability of critical data has become increasingly important for many enterprises. This article discusses how enterprises can evaluate their business continuity requirements and how Dell/EMC CX3 series storage arrays and EMC software can help meet these requirements cost-effectively. By Brad Steckline and Barry L. Ader Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070165-EMC.pdf Business Continuity Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060451-CommVault.pdf Recovery management goes beyond the backup-and-restore paradigm to offer an efficient way to protect data and help ensure its continual availability. Using replication and snapshot technology to create a recovery tier within the storage environment, a recovery management implementation can provide enterprise IT organizations with uninterrupted access to data. By Kelly Harriman-Polanski Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060451-CommVault.pdf Dell Enterprise Software Updates http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/maintaining_dell_platforms? Enterprise Resource Planning http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070164-SAP.pdf Business process platforms can help simplify the process of developing new software by enabling the creation of services, processes, and applications from existing reusable components. This article discusses the key challenges of scaling these platforms and outlines how elements such as metadata and software product lines can help meet these challenges. By David S. Frankel Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070164-SAP.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070158-John.pdf Dell OpenManage IT Assistant 8.0 introduces several features, including support for system discovery using the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) protocol. This article explores how IT Assistant IPMI capabilities can be used to remotely monitor and manage Dell and non-Dell agentless servers. By Suresh John Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070158-John.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070103-EMC-Quest.pdf Migrating to or upgrading a Microsoft SQL Server environment can be a challenging process. EMC provides assessments for SQL Server by using Quest Spotlight on SQL Server Enterprise software to evaluate database performance. These assessments can help organizations understand their existing environment and plan their new deployment to meet their performance and availability goals. By Chad Sakac and Kevin Kline Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070103-EMC-Quest.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070141-OpenManageNews.pdf By Edward Reynolds, David Weber, and Winston Bumps Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070141-OpenManageNews.pdf Systems Management Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060385-Abels.pdf Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005: Integrated for the Dell Scalable Enterprise documents best practices, operational techniques, and practical advice for using MOM 2005 to manage Microsoft Windows OS–based solutions on industry-standard platforms such as Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell/EMC storage. This Chapter 2 excerpt features a guided tour that shows how MOM resolves a Dell OpenManage event. By Tim Abels Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060385-Abels.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070130-Muirhead.pdf The database mirroring feature of the Microsoft SQL Server platform can help enterprises of all sizes make their databases highly available. This article discusses the architecture and management of SQL Server 2005 and the relative performance of different types of database mirroring. By Todd Muirhead Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070130-Muirhead.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070129-Muirhead.pdf The Microsoft SQL Server database platform is an important component of the scalable Dell infrastructure and data centers. This implementation study discusses the manageability, availability, and performance advantages the Dell IT group gained by moving from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2005. By Todd Muirhead, Sajal Dam, and Patrick Ortiz Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070129-Muirhead.pdf Virtualization Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060405-Muirhead.pdf The Dell scalable enterprise architecture uses industry-standard components to help simplify operations, improve resource utilization, and scale cost-effectively. Virtualization technology is advancing IT infrastructure standards by abstracting software from hardware, which can facilitate deployment and management of software in the scalable enterprise. To demonstrate this, the Dell Scalable Enterprise Technology Center deployed Microsoft SQL Server 2005 software in a virtualized environment. By Todd Muirhead Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060405-Muirhead.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060383-Muirhead.pdf The Dell IT group uses a server farm running virtualization software to provide more than 1,000 test and development environments on fewer than 100 physical servers. This farm enables Dell IT to manage the test and development environments with a small team of administrators, allowing engineers and developers to focus on a wide range of internal projects and minimize time spent setting up test environments. By Todd Muirhead; Rick Merino; Dave Jaffe, Ph.D.; and Jon Mercado Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060383-Muirhead.pdf High-Performance Computing Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060426-Gulbeden.pdf Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) is the successor of SCSI technology, and is designed to meet the performance requirements of new-generation servers by taking advantage of serial connection to help improve performance and scaling. This article discusses deployment of SAS storage in high-performance computing clusters. By Aziz Gulbeden, Amina Saify, Andrew Bachler, and Ramesh Radhakrishnan, Ph.D. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060426-Gulbeden.pdf High-Performance Computing Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060430-Hussain.pdf The OpenFabrics Alliance was formed to resolve issues with hardware and software interoperability and to deliver open source software for Remote Direct Memory Access fabric technologies like the InfiniBand architecture. Major initiatives by this alliance have resulted in the creation of an open source Linux OS–based software stack for InfiniBand, which is rapidly gaining acceptance in the high-performance computing field. By Munira Hussain, Rinku Gupta, and Tong Liu Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060430-Hussain.pdf High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060415-Platform.pdf Platform Open Cluster Stack (OCS) is an open source, standards-based cluster software stack designed to help administrators efficiently deploy and manage high-performance computing clusters. This article discusses some of the features and enhancements introduced in the latest Platform OCS version. By Bill Bryce, Garima Kochhar, Rinku Gupta, and Rizwan Ali Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060415-Platform.pdf High-Performance Computing Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060425-Fang.pdf The increasing use of high-performance computing (HPC) clusters for critical or sensitive high-performance computations has created a need for secure node management and monitoring capabilities. This article discusses the available tools for creating a secure HPC environment with the Dell OpenManage suite and ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers. By Arun Rajan, Tong Liu, Yung-Chin Fang, and Saeed Iqbal, Ph.D. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060425-Fang.pdf High-Performance Computing Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060428-Radhakrishnan.pdf Energy efficiency and scalability have become increasingly important to many enterprises. This article discusses the benefits of Intel Xeon 51xx processors for high-performance computing cluster environments by comparing performance/watt and cluster scalability results using compute-intensive applications. By Rizwan Ali; Baris Guler; Ramesh Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.; and Vishvesh Sahasrabudhe Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060428-Radhakrishnan.pdf High-Performance Computing Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070153-Pepper.pdf Microsoft Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 (CCS) can help provide a simple, cost-effective way to deploy and manage clusters. This article discusses CCS installation and configuration on Dell PowerEdge 1950 servers. By Ron Pepper and Victor Mashayekhi, Ph.D. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070153-Pepper.pdf Product/Services Showcase Microsoft Exchange http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-50070145-DellSvcs.pdf As the scope of business communication expands, Dell greets the challenges of a changing messaging infrastructure with comprehensive solutions featuring best-of-breed hardware, software, and services. Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-50070145-DellSvcs.pdf Security Microsoft Exchange http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060452-Singh.pdf The industry standards–based Dell Secure Exchange Reference Architecture is a comprehensive architecture for Microsoft Exchange Server designed to help improve security, availability, and scalability in messaging environments. This article discusses the components and best practices of this reference architecture. By Suman Kumar Singh and Bharath Vasudevan Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060452-Singh.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070143-CA.pdf Identity and access management (IAM) enables organizations to align their security management strategies with their business goals by centralizing and automating the management of user identities and access to protected resources and services, enforcing privacy and security policies, and monitoring and auditing the security environment for compliance with legal and corporate mandates. CA software can help administrators implement IAM in their own organizations. By Sumner Blount Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070143-CA.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070132-Symantec.pdf As part of a secure and productive messaging environment where users can take advantage of the latest communication tools, Symantec IM Manager can help organizations control instant messaging (IM) while complying with legal regulations and corporate policies. IM Manager supports both public and enterprise IM networks and helps manage, secure, log, and archive IM traffic. By Lee Weiner and Craig Phelps Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070132-Symantec.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070120-Symantec.pdf The same mobile and remote computers that can be key to business success, such as notebooks, can, if not properly protected, open the door for hackers collecting corporate passwords, credit card information, or any other data from which they can profit.Symantec, a world leader in providing information security, availability, and integrity in Microsoft Windows OS environments, offers Symantec Client Security software to help provide integrated, comprehensive, and proactive protection for Windows-based client systems against the aggressive threat of crimeware. By Lauren Duda Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070120-Symantec.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070155-IdentiPHI.pdf The strength of enterprise security measures can depend not only on how these measures are implemented, but also on how users interact with them. Dell and IdentiPHI have created a comprehensive identity management solution conforming to the guidelines and implementation standards used by federal government agencies. IdentiPHI software—including the Enterprise Security Suite, Advanced Authentication, and Single Sign-On—is designed to help organizations plan, deploy, and manage their identity management programs and protect critical information and other assets. By Mark Norwalk and Craig Phelps Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070155-IdentiPHI.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070160-TCG.pdf An increasingly interconnected global computing environment brings with it myriad threats for enterprises to guard against, including software attacks and theft of both data and physical devices. This article discusses Trusted Computing Group security standards that can help enable IT organizations to effectively respond to these challenges. By Frank Molsberry and Brian Berger Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20070160-TCG.pdf Cover Story Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060431-CoverStory.pdf Reactionary security add-ons that have been implemented piecemeal are no match for increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats, let alone today’s complex regulatory requirements. The Dell scalable enterprise strategy enables integrated, end-to-end protection using industry-standard data center components and a unified management framework that is designed to be inherently secure from the ground up. By Frank Molsberry Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q06-20060431-CoverStory.pdf Server Technology Storage Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20050311-Kadam-OE.pdf Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) introduces new levels of performance and scalability for direct attach storage. To take advantage of industry-standard SAS technology, Dell offers the Dell PowerVault MD1000 storage ex-pansion enclosure. When combined with the Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller 5/Extended and the Dell OpenManage Server Administrator application, the PowerVault MD1000 can provide a comprehensive SAS storage system. By Sangram Kadam Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20050311-Kadam-OE.pdf Scalable Enterprise Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060301-Berlind-OE.pdf Industry-standard server benchmarks can provide valuable perspective on a server’s raw performance and price/performance information. This article discusses some widely used server benchmarks and provides guidance on how to use them effectively. By Janet Berlind Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060301-Berlind-OE.pdf Linux High Availability Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060219-Guinn-OE.pdf High availability is an important element of enterprise server clusters, helping minimize application downtime following a server failure. This article discusses commercial packages for creating highly available applica-tions and services on the Linux platform, including popular options for both the Novell SUSE Linux Enter-prise Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems. By Kevin Guinn; Seema Padghan Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060219-Guinn-OE.pdf Linux Server Technology Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060190-Ali-OE.pdf For many IT departments, avoiding downtime for mission-critical systems during migrations and upgrades is a top priority. The Novell Cluster Services tool can help manage live cluster migrations from the Novell Net-Ware OS to Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. By Cindy Stap, Dean Oliver, and Ahmad Ali Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060190-Ali-OE.pdf Systems Management Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060111-Dasari-OE.pdf The Common Information Model (CIM) is an evolving industry standard for systems management. It has been adopted by most major computer industry vendors and has become the de facto hardware management stan-dard. This article discusses the current Microsoft and Dell CIM providers and how to use CIM tools to manage Dell PowerEdge servers in a Microsoft Windows environment. By Radhakrishna Dasari, Linda Martinez, Pramada Singireddy, and Jianwen Yin, Ph.D. Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060111-Dasari-OE.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060386-Intel.pdf Using virtualization to consolidate physical servers, storage, and networks; improve resource utilization; and streamline business continuity processes is an increasingly popular strategy undertaken by organizations struggling to contain IT costs. To optimize the benefits of virtualization, multi-port server adapters can be an essential hardware component that helps ensure availability, reliability, and performance within a virtual infrastructure. By Robert Hays and Eric Pan Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060386-Intel.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060189-Michael.pdf Storage is an essential data center component, and storage area networks can provide an excellent way to help ensure high availability and load balancing over multiple redundant data paths. To take advantage of these benefits in Linux OS environments, enterprise IT organizations can use applications to set up multipath I/O configurations. By Tesfamariam Michael, Rezwanul Kabir, Joshua Giles, and John Hull Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060189-Michael.pdf Server Technology Microsoft SQL Server 2005 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060270-Sankaran.pdf The ability to effectively manage application and database performance is critical for IT organizations. The Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database platform includes an array of configuration settings that can help improve resource utiliza-tion and optimize system performance. This article discusses some of the advanced configuration options in SQL Server 2005 and their associated best practices and limitations By Ananda Sankaran and Shabana M Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060270-Sankaran.pdf Enterprise Resource Planning http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060252-Yaptangco.pdf To determine whether an enterprise solution is ready to deploy in production, enterprise IT organizations must perform substantial testing before deployment. Testing requires extensive planning and numerous resources, but enterprises should also determine whether the investment in testing is paying off. By Cynthia Lovin and Tony Yaptangco Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060252-Yaptangco.pdf Systems Management Dell OpenManage Newsletter http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060307-SysMgmtNews.pdf Systems management headaches continue to hold many enterprises back. Faced with legions of disparate management tools, few IT administrators are able to look at the big picture—let alone fix issues arising from interdependencies. The Dell approach enables IT administrators to monitor industry-standard platforms using best-of-breed management tools from a central console. By Edward Reynolds Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060307-SysMgmtNews.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060271-Kazim.pdf The Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit includes utilities, sample scripts, and other tools for server management in an enterprise environment. This article discusses using and modifying the raidcfg utility and sample script to perform effi-cient RAID configuration and management for multiple systems. By Zain Kazim and Alan Daughetee Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060271-Kazim.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060127-Mudaliar.pdf Many applications enable unattended OS installation on multiple systems using a network boot approach. But many of these options lack end-to-end OS deployment functionality. Using the Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit in conjunc-tion with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services can help IT teams deliver an automated in-stallation. By Gajanan Mudaliar Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060127-Mudaliar.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060372-LANDesk.pdf LANDesk Server Manager allows administrators to instantly assess server health and can help keep systems available and running at high performance levels. Its built-in awareness of management attributes specific to Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell Remote Access Controllers, integration with the Dell OpenManage suite, and ability to aggregate Dell-specific patch content can help simplify management and maintenance of Dell server environments. By Laurie Nylund Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060372-LANDesk.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060371-Quest.pdf Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 is the industry standard for systems monitoring and management in Mi-crosoft Windows environments. Quest Management Xtensions for MOM is designed to natively and seamlessly extend MOM 2005 functionality to Linux- and UNIX-based systems, helping enterprises simplify operations and leverage their existing investment in MOM by integrating management of mixed OS environments from a centralized console. By Paul Barcoe-Walsh Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060371-Quest.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060249-Microsoft.pdf Managing hardware updates has become a key feature of Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 with the introduction of the SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Dell Update. When designing and implementing a methodology to man-age software updates, administrators can also plan for and select appropriate hardware updates, thereby consolidating both functions into a single process that can help keep environments stable and reliable. Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060249-Microsoft.pdf Server Technology Systems Management Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060249-Microsoft-SOE.pdf Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060249-Microsoft-SOE.pdf Scalable Enterprise Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060384-Abels.pdf Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005: Integrated for the Dell Scalable Enterprise documents best practices, opera-tional techniques, and practical advice for using MOM 2005 to manage Microsoft Windows OS–based solutions on industry-standard platforms such as Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell/EMC storage. The MOM 2005 reference pre-scribes configurations tested in the Dell Scalable Enterprise Technology Center to integrate management systems and managed nodes for optimal performance and scalability. This Chapter 1 excerpt features a guided tour of the MOM alert flow. By Tim Abels Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060384-Abels.pdf Server Technology Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060360-Muirhead.pdf The Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 tool enables enterprise IT organizations to consolidate server moni-toring and management in one location. IT administrators can add hardware- and software-specific management packs to MOM 2005 to customize its capabilities. A team at the Dell Scalable Enterprise Technology Center implemented a repre-sentative scalable enterprise architecture—Dell PowerEdge servers running Microsoft SQL Server software in a cluster configuration—to demonstrate the capabilities of MOM 2005. By Todd Muirhead Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060360-Muirhead.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060387-Symantec.pdf This article discusses some of the ways system administrators can use Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery soft-ware for migration and deployment of new hardware into IT environments with previous-generation system architectures. By Charles Butler and Richard Goodwin Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060387-Symantec.pdf Virtualization Products/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-50060397-Intel.pdf With up to four Gigabit Ethernet connections in a single adapter, Intel PRO/1000 multi-port server adapters for PCI Express help increase network bandwidth for slot-constrained servers. Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-50060397-Intel.pdf Products/Services Showcase http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-50060413-DellECC.pdf At the Dell Enterprise Command Center, specialists rigorously monitor Dell support operations and provide communica-tion logistics anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice—no matter what. Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-50060413-DellECC.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060350-Schmidt.pdf Virtualization, which allows several operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical server, is a key technol-ogy for achieving a scalable enterprise. Ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers also can help improve performance and scalability in enterprise data centers, especially when combined with VMware ESX Server 3 virtualization soft-ware. By David Schmidt, Scott Stanford, and Balasubramanian Chandrasekaran Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060350-Schmidt.pdf Scalable Enterprise Virtualization Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060381-Pike-SOE.pdf Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060381-Pike-SOE.pdf Scalable Enterprise Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060381-Pike.pdf Server virtualization can help bring measurable benefits to enterprises, including simplified operations, improved re-source utilization, and cost-effective scalability to meet business demands. As this important technology evolves, Dell in-tends to continue driving standards development and delivering standards-based products that offer choice and control for enterprise IT organizations. By Jimmy D. Pike; Drew Engstrom Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060381-Pike.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060399-Ziff.pdf A virtualized IT infrastructure can deliver significant operational and economic benefits—boosting availability while slashing cost of ownership. Dell, Intel, VMware, Altiris and EMC provide industry-leading virtualization solutions that companies use today to gain a competitive edge. Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060399-Ziff.pdf Scalable Enterprise Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060368-Poster-lores.pdf Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060368-Poster-lores.pdf Business Continuity Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060314-Sexton.pdf Disk-based data protection is increasingly essential as a supplement to tape-based protection to meet rapid recovery re-quirements for business-critical enterprise applications. Among the various disk-based solutions, array-based data pro-tection offers distinct benefits that take advantage of the latest technologies to provide fast, affordable recovery for any size organization. By Sonya R. Sexton Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060314-Sexton.pdf Server Technology High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060362-Radhakrishnan.pdf Dell engineers tested performance settings for ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers using representative compu-tation- and memory-intensive applications. Benchmark performance under various BIOS settings and memory configura-tions was also measured. By Rizwan Ali; Baris Guler; Ramesh Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.; and Vishvesh Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060362-Radhakrishnan.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20050237-Lambert.pdf This article covers the enhanced server management capabilities in Dell’s ninth generation of PowerEdge servers, through the network (LAN) and serial interfaces, to enable more flexibility and uniformity in server management. By Tim Lambert, Rohit Sharma, and Harish Jayakumar Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20050237-Lambert.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060118-McGary.pdf Dell remote access controllers provide administrators with the necessary tools and functionality to monitor, troubleshoot, and repair servers whether they are around the corner or around the world. This article discusses the features and func-tionality of the Dell Remote Access Controller 5—available in ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers—and explores how administrators can help reduce the time required to manage servers, enable fast recovery of remote servers, and lower total cost of ownership. By Jon McGary and Weimin Pan Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060118-McGary.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20050317-Zhuo.pdf Administrators can choose from a number of software options when configuring Intelligent Platform Management Inter-face settings on ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers. This article discusses these programs as well as the envi-ronments and locations in which they can be used. By Weimin Pan and Haihong Zhuo Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20050317-Zhuo.pdf Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060132-Broadcom.pdf TCP/IP Offload Engine (TOE) technology makes it debut in the ninth generation of Dell PowerEdge servers, and is expected to boost data transfer performance for many key enterprise applications. This article explores the anticipated benefits of TOE technology being developed by Broadcom, Dell, and Microsoft. By Pankaj Gupta, Allen Light, and Ian Hameroff Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060132-Broadcom.pdf Cover Story Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060283-CoverStory.pdf Today’s IT organizations face unprecedented challenges brought on by globalization, rapid expansion, limited resources, and increasing prominence of core enterprise applications. Ninth-generation Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell/EMC CX3 UltraScale series storage arrays offer a world of choices through open management, interoperability, and virtual-ization. By embracing standards to help simplify operations, increase resource utilization, and scale out cost-effectively, these high-performance platforms grow scalable enterprise applications responsively and manage change flexibly. By Mark Nickerson, Joe Pollock, Stori Waugh, and Stacy Hower Tue, 1 Aug 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q06-20060283-CoverStory.pdf Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060308-CoverStory.pdf The Dell IT operations team is the first to hear about lost revenue when the company's business-critical messaging infrastructure goes down. So over the years it has developed well-honed strategies for managing an enterprise-wide Microsoft Exchange Server migration. This article shares Dell's insider perspectives on how to mitigate the risks associated with such a huge, worldwide undertaking—including best practices that show how enterprises can minimize the time and expense of their own migration to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. By Jesse Freund, Tyore Freitas, and Kathryn White Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060308-CoverStory.pdf Microsoft Exchange Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060299-Symantec.pdf The Symantec Email Security and Availability solution for Microsoft Exchange is designed to protect both the systems and the information in Microsoft Exchange e-mail infrastructures. This solution prescribes a layered hierarchy—implementing e-mail security mechanisms at key points within the network—to filter out unwanted messages and keep e-mail systems running efficiently. By Werner Zurcher and Garrett P. Jones Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060299-Symantec.pdf Microsoft Exchange Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060298-Symantec.pdf For most enterprise IT organizations, eradicating spam and virus-laden e-mail traffic can be a daunting task. By deploying a multi-tiered protection strategy involving the desktop, file server, mail server, gateway, and network boundary, administrators can provide a strong defense against attacks and disruptions. A select set of products from Symantec and Dell can help fortify enterprise messaging environments. By Werner Zurcher and Garrett P. Jones Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060298-Symantec.pdf Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060300-Singh.pdf A Dell PowerEdge 2800 server can provide an effective platform for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. A team of Dell engineers tested Exchange Server 2003 performance and scalability for varying numbers of users on a PowerEdge 2800 server platform, in scenarios typical of those in a small or medium-sized organization. By Suman Kumar Singh, Abhijit Chattopadhyay, and Bharath Vasudevan Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060300-Singh.pdf Microsoft Exchange Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060300-Singh-SOE.pdf Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060300-Singh-SOE.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Microsoft Exchange http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060303-Singh.pdf Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 installations require a solid backup and recovery architecture. This article presents common topologies and operational strategies for backing up Exchange in a variety of enterprise scenarios, including stand-alone servers, LANs, and storage area networks. By Suman Kumar Singh and QuocDat Nguyen Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060303-Singh.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Scalable Enterprise Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060115-Abels.pdf Dell’s vision for the scalable enterprise is based on the standardization of core elements of the data center to provide superior value, and encompasses the core tenets of simplified operations, improved utilization, and cost-effective scaling. Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 as a representative workload on Dell PowerEdge servers, the Dell Scalable Enterprise Technology Center Labs team describes high-level considerations for building a scalable enterprise foundation that can be customized to support aggressive growth. By Tim Abels and Todd Muirhead Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060115-Abels.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Online-Only Content Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060115-Abels-SOE.pdf Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060115-Abels-SOE.pdf Enterprise Resource Planning Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050291-Lovin.pdf Testing products before deployment is a critical step for enterprises. Those administering the tests must determine when a product is ready to be deployed to production. But before this decision is made, the entire testing process should be carefully planned, managed, and reviewed. With effective test management in place, enterprises can help ensure that products receive comprehensive, well-documented testing and are truly ready for production. By Cynthia Lovin and Tony Yaptangco Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050291-Lovin.pdf Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050290-Anoop.pdf Administrators of large enterprises can save time when they install and configure systems that use the Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 (SLES 9) OS by implementing automated installation. This article introduces the concepts and step-by-step methods for automating the installation of SLES 9. By Anoop K and John Hull Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050290-Anoop.pdf Scalable Enterprise Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060236-Muirhead.pdf Several Dell PowerEdge server models can be equipped with dual-core Intel Xeon processors. Dell engineers tested the Dell PowerEdge 2850 server with both single-core and dual-core processors, and the results showed a 28 to 51 percent performance gain when moving from single-core to dual-core processors. By Todd Muirhead and Dave Jaffe, Ph.D. Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060236-Muirhead.pdf Microsoft Windows Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060304-Microsoft.pdf The Dell Management Pack for Microsoft Operations Manager is a software module designed to provide specific information about Dell applications and hardware. It can enhance the ability of administrators to manage Dell PowerEdge servers with Microsoft Operations Manager 2005. In addition, the Dell Management Pack can be customized to suit specific environments. By Balasubramaniam J Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060304-Microsoft.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060246-Altiris.pdf As a component of both Dell OpenManage Client Administrator 3.0 and Altiris Client Management Suite software, the Dell Client Manager from Altiris is designed to provide effective management capabilities for enterprise IT organizations using Dell client hardware. The Dell Client Manager can enable automated, centralized management of Dell Precision workstations, OptiPlex desktops, and Latitude notebooks. By Jordan Gardner and Todd Mitchell Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060246-Altiris.pdf Linux Microsoft Windows Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060133-Altiris.pdf Altiris systems management software can be used to manage heterogeneous IT environments. Servers and clients running UNIX, Linux, and Microsoft Windows operating systems can be managed from a central Altiris console. Such multiplatform support allows enterprise IT organizations to gradually integrate UNIX/Linux-based systems into Windows-centric environments. BY PATRICK BOURKE, TODD MITCHELL, AND RICH LACEY Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060133-Altiris.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060122-McGary.pdf The Dell Remote Access Controller 4 offers a rich feature set that allows administrators to configure and manage a Dell PowerEdge server from a remote location, whether it is across the hall or halfway around the world. This article describes Dell’s implementations of the connect com2 and connect video methods, including how to configure servers for serial console redirection. It also examines the movement toward an industry-standard model for serial access to remote host consoles, enabling out-of-band management when in-band tools are not available. By Carl Kagy and Jon McGary Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060122-McGary.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050273-Avocent.pdf The Dell 2161DS-2 and 4161DS Remote Console Switches are designed to provide KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) control of up to 256 attached servers with expanded access and improved performance. Incorporating KVM over IP technology from Avocent, the rack-mountable Dell 2161DS-2 and 4161DS switches can give administrators flexible, centralized control of servers over a single IP connection. By Robert Bernstein and Max A. Benham Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050273-Avocent.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060274-Diner.pdf As a component within the Dell Modular Server Enclosure, the Avocent Digital Access KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch provides remote access capabilities to Dell PowerEdge 1855 and PowerEdge 1955 blade servers. Digital Access KVM switches can be cascaded to Dell external KVM devices, such as the Dell 2161DS-2 and 4161DS Remote Console Switches, and can be managed using the On-Screen Configuration and Activity Reporting (OSCAR) interface. By Babu Chandrasekhar and Jake Diner Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060274-Diner.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060273-Devireddy.pdf When administrators plan blade server deployment, they should carefully review redundant system configuration options. Depending on the data center’s design and IT policies, blade server systems may require redundancy at different levels. Dell PowerEdge blade servers offer redundancy options for various functions—ranging from power redundancy to chassis-management redundancy. By Narayan Devireddy and Sanjeev S. Singh Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060273-Devireddy.pdf Enterprise Resource Planning Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060327-SAP.pdf SAP NetWeaver Application Server provides tools for model-driven, service-oriented Java development as well as the SAP NetWeaver Development Infrastructure. This infrastructure is designed to reduce overall development costs and provide high reliability and flexibility for application development landscape management—including deployment into runtime systems and change-management processes. By Wolf Hengevoss and Christopher Hearn Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060327-SAP.pdf Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050301-Lee.pdf The Distributed File System (DFS) in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Release 2 (R2) introduces DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication. These two enhancements are designed to help administrators manage distributed file server resources efficiently while enabling fast, fault-tolerant access with low-bandwidth replication. By Min-John Lee and Mahesh V C Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050301-Lee.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060216-Yosemite.pdf Virtual tape libraries combine the best of both worlds, using disk as the primary backup medium and tape for long-term archiving. Using backup software from Yosemite Technologies, IT organizations can combine the strengths of Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell PowerVault disk and tape hardware to create virtual tape libraries designed to improve the performance, reliability, flexibility, and scalability of network backup and restore operations. By Neil MacLean, Mike Weimann, Jake Swim, and Jim Lee Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060216-Yosemite.pdf Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060306-CommVault.pdf CommVault Galaxy software is a powerful suite of Unified Data Management capabilities optimized for large-scale, enterprise deployment. This suite includes capabilities for data backup, recovery, replication, snapshots, and archiving. These capabilities can be used to help manage data in VMware ESX Server virtualized environments. By Kelly Harriman-Polanski Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060306-CommVault.pdf Product/Services Showcase Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-50060332-emc.pdf Increased drive capacity, expanded host connectivity, and improved system availability mark the second generation of the world’s easiest SAN storage array. Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-50060332-emc.pdf Business Continuity http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050307-Kimble.pdf Information availability is critical to an enterprise. Most enterprise IT departments have procedures in place to help ensure data availability, but if a move to a remote site becomes necessary, significant downtime may be incurred. To enhance disaster recovery capabilities and mitigate downtime, enterprises can build dual data centers. This article discusses secondary-site strategies and provides guidance on their deployment. By Michael Kimble Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050307-Kimble.pdf Business Continuity Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060349-Phoenix.pdf Desktop and mobile PC users must be able to recover quickly from viruses, OS crashes, and user errors that threaten to disrupt business continuity, hamper productivity, and increase IT support costs. Server-based recovery solutions need access to storage and require the Microsoft Windows OS to be operational. Enterprises can implement a PC endpoint restore solution to help protect data and applications on PCs and enable immediate recovery regardless of whether users can boot into Windows or access the network. By Scott Chambers Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060349-Phoenix.pdf Oracle Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050251-Singh.pdf A vastly enhanced feature set and proven scalability across multiple nodes coupled with automated management capabilities have motivated many enterprises to upgrade their systems to Oracle Database 10g Real Application Clusters. This article focuses on a tool available in Oracle Database 10g that helps simplify the upgrade process significantly—the Database Upgrade Assistant utility. By Sanjeet Singh, Anthony Fernandez, and Uday Shet Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050251-Singh.pdf Business Continuity Oracle Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050266-Mar.pdf Data growth is inevitable in most IT environments, and yesterday’s cutting-edge system can become today’s bottleneck. Tested and validated Dell/Oracle industry-standard database components and Dell/EMC storage platforms can help enterprises expand their IT capacity to accommodate their increasing data. One way to scale is to add storage for disk-based backup and recovery, which can help minimize backup times, speed database recovery, add recovery points, and help meet service-level agreements. By Mahmoud Ahmadian, Ujjwal Rajbhandari, David Mar, and Chethan Kumar Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050266-Mar.pdf Microsoft Windows Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060333-SAP.pdf Dell PowerEdge servers can be reliable, robust platforms for the SAP Business One application. However, when these platforms support other applications in addition to SAP Business One, performance can degrade. This article examines tests performed in two PowerEdge server–based environments to help determine how many users could adequately be supported while providing high performance for all the applications. By Alexander Arthur Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060333-SAP.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050112-Lou-OE.pdf Beginning with Dell OpenManage version 4.3, Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) takes advantage of native Microsoft Windows and Linux OS installation capabilities instead of requiring a Java runtime environment for installation. This advance enables enterprises to reduce the business impact of installing systems management software by deploying OMSA quickly and flexibly using Dell OpenManage Server Assistant and Dell Remote Access Controller 4, which supports virtual media and console redirection. By Kit Lou and Zain Kazim Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050112-Lou-OE.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060140-Palacios-OE.pdf Dell OpenManage Server Update Utility (SUU) 1.3 supports the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 operating systems- allowing administrators to customize component updates, including rollback, to help simplify operations and streamline change management. By Steve Fagan and Marcos Palacios, Ph.D. Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060140-Palacios-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Security Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050265-Sharma-OE.pdf Dell OpenManage applications enable management, monitoring, and updating of Dell PowerEdge servers and attached storage. This article explores best practices for configuring and managing systems running Dell OpenManage software. By Jason D. Norman and Rohit Sharma Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050265-Sharma-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050241-Webb-OE.pdf The Dell OpenManage Remote Access Controller Virtual Media Command-Line Interface helps administrators use scripts to automate repetitive systems management tasks, enhancing flexibility for managing remote systems. By Kevin R. Webb, Avital Arora, Siobhan Kennedy, and Harish Jayakumar Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050241-Webb-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060105-Zhang-OE.pdf Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS) update feature of the Dell Remote Access Controller 4(DRAC 4) combines Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, Domain Name System, and remote access controller client registration. This article discusses the DRAC 4 DNNS feature and different interfaces used to configure it. By Phil Webster and Brian Zhang Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060105-Zhang-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050287-Beddhannan-OE.pdf The Dell Modular Server Enclosure contains the Remote Access Controller/Modular Chassis and the Avocent Digital Access KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch. This article describes the localization support available for these remote-management modules. By Babu Chandrasekhar and Bala Beddhannan Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050287-Beddhannan-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060250-Abels-OE.pdf Increased competition and globalization are forcing traditional data centers to provide more services while reducing resource costs. This article explores approaches that can enable contract management for disparate services in massive resource pools. By Jimmy Pike and Tim Abels Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060250-Abels-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050313-Stanford-OE.pdf The Dell Scalable Enterprise Technology Center Labs team ran performance characterization and sizing tests on a Dell PowerEdge 1855 blade server running VMware ESX Server 2.5.1 software to simulate a virtualized LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) environment. These test results can help determine the appropriate number of virtual machines to host on ESX Server for a typical transactional LAMP-based workload. By Amresh Singh; J. Craig Lowery, Ph.D.; Rudramuni B;and Scott Stanford Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050313-Stanford-OE.pdf Linux Online-Only Content Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050322-Schmidt-OE.pdf For enterprise planning to evaluate Xen in their own environment, this article outlines an evaluation deployment of a LAMP application stack for live migration setup on a virtual machine using Xen open source software. By David Schmidt and Puneet Dhawan Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050322-Schmidt-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Virtualization Microsoft Exchange Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050314-Stanford-OE.pdf Dell engineers explored virtual CPU resource-management options and the benefits of using a dynamic resource-allocation mechanism to help meet quality of service requirements for various Internet mail protocol scenarios. In this study, the test team ran the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Outlook Web Access front-end service on VMware ESX Server–based virtual machines that were configured on a Dell PowerEdge 2850 server. By Amresh Singh and Scott Stanford Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050314-Stanford-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060188-Latief-OE.pdf Leveraging advances in Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) technology, Dell OpenManage software can help simplify the configuration and management of SAS and Serial ATA (SATA) storage hardware. This article discusses how Dell OpenManage Server Administra-tor Storage Management tools can help administrators increase the bandwidth, capacity, and data integrity of the enterprise storage infrastructure quickly and cost-effectively. BY NADINE LATIEF AND TERESA TAYLOR Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20060188-Latief-OE.pdf Microsoft Windows Online-Only Content Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050305-Gavankar-OE.pdf Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack (SP1) offers enhanced file, print, application, Web, and communication services. This article explains best practices for determining system requirements and upgrading to Windows Server 2003 with SP1. By Bhushan Gavankar Mon, 1 May 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q06-20050305-Gavankar-OE.pdf Business Continuity Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060124-CoverStory.pdf Effective risk assessment and business continuity provisions enable organizations to minimize downtime and recover crucial applications quickly when disaster strikes. By analyzing business processes and functions and defining the impact of system downtime in financial terms, enterprises can effectively prioritize the enterprise-wide recovery process to help reduce business consequences. Based on internally honed best practices, Dell’s top 10 rules for disaster planning can help enterprises align recovery efforts with overall business objectives. By Rich Armour, Paul Eno, Michael Kimble and Jesse Freud Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060124-CoverStory.pdf Business Continuity http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050276-Vasudevan.pdf Enterprises need an effective disaster recovery and business continuity plan to safeguard critical business processes. This article presents a survey of site-wide business continuity and disaster recovery solutions. By Ananda Sankaran, Kevin Guinn, and Bharath Vasudevan Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050276-Vasudevan.pdf Business Continuity Oracle Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050250-Michael.pdf Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN) can be used to create backups and to restore and recover an Oracle database. With Dell/EMC storage, RMAN can provide a foundation for enterprise-class data protection and recovery. By Tesfamariam Michael, Mahmoud Ahmadian, and Bob Ng Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050250-Michael.pdf Backup, Recovery and Archive (BURA) Business Continuity Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060117-Symantec.pdf Symantec Backup Exec 10d for Windows Servers—incorporating the Backup Exec Continuous Protection Server 10d—offers controlled, rapid backup and recovery of critical enterprise files through continuous disk-based data protection. By Richard Goodwin and Kyon Holman Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060117-Symantec.pdf Business Continuity http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060226-SunGard.pdf Natural disasters and equipment failure can place mission-critical data and systems at risk. To provide users of Dell PowerEdge servers with a simple process for disaster recovery, Dell and SunGard have created the Dell/SunGard Disaster Recovery Service. This article describes how this service can help with processing recovery. By Ed Lawrence Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060226-SunGard.pdf High Availability Microsoft SQL Server 2005 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050325-Sankaran.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 offers failover clustering, database mirroring, log shipping, replication, and database snapshot features that can help safeguard an enterprise’s critical data and operations. This article discusses these features and their associated trade-offs. By Ananda Sankaran, Dat Nguyen, and Nam Nguyen Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050325-Sankaran.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060126-Microsoft.pdf To meet a new generation of data-management needs, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 has been reworked extensively to enhance performance and application programmability. Originally published by SQL Server Magazine as part of its “SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Handbook,” this article explores how administrators can help ensure a successful transition to SQL Server 2005 by planning, testing, and using the Upgrade Advisor. By Erik Veerman Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060126-Microsoft.pdf Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060126-Microsoft-SOE.pdf Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060126-Microsoft-SOE.pdf Oracle http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050253-Rajbhandari.pdf Dynamic provisioning allocates resources at the time they are needed. To improve provisioning efficiency, enterprise IT departments can organize resources into components and create an automated process for bare-metal deployments. This approach can prove especially effective for Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) deployments because hardware resources can be dynamically allocated and reprovisioned based on various business priorities. By Ujjwal Rajbhandari and David Mar Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050253-Rajbhandari.pdf Oracle Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050300-Quest.pdf Oracle 10g Real Application Clusters (RAC) software running on standards-based Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell/EMC storage can provide a flexible, reliable platform for a database grid. Administrators can scale the database easily and reliably simply by adding nodes to the cluster. A team of engineers from Dell and Quest Software ran benchmark tests against a Dell-based Oracle 10g Release 1 RAC cluster to demonstrate the scalability of this platform. By Zafar Mahmood; Anthony Fernandez; Bert Scalzo, Ph.D.; and Murali Vallath Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050300-Quest.pdf Scalable Enterprise http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050111-Lovin.pdf Testing is a critical aspect of making sound enterprise deployment decisions. Given a large field of possible test scenarios, administrators must decide when enough testing has occurred based on indicators of readiness for the production environment. This article, addressing fundamentals of the test process, explores best practices for enterprise testing—including recommendations for a phased approach to component, feature, and system level testing. By Cynthia Lovin and Tony Yaptangco Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050111-Lovin.pdf Scalable Enterprise Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050274-Jaffe.pdf JBoss Application Server (JBoss AS) is a standards-based Java platform for scalable enterprise applications. The Dell PowerEdge 1855 blade server can provide a cost-effective system for hosting scaled-out applications on the JBoss AS platform. To demonstrate the ease of migrating applications to this platform, a team of engineers from Dell and JBoss ported a Web application to JBoss AS on a PowerEdge 1855. By Todd Muirhead; Dave Jaffe, Ph.D.; Norman Richards; and Shaun Connolly Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050274-Jaffe.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050274-Jaffe-SOE.pdf Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050274-Jaffe-SOE.pdf Server Technology Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050312-Muirhead.pdf VMware ESX Server software on Dell PowerEdge servers enables a virtualization platform that can support a wide variety of applications and operating systems. Dell engineers tested this software on Dell PowerEdge 2850 and PowerEdge 6850 servers to show how ESX Server can manage multiple workloads. By Todd Muirhead; Dave Jaffe, Ph.D.; and Scott Stanford Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050312-Muirhead.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050219-Chandrasekaran.pdf When used in conjunction with virtual LAN (VLAN) technology, server virtualization software can help build virtual infrastructures to support the scalable enterprise. In particular, VMware ESX Server software, modular Dell PowerEdge 1855 blade servers, and Dell PowerConnect 5316M switches can be used along with VLAN configurations to create complex network infrastructures in virtualized data centers. By Balasubramanian Chandrasekaran, Kyon Holman, Cuong T. Nguyen, and Scott Stanford Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050219-Chandrasekaran.pdf Online-Only Content Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050219-Chandrasekaran-SOE.pdf Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050219-Chandrasekaran-SOE.pdf Storage Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050296-Brisse.pdf This article describes an architectural approach to booting servers from storage area networks (SANs) that employs an out-of-band boot-from-SAN manager. This approach incorporates both present and future industry standards. By Matthew Brisse, Ahmad Tawil, and Drue Reeves Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050296-Brisse.pdf Server Technology Storage Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050212-Habas.pdf Background Patrol Read, a new feature in Dell PowerEdge RAID Controllers (PERCs), is designed to help prevent data loss in a redundant array. This article describes how Background Patrol Read works and how it interoperates with Consistency Check and SMART alerts within the PERC Fault Management Suite. By Drew Habas and John Sieber Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050212-Habas.pdf Product/Services Showcase Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060235-IBMLTO.pdf Intelligent management and Ultrium 3 Linear Tape-Open (LTO-3) technology are built into the first truly modular tape library from Dell for intelligent backup and affordable scalability. By Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060235-IBMLTO.pdf Enterprise Resource Planning High Availability Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050195-SAP.pdf Clusters of Dell PowerEdge servers using Oracle9i Real Application Clusters (RAC) can provide SAP software environments with a flexible, scalable, and highly available database platform. The database will continue to run if one of the Oracle9i RAC database nodes fails; however, vital SAP functionality such as the message server and the enqueue server can still be single points of failure. To help protect these services from failure and thus unwanted downtime or even data loss, IT administrators can run them on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux OS–based cluster to complement the Oracle9i RAC database cluster and maintain service in a highly available manner. By David Detweiler, Achim Lernhard, Florenz Kley, Thorsten Staerk, and Wolfgang Trenkle Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050195-SAP.pdf Enterprise Resource Planning Online-Only Content http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050195-SAP-SOE.pdf Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050195-SAP-SOE.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050259-Thathireddy.pdf Dell OpenManage Online Diagnostics is a comprehensive, cross-platform diagnostics program designed to enhance operation of Dell PowerEdge servers and help reduce service costs. This article introduces Dell OpenManage Online Diagnostics, describes its features, and discusses administration scenarios. By Prathap Thathireddy and Srikrishna SridharMurthy Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050259-Thathireddy.pdf Microsoft Windows Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050260-Chaganti.pdf Rapid OS deployment has always been a challenging task in enterprise IT environments. In particular, deploying a server OS can be complicated because it may require first configuring BIOS, RAID, and remote access settings. This article shows how Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment can be combined with the Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit to help deploy Windows operating systems on Dell PowerEdge servers across the enterprise. By Ravikanth Chaganti and Jatin N. Muddu Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050260-Chaganti.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050288-Ahmadian.pdf Using Altiris Deployment Solution software, administrators can provision a Dell PowerEdge server from bare metal by configuring components such as BIOS and RAID hardware and deploying applications such as Oracle Database 10g software. This article discusses the bare-metal deployment process, focusing on the remote installation of Oracle Database 10g on Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. By Mahmoud Ahmadian, Chethan Kumar, and Eric Szewczyk Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050288-Ahmadian.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050292-Rakoff.pdf Systems Management Architecture for Server Hardware Command-Line Protocol (SMASH CLP) relies on Telnet or Secure Shell to enable connectivity between the management client and the managed server. This article discusses the requirements and settings to deploy SMASH CLP on Dell PowerEdge servers. By Nathan Rakoff and Javier Jimenez Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050292-Rakoff.pdf Networking Technology Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050254-Holmes.pdf This article explains how to configure the Dell PowerConnect 5316M Gigabit Ethernet switch, which resides within the Dell Modular Server Enclosure, to interoperate and connect with Cisco IOS-based and CatOS-based switches by using industry-standard link aggregation groups that adhere to the IEEE 802.3ad standard. By Bruce Holmes Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050254-Holmes.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060109-Diner.pdf The virtual media feature of the Dell PowerEdge 1855 blade server employs USB technology when presenting connected devices to the target host. To properly use this feature, administrators should understand how operating systems and BIOSs recognize and communicate with floppy disks, USB flash memory keys, and CD/DVD media in the virtual media environment. By Jake Diner and Sanjeev Singh Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060109-Diner.pdf Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060108-Chandrasekhar.pdf The Dell Remote Access Controller/Modular Chassis (DRAC/MC) provides various alerting mechanisms by which administrators can monitor and manage the components within a Dell Modular Server Enclosure—the chassis that houses the Dell PowerEdge 1855 blade server. This article describes the alerts and their related configurations in the DRAC/MC. By Babu Chandrasekhar and Steven Grigsby Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20060108-Chandrasekhar.pdf Online-Only Content Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050132-Tilton-OE.pdf Although security solutions using biometric technology have been a popular topic since the events of 9/11, this technology is still not widely understood. Biometrics are designed to verify identity and bind an individual to an action or event, but they also can be used for strong user authentication—replacing or augmenting a standard password. This article explores what biometrics are, how they are being used as an authentication mechanism in the enterprise IT environment, what types of products are currently available, and what biometric standards are in place. By Catherine J. Tilton Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050132-Tilton-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Server Technology Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050170-Gujarathi-OE.pdf Dell OpenManage Server Assistant can be used with the Preboot Execution Environment to perform standards-compliant network booting. Dell OpenManage Server Assistant is available on the Dell Installation and Server Management CD that is supplied with every Dell PowerEdge server. This bootable CD helps guide administrators through server installations. By Michael E. Brown and Manoj Gujarathi Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050170-Gujarathi-OE.pdf Microsoft Windows Online-Only Content Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050214-Dhedhi-OE.pdf The Dell OpenManage suite enables IT administrators to manage supported Dell PowerEdge servers with proactive monitoring, diagnosis, notification, and remote access capabilities. The Dell OpenManage 4.4 release introduces support for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1). Administrators can use a single reboot to upgrade to Dell OpenManage 4.4 and install Windows Server 2003 SP1 on multiple systems—a productivity-enhancing capability, particularly when upgrading hundreds of servers across an enterprise environment. By Mohammad Dhedhi and Kit Lou Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050214-Dhedhi-OE.pdf High-Performance Computing Online-Only Content Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050240-Fang-OE.pdf The Dell OpenManage suite can facilitate effective remote monitoring and management of high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. In particular, the Dynamic Kernel System mechanism in Dell OpenManage Server Administrator can be used to remove kernel dependency, and the Dell OpenManage command-line interface and other management components can be used to manage a cluster remotely and efficiently. By Yung-Chin Fang, Munira Hussain, Ron Pepper, Vishvesh Sahasrabudhe, Aziz Gulbeden Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050240-Fang-OE.pdf Microsoft Windows Online-Only Content Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050255-Gavankar-OE.pdf To make it as easy as possible for administrators to maintain the security and stability of Microsoft Windows 2000 systems, Microsoft has released Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4). This article provides recommendations for the deployment of SP4 Update Rollup 1 on Dell PowerEdge servers. By Bhushan Gavankar Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050255-Gavankar-OE.pdf Online-Only Content Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050270-Kondekar-OE.pdf The Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit (DTK) includes a set of utilities for configuring and deploying Dell PowerEdge servers. The DTK is designed to help build scripted installations that can reliably deploy numerous Dell PowerEdge servers without dramatically changing existing deployment processes. Version 2.0 of the DTK provides enhanced automated, script-based provisioning that can help increase productivity and boost system reliability. By Pranaya Kondekar and Kevin Winert Wed, 1 Feb 2006 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q06-20050270-Kondekar-OE.pdf Storage Technology Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080283-SUNY.pdf For institutions of higher education, a scalable IT infrastructure can be critical. To demonstrate the scalability and performance of SunGard Higher Education’s Banner software on Dell hardware, Dell collaborated with the State University of New York to build and test a proof-of-concept architecture designed to handle up to 175,000 students with sub-second response times. By Dave Jaffe, Ph.D., Kai Yu, and Dan Brint Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20080283-SUNY.pdf High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20070608-Microsoft.pdf When the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Holland Computing Center teamed up with Dell to build a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, the result was a flexible dual-boot system of Dell PowerEdge servers with dual-core AMD Opteron processors—and one of the world’s largest and most powerful Microsoft Windows OS–based clusters. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q08-20070608-Microsoft.pdf High-Performance Computing Linux Server Technology http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hpc_productivity_with_intel_cluster_ready_solutions? The Intel Cluster Ready program provides a standardized, replicable way to build and run high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, helping simplify cluster deployment and management. By using Intel Cluster Ready–certified Dell HPC clusters, organizations can quickly install and configure clusters to begin running registered HPC applications. By Brock A. Taylor, Vishvesh Sahasrabudhe, and Onur Celebioglu Tue, 7 Oct 2008 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/hpc_productivity_with_intel_cluster_ready_solutions? Dell Power Solutions Power and Cooling http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q09-20080417-Muscato.pdf Taking advantage of the advanced features of the new Dell PowerEdge 4220 rack enclosure and following best practices can help IT organizations enhance hardware utilization, increase power and cooling efficiency, and reduce the server footprint in their data centers. By William Muscato and Andre Fuochi http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps1q09-20080417-Muscato.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090243-CoverStory.pdf Weathering a tough economic climate means putting a hard stop on wasteful spending. At times like this, it is essential for IT executives to work proactively with business strategists to devise innovative ways to get the job done while consuming as few resources as possible, through measures such as enhanced energy efficiency, increased server and storage virtualization, smart systems management, and an intensified focus on smooth integration and scalability.Dell servers, storage, and management systems can help IT organizations meet today’s economic challenges while supporting fast, seamless growth. New 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge rack, tower, and blade servers feature the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series, Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) memory, and a high-performance, energy-efficient architecture designed for virtualization and easy customization—helping simplify management while helping reduce total cost of ownership. Dell EqualLogic PS6000 series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays are designed for energy efficiency as well, and include a virtualized scale-out architecture and a rich set of software features. And Dell systems management tools such as the Dell Management Console powered by Altiris from Symantec as well as the Unified Server Congurator enabled by the Lifecycle Controller help streamline and simplify IT management. Dell Services can help further support business growth through a customized, modular approach.Many business visionaries recognize that the biggest long-term savings may come from strategic capital investments that advance data center efficiency and intelligence—particularly cost-efficient deployments of blade servers and iSCSI storage—as well as best practices for energy management and IT simplification. By increasing overall efficiency and scalability, IT executives can keep pace with ever-changing business requirements while continuing to innovate essential systems and services that give their organizations the competitive edge. By Jeanne Feldkamp, Debra McDonald, and Tom Kolnowski Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090243-CoverStory.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090246-Nguyen.pdf In enterprise IT environments, success often depends not only on maximizing performance, but also on controlling costs by reducing power consumption, cooling requirements, and administrative complexity. To help meet these needs, the new 11th-generation Dell™ PowerEdge™ R610, PowerEdge R710, and PowerEdge T610 rack-mountable servers and PowerEdge M610 and PowerEdge M710 blade servers are designed from the ground up for high performance, energy efficiency, and simplified management. A flexible design provides a variety of options for internal storage and I/O expansion and incorporates the latest advances in multi-core processor performance, power and cooling, systems management, and usability.Key enhancements in 11th-generation PowerEdge R610, PowerEdge R710, and PowerEdge T610 servers range from the new dual- and quad-core Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series with QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology, high-speed PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 I/O interconnects, and embedded Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet network controllers to flexible chassis options, efficient Dell Energy Smart power supply units (PSUs), and intelligent cooling. Support for Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) memory provides a high-performance interface capable of low-latency response and high throughput, while support for 2.5- or 3.5-inch hard drives, optical drives, and tape drives helps maximize storage flexibility. Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) offer powerful, versatile security to help protect enterprise data. In addition, a breakthrough systems management design based on the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC 6) and other features incorporates advanced power management, system monitoring, hardware configuration, deployment, and updates. These enhancements can provide a variety of benefits in enterprise IT environments—helping simplify management, control power and cooling requirements, optimize hardware resources, and reduce total cost of ownership for organizations of all sizes.Also covered: Enhanced features in PowerEdge M610 and PowerEdge M710 blade servers to support high performance and energy efficiency. By Edward Yee, Indrani Paul, Robert Tung, Truc Nguyen, and Chad Fenner Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090246-Nguyen.pdf Power and Cooling http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090247-Bounds.pdf Limitations on space, power, and cooling capacity combined with rising energy costs present enormous challenges for IT environments—but overcoming these problems should not require reworking the entire IT infrastructure or relying on expensive consultants. Dell™ Energy Smart technologies span a comprehensive range of Dell hardware, software, and services to help organizations dynamically balance actual work performed against energy efficiency, helping optimize performance per watt and reduce total cost of ownership.Integrated into 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge™ servers, these technologies focus on four key tenets—design, measurement, control, and reporting—to dynamically manage system performance, power, and thermals at the platform level. Energy Smart power supply units (PSUs) are designed to provide higher efficiency than the PSUs of previous-generation PowerEdge servers. Energy Smart system design incorporates multiple enhancements to help lower overall power consumption and optimize performance per watt. The Dell Active Power Controller (DAPC), an OS-independent processor power manager, can lower system-level power draw at times of low utilization to help reduce power consumption. Energy Smart power management features help significantly enhance data center efficiency. And the advanced Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series and Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) memory components are designed for high efficiency.The Dell Energy Smart architecture in 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge servers can provide significant improvements in performance per watt and total cost of ownership compared with previous-generation PowerEdge servers. For example, in Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC) SPECpower benchmark tests performed by Dell engineers in March 2009, a PowerEdge R710 server used less power at comparable performance levels while reaching higher maximum performance levels than a previous-generation PowerEdge 2950 III server. As performance requirements continue to increase, the Dell Energy Smart architecture can help create scalable, energy-efficient infrastructures to support ongoing growth. By Daniel Bounds, John Jenne, and Robert Hormuth Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090247-Bounds.pdf Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20080414-Benson.pdf New 11th-generation Dell™ PowerEdge™ R610 and PowerEdge R710 rack servers, PowerEdge T610 tower servers, and PowerEdge M610 and PowerEdge M710 blade servers take advantage of the Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series, which utilizes Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) memory. By providing the flexibility to configure up to three memory channels per processor and choose from high-performance, balanced-performance, high-capacity, and mirror modes, the DDR3 architecture allows administrators to optimize memory configurations to suit specific requirements for a wide range of enterprise usage scenarios.Each processor in 11th-generation PowerEdge servers includes three separate memory controller hubs (MCHs) within the processor pack, helping avoid the requirement to transfer memory transactions between the processor and an external device; however, this design introduces considerations about the appropriate way to populate and configure a system based on specific requirements for reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) features and speed. These servers also support both error-correcting code (ECC) DDR3 registered dual in-line memory modules (RDIMMs) and ECC DDR3 unbuffered DIMMs (UDIMMs). The memory interface supports memory demand and patrol scrubbing, single-bit error correction, and multi-bit error corrections. RDIMMs are suitable for a large amount of memory, extensive RAS features, and maximum expandability, and offer address parity. However, unless business requirements call for very high memory capacity, UDIMM ECC is typically a cost-effective alternative to a comparable RDIMM configuration. Memory optimized, advanced ECC, and mirror modes, meanwhile, offer the flexibility to match specific applications or purposes, enhancing long-term cost-effectiveness.DDR3 is designed to support a range of performance requirements for enterprise applications and virtualized environments. Following best-practices guidelines for various usage scenarios helps administrators configure DDR3 memory options for optimal performance, capacity, data integrity, and energy efficiency. By Paul Benson Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20080414-Benson.pdf Server Technology System Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090226-Phung.pdf Systems management is a key part of the IT administrator’s job, and encompasses tasks such as installing operating systems, updating firmware to be functional and adhere to enterprise policies, configuring hardware, and maintaining IT infrastructures. Although several previous tools have helped simplify and streamline management of Dell™ systems, they also required administrators to save the CDs so the tools could be reinstalled if needed, which added clutter and storage requirements as organizations accumulated multiple versions of these tools.The new Dell Unified Server Configurator (USC) enabled by the Lifecycle Controller is designed to overcome these challenges. Based on the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) embedded in new 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge™ servers and utilizing a Unified Extensible Software Interface (UEFI) environment, it provides a single place to perform firmware and other updates, hardware and RAID configuration, native deployment of supported Microsoft® Windows® and Linux® operating systems, and system diagnostics—one that functions independently of both media and platform OS. Because the USC is available even when the OS is not, it helps add flexibility when provisioning servers and customizing them to meet specific requirements. In addition, because the tool is integrated with and embedded in the server, formatting the disk or reinstalling the OS does not remove the tool, helping save the time and costs associated with reinstalling system tools.The new Dell USC is designed to provide quick and easy access to system life cycle management capabilities in new 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge servers. This powerful, simplified tool can help administrators rapidly perform systems management tasks and ultimately help increase their productivity. By Shelli Allgood, Anand Narayanan, Hai Phung, and Pritesh Prabhu Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090226-Phung.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090238-Sherbak.pdf IT infrastructures tend to become ever more complex as administrators support growth with incremental hardware expansion, which in turn calls for increased real estate, power, cooling, and maintenance. Faced with shrinking budgets, many organizations end up dedicating a majority of their IT spending to simply maintaining data center resources—placing serious constraints on their ability to advance new initiatives.The computing pod is an exciting model for IT infrastructure that helps significantly advance enterprise efficiency. It is defined as a self-contained building block encompassing an optimized power and cooling footprint to facilitate scalability; integrated compute, storage, and network nodes of significant size and processing power; and simplified data center deployment and management to help reduce operational costs. Dell recommends that each pod include the Dell™ PowerEdge™ modular blade enclosure with PowerEdge blade servers; virtualized storage such as Dell EqualLogic™ PS6000 series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays; virtualization software such as the VMware® vSphere™, Microsoft® Hyper-V™, or Citrix® XenServer™ platforms; a management module with software such as the Dell Management Console; and switches with stacking capability such as Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3100 series switches. This pod architecture then becomes the basic unit of data center deployment.By elevating data center intelligence through advanced virtualization and software tools in combination with latest-generation server, storage, and network infrastructure, organizations can create highly scalable, self-managing data centers designed to reduce IT infrastructure complexity, simplify management, and increase cost-efficiency. And because this approach can be customized to specific needs, it can provide a flexible computing infrastructure that can quickly and easily adapt to evolving requirements.Also covered: How Dell Business-Ready Configurations can provide a simplified, scalable, resilient architecture for computing pod deployments. By Timothy Sherbak and Chris Auger Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090238-Sherbak.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090344-Schmidt.pdf Virtualization has become a mainstream component of enterprise data centers, helping provide consolidation savings, workload migration capabilities, reduced deployment times, and a variety of other benefits. To help maximize these benefits, however, IT teams often seek to virtualize existing installations as well as new deployments. Consequently, migration tools have emerged as a key method of moving legacy OS images from physical servers to virtual machines (VMs).To help ease physical-to-virtual (P2V) migrations of legacy hardware to powerful virtualized environments, Dell now offers PlateSpin® Migrate for Dell workload portability software from Novell as part of its factory software options for most Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers. To successfully perform these migrations, however, administrators must next turn to planning and execution, including identifying appropriate candidate servers with consideration for the OS version, specific workload type, and acceptable downtime. This article focuses on migrating an example case-study environment of common legacy servers to virtualized 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge blade servers, outlines factors that administrators should take into account when planning a migration for typical enterprise workloads on both Microsoft® Windows® and Linux® operating systems, and recommends best practices for preparing and carrying out the migration using the PlateSpin Migrate Take Control and Live Transfer methods.PlateSpin Migrate, part of the PlateSpin Portability Suite, provides an efficient process for migrating legacy hardware to powerful virtualized environments, one that helps avoid the need for administrators to plan for days of server migrations and incur costly downtimes. By offering PlateSpin Migrate software with 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge servers as well as support and services to help with planning and implementation, Dell provides a comprehensive, simplified way to carry out these migrations in enterprise data centers. By David Schmidt and Joseph Rispoli Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090344-Schmidt.pdf High-Performance Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090231-Clustercorp.pdf Designing and deploying a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster can be difficult for even the most experienced IT staff. To help simplify cluster acquisition and management, Dell, Intel, and Clustercorp have collaborated to offer an integrated and tested HPC cluster platform based on 11th-generation Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers, Intel® Cluster Ready configurations, and Clustercorp® Rocks+™ cluster management software.New 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge servers incorporating the quad-core Intel Xeon® processor 5500 series feature performance, energy-efficiency, and systems-management enhancements that make them well suited for HPC environments. Intel Cluster Ready–compliant configurations using these servers provide solutions that can run registered HPC applications right out of the box and do not require special cluster expertise to deploy and maintain. Rocks+, meanwhile, provides a robust, comprehensive software stack for HPC clusters, and can incorporate additional components such as the Dell Roll and Intel Cluster Ready Roll for simplified cluster deployment, the Mellanox OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED) Roll or QLogic Roll for InfiniBand-based environments, and the Moab Roll or Platform LSF Roll for workload and resource management.After a cluster has been deployed with Rocks+, the Intel Cluster Checker tool confirms that the cluster is Intel Cluster Ready compliant. Cluster installation and verification can take place at the deployment site or at the factory through the Dell Enterprise Factory Integration (EFI) program, in which the clusters are racked, cabled, installed, and verified at Dell. The clusters resulting from the collaboration between Dell, Intel, and Clustercorp are designed to be simple, comprehensive, and reliable—helping to avoid the inherent complexity of managing disparate components, simplify HPC cluster deployment and management, and enable administrators and researchers to focus on running their applications rather than on cluster tuning and management. By Garima Kochhar, Jacob Liberman, Brock A. Taylor, and Jason Bishop Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090231-Clustercorp.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090236-Locsin.pdf As online transaction processing (OLTP) and other key enterprise applications take on increasing workloads, administrators are pressed to find ways of handling the performance demands on their storage systems. Traditional mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs) have built-in performance characteristics such as seek time and rotational latency that can make it difficult to keep up with escalating needs from transaction-intensive applications.A new option now available for Dell™ EqualLogic™ PS Series storage is solid-state drive (SSD) technology. SSDs offer exceptional performance—enabling significantly faster random read/write response time compared with traditional mechanical HDDs—along with enhanced reliability, energy efficiency, and space efficiency. To help organizations take advantage of SSD technology, the Dell EqualLogic PS6000S storage array provides outstanding performance in a cost-effective SSD-based array that can easily integrate into multitiered EqualLogic Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area networks (SANs).Although SSDs can offer dramatic performance advantages, their cost and capacity limitations make them most effective when deployed as a targeted solution in particular use cases. For example, SSDs can be a key solution for workloads that require low latency and high IOPS combined with limited capacity (such as virtual desktop infrastructure deployments), and those in which the transfer block size is small (such as OLTP applications). In a tiered storage environment, SSDs enable IT organizations to provide a customized balance of cost-effective capacity and performance with exceptional throughput and response time.SSDs have emerged as an excellent high-performance storage option for certain enterprise workloads. As part of the Dell EqualLogic PS Series of virtualized storage arrays, the EqualLogic PS6000S SSD array can help organizations simply, scalably, and cost-effectively meet escalating application performance demands with enhanced reliability and energy efficiency. By Dylan Locsin, Ujjwal Rajbhandari, and Wendy Chen Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090236-Locsin.pdf Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090230-Intel.pdf Cost-conscious IT departments have adopted data center virtualization as a way to help increase efficiency and reduce total cost of ownership. As virtualized server and storage deployments increase, infrastructure components are evolving to keep pace. These collective enhancements promise unmatched data center efficiencies, but they pose new challenges too—including escalating network storage and I/O demands that are driving the data center framework toward 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) connectivity.Systems designed for virtualized environments, such as the Dell™ PowerEdge™ R710 server based on the multi-core Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series architecture, can support a large number of virtual machines (VMs). The Intel Xeon processor 5500 series combines multiple processors with architectural features that allow for a high level of 10GbE scalability—including specifications designed to enable faster memory, faster interconnect architecture, and a faster PCI Express (PCIe) bus than previous generations.At the network interface, Intel 10GbE server adapters include Intel Virtualization Technology for Connectivity (VT-c)—which includes Intel Virtual Machine Device Queues (VMDq) and Intel Virtual Machine Direct Connect (VMDc)—to enhance I/O performance in virtualized environments. Intel 10GbE server adapters support Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area networks (SANs) as well as network attached storage (NAS). In the next generation, planned performance-enhancing features include Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) offloads and receive-side coalescing (RSC).Many elements of the dynamic 10GbE data center are already in place. The generation of servers based on the Intel Xeon processor 5500 series architecture enables the processing power and adaptability needed to support growing VM deployment without increasing power or space requirements, while Intel 10GbE server adapters are designed to take advantage of the capabilities of these platforms and provide the necessary I/O bandwidth for a truly dynamic data center. By Sunil Ahluwalia Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090230-Intel.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090300-Burrows.pdf The economic downturn has left CIOs under major pressure to limit IT spending. Many enterprises have already reduced expenditure and are focusing on cost optimization and increasing output from existing resources, and the challenge for CIOs is to cut IT operating expenses while maximizing productivity to support continued expansion.Identifying and addressing hidden IT costs—without cutting deeply into investment capacity—can help organizations adjust to lean times and position themselves for ongoing success. There are a number of hidden costs with servers, including those related to power and cooling for underutilized servers, building and infrastructure for data center facilities, and systems management. By helping to optimize utilization of existing physical resources and reduce the number of physical servers that must be powered, cooled, and managed, virtualization offers a key way to reduce server total cost of ownership (TCO) and increase IT agility. Many enterprises have proceeded cautiously with virtualization to help ensure that they understand the impact it could have on their operations as well as the advantages it can provide. Consequently, even those organizations that have implemented virtualization often are not realizing its full benefits.Evaluated and refined across thousands of real-world deployments, Dell™ virtualization solutions and services offer a comprehensive approach designed to reduce TCO and maximize return on investment (ROI). Although the natural reaction to difficult economic times is to slow down projects or stop all spending, waiting on a virtualization deployment means spending more in the long run simply to maintain and manage an inefficient existing infrastructure. Investing in a streamlined, aggressively accelerated virtualization initiative and overcoming roadblocks to deployment can help increase flexibility, simplify management, and quickly meet reduced budget goals for IT expenditure. By Steve Burrows and Ron Oglesby Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090300-Burrows.pdf Systems Management Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090232-Symantec.pdf Server virtualization can offer a number of compelling benefits in enterprise data centers, including increased resource utilization, reduced hardware costs, and operational efficiencies. Despite these advantages, however, virtualized environments still raise many of the same concerns as traditional environments—and, critically, the importance of data remains the same whether it resides on a virtual machine (VM) or a non-virtualized server. Given the tools and other processes introduced by virtualization, how can organizations effectively protect the data on virtualized servers and recover it quickly when necessary? Symantec™ Backup Exec™ 12.5 software, part of the Dell™ PowerVault™ DL2000 – Powered by Symantec Backup Exec, provides industry-leading capabilities designed specifically to protect virtualized environments, including those based on Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 Hyper-V™ technology. In addition to backing up offline VMs, the Symantec Backup Exec 12.5 Agent for Microsoft Virtual Servers (AMVS) takes advantage of Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to back up live running VMs without requiring downtime and without requiring a backup agent to reside on each VM. When recovering a VM, administrators can use the Backup Exec console to restore the entire VM or use built-in Backup Exec Granular Recovery Technology (GRT) to recover individual files and folders within a .vhd file without running a separate backup. By taking advantage of these capabilities and following best practices for using Backup Exec with Hyper-V, administrators can implement simplified, flexible, and robust backup and recovery in their virtualized environments. And because Backup Exec also incorporates comprehensive support for VMware® virtualization as well as non-virtualized environments, it offers a centralized, highly flexible way to help protect heterogeneous environments—combining single-pass and granular recovery advantages in a single simplified backup and recovery tool. By Ed Casmer Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090232-Symantec.pdf Security Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090303-Schweighofer.pdf In a world where digital information is the key to business and a significant proportion of workers are mobile, data loss is both a worst-case scenario and a daily occurrence—and even a single day of downtime can cost thousands of dollars in lost worker productivity, IT administrator time, and data recovery costs. However, implementing security policies typically requires multiple steps, settings, and actions that can become a barrier to implementation. By providing a broad choice of world-class security offerings along with deployment and configuration services, Dell can help enterprises secure key data as well as reclaim wasted time and redirect it toward business growth.Dell helps simplify mobile security through platforms that are easy to use and manage, including a comprehensive suite of data security options that enable organizations to deploy secure systems direct from the factory. Key features of Dell™ systems such as Dell Latitude™ E-Family laptops and Dell Precision™ mobile workstations can include multiple types of encryption, integrated Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201–compliant fingerprint readers, contactless smart card readers, Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs), Dell ControlVault™ technology, Dell ControlPoint software, and RSA SecureID certification. Dell ControlVault, for example, provides a dedicated processor for authentication and certificate storage while incorporating additional features not supported by TPMs alone. The Dell ControlPoint platform is designed to simplify using and managing security features while helping facilitate the implementation and management of multi-factor authentication across multiple devices.As the ranks of mobile employees grow, organizations must give resolute focus to protecting IT assets. Designed to simplify data protection and prevent unauthorized access, Dell endpoint security features can help IT organizations deploy and manage security to facilitate simple and secure data access throughout the enterprise. By David Schweighofer Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090303-Schweighofer.pdf Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090339-F5.pdf Deploying and managing desktop computers, especially remote desktop computers, can be costly and time-consuming. As a result, many organizations are transitioning to a virtual desktop infrastructure for their client environments to help centralize management and reduce costs. By avoiding the burden of deploying individual desktop images, a virtual desktop infrastructure can help dramatically increase manageability while contributing to reduced total cost of ownership across the enterprise desktop environment.F5 Networks helps organizations prepare their IT environments for a successful virtual desktop infrastructure deployment by offering a range of application delivery solutions. When combined with scalable host platforms such as Dell™ PowerEdge™ servers, this application delivery system helps organizations dramatically enhance the performance and availability of their virtual desktop infrastructure deployments, enabling them to take advantage of the benefits of reduced costs, simplified management, and enhanced security while still offering a robust and familiar end-user experience.Key features of F5® BIG-IP® Local Traffic Manager™ (LTM) devices include load balancing, client connection persistence, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) processing, compression, data deduplication using the BIG-IP WebAccelerator™ module, a rapid deployment template, and flexibility to meet different service-level agreements (SLAs). BIG-IP Global Traffic Manager™ (GTM) devices enhance performance and availability through intelligent routing between data centers. Both devices are designed to work with a range of virtual desktop and application virtualization platforms, including VMware® View, Microsoft® Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), VMware ThinApp, and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V).Virtual desktop infrastructures have the potential to deliver tremendous benefits. Application delivery solutions from F5 Networks help organizations prepare their network and storage infrastructures for the increased load introduced by a virtual desktop infrastructure, helping to ensure that end users experience the performance and availability they have come to expect from their desktops. By Alan Murphy Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090339-F5.pdf Systems Management http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090195-KACE.pdf A consolidated and centralized approach to asset management is crucial for effectively managing the IT environment. Understanding what hardware and software are installed across an organization is the most basic step to effective asset management, but often one of the most difficult to complete accurately without a major investment in time and resources. The additional challenges of managing warranties and contracts, software compliance, secure environments, and efficient service desks overwhelm many organizations.The KBOX™ asset management system from KACE uses an appliance-based architecture to help simplify ongoing management of distributed systems throughout their life cycles, enabling IT organizations to increase efficiencies across a number of disciplines including asset management, configuration management, service desks, and systems deployment. The KBOX Asset Management Module focuses on automating non-computer and computer inventory with asset management processes from deployment to retirement, and KBOX is designed to integrate tightly with service tag information for Dell™ hardware to help ease the tracking of warranty information and original configuration details. KBOX asset management also enhances security by quickly identifying missing hardware or unapproved software or systems, and the KBOX Help Desk Module enhances the efficiency of service desk personnel.Under challenging economic conditions, effective asset management can help organizations make informed decisions, deliver fast problem resolution, manage service contracts, enforce secure configuration policies, and implement proactive license compliance. The comprehensive KBOX asset management system helps eliminate the complexity and cost of traditional enterprise software solutions, enabling organizations to automate asset management operations for breakthrough efficiency. As a result, enhanced agility helps enterprises accelerate IT response to meet increasing user expectations and ever-changing business requirements.Also covered: How Portland Community College cut costs and enhanced management of its Dell systems using KBOX. By Lubos Parobek Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090195-KACE.pdf Server Technology Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090346-Garuda.pdf Jakarta-based PT Garuda Indonesia is Indonesia’s flag carrier. Recently, the airline has been challenged by competing international airlines and budget carriers as well as changing economic conditions—placing pressure on the company to maximize its efficiency and effectiveness.This case study describes how Garuda Indonesia deployed a series of high-performance Dell™ PowerEdge™ M600 blade servers with quad-core Intel® Xeon® processors in PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosures to help boost the efficiency of its business operations and support key front-end SAP® and Microsoft® applications. The blade servers, which connect to a set of Dell/EMC CX3-20c storage area network (SAN) arrays, have enabled the company to reduce its power consumption by as much as 40 percent and reduce its data center footprint by 50 percent—helping optimize energy use while maximizing data center performance and density. Although many servers are running in Garuda Indonesia’s data center, the company has entrusted the Dell blades with running the most critical front-end applications, including Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. The Dell OpenManage™ suite, meanwhile, helps simplify server deployment, management, and problem resolution.Garuda Indonesia has received positive feedback from users of applications that run on the blades and from the IT staff benefiting from improved ease of management. Looking ahead, Garuda Indonesia wants to further enhance its operations with new customer-facing applications and the delivery of new fleets for long-haul flights to Europe, and is confident that Dell can help them scale to meet new demands. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090346-Garuda.pdf Server Technology Microsoft Exchange http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090347-Taylors.pdf Taylor’s University College is one of Malaysia’s leading educational institutions and the world’s largest center for preuniversity studies. For the large, dispersed community of staff and students spread across five campuses, e-mail messaging is vital to the smooth operation of services. However, the existing IBM® Lotus® Notes infrastructure did not integrate well with the college’s Microsoft® Active Directory® domain servers and had proven incapable of supporting an intended expansion.This case study describes how Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services helped Taylor’s deploy clustered Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2950 servers with Intel® Xeon® processors, a Dell/EMC CX3-20c storage area network (SAN) array, Dell Fibre Channel switches, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 to help centralize and manage its messaging infrastructure. The migration was completed in six months, from design to deployment, and its impact was felt almost immediately—providing convenient e-mail access for staff, helping ensure data integrity and redundancy, and offering headroom to balance a growing environment. Integrating Microsoft Exchange and consolidating to a single Active Directory domain helped improve efficiency by 30 percent, reduce support queries by 20 percent, and simplify troubleshooting for IT staff.The solution has simplified messaging operations throughout Taylor’s. Dell trained support staff and some users on how to use, manage, and administer the solution, and Taylor’s cites the excellent working relationship with Dell as key to the project’s success. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090347-Taylors.pdf Storage Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090348-Borgers.pdf Johann Borgers is the leading provider of acoustically efficient textile components for the automotive industry, with more than 4,700 employees worldwide. The company’s core administrative activities are centralized at its headquarters in Bocholt, Germany, where office-based employees need constant access to key financial and performance data as well as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. However, the seven end-of-life servers in the data center could no longer provide the reliability, availability, or performance the company required.This case study describes how Johann Borgers deployed virtualized Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2900 servers with quad-core Intel® Xeon® processors along with a Dell/EMC CX3-10c storage area network (SAN) to help create a reliable, scalable, and highly available server and storage solution. Using VMware® ESX 3.5 virtualization software on the PowerEdge servers enabled the IT team to create virtual machines (VMs) running the Microsoft® Windows Server® 2003 OS and Citrix Presentation Server™ 4.5 software—offering its base of 120 users anytime, anywhere access to the Infor ERP and Microsoft Office applications. Dell Services teams worked with Dell partner CEMA to design and deploy the solution, and the Johann Borgers IT staff also received in-depth SAN training as part of the company’s Dell ProSupport for IT agreement.Transferring management of the local client desktop to the data center offers a single hardware and software management point for IT staff, helping provide total administrative time and cost savings of around 25 percent. The solution has also reduced running costs, cooling costs, and maintenance costs while dramatically improving the availability of critical data and the performance of key IT services. Based on its experience with this project, Johann Borgers now plans to work with Dell on further simplifying its departmental servers and storage. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090348-Borgers.pdf Server Technology Virtualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090349-BCBSNY.pdf Ideally, the business side of health care should be a secondary concern. Health care insurance provider BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York (BCBS) works hard to help both doctors and patients focus on wellness instead of where to send the bill, and relies on a deep IT infrastructure for everything from claims processing to provider payments and internal operations. However, keeping the BCBS environment running effectively and efficiently had become increasingly expensive and time-consuming.This case study describes how Dell Global Infrastructure Consulting Services helped BCBS migrate more than 100 servers to Dell™ PowerEdge™ M600 blade servers with quad-core Intel® Xeon® processors in four PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosures without disrupting the business or end users. BCBS allocated three enclosures to application servers, additional virtualized hosts, and a lab manager environment, and dedicated the remaining enclosure to the next phase of the company’s virtualization strategy, implementing VMware® Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).The Dell blade servers led to immediate hardware cost savings for BCBS. The company expects to now replace its servers every five years instead of every three years, cutting hardware expenditures by 20 percent. The PowerEdge M1000e enclosure’s shared resources and remote management capabilities have helped ease administrative complexity and accelerate deployment, providing a 60 percent increase in efficiency. And the blade servers have also consolidated rack requirements by 75 percent and led the company to expect an energy savings of US$6,000 initially and as much as US$40,000 per year as expiring physical servers are converted to blades. Ultimately, the BCBS IT team feels that the benefits of migrating to Dell blade servers reach far beyond the data center—helping them increase efficiencies across the board and provide seamless claims processing when supporting patients around the country. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090349-BCBSNY.pdf Security Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090225-McConnell.pdf Internet SCSI (iSCSI) can provide a number of advantages in enterprise storage area network (SAN) infrastructures—offering similar scalability, availability, and manageability as Fibre Channel in a cost-effective way, and enabling IT administrators to work with standard, familiar Ethernet components rather than specialized Fibre Channel equipment. iSCSI-capable Dell™ EqualLogic™ PS Series iSCSI SAN arrays, Dell PowerVault™ storage systems, and Dell/EMC storage systems can provide a simplified, scalable way to implement iSCSI SANs.The underlying technologies—the iSCSI protocol, Ethernet, and TCP/IP transport—help provide a well-known, mature, and cost-effective security infrastructure for iSCSI SANs. Key areas of security that effective iSCSI security strategies must address include data-at-rest (DAR) and data-in-flight (DIF) security; authentication, authorization, and data coherence; and defenses against passive, active, and operational attacks. Key best practices for securing iSCSI SANs include isolating the iSCSI domain, consolidating and securing management portals, disabling unused switch and router features, using access control lists for authorization, using Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) and IP Security (IPsec) when appropriate, and defining a practical and secure key management strategy.Strong security does not necessarily mean expensive security. By taking advantage of the maturity of Ethernet and TCP/IP technologies that serve as the basis for iSCSI networking and following key iSCSI best practices, administrators can cost-effectively implement robust, secure iSCSI SANs as part of a comprehensive enterprise security strategy. By Robert Winter and Dan McConnell Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090225-McConnell.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090199-Matthews.pdf The Dell™ NX4 network attached storage (NAS) device is designed to provide flexible, enterprise-class file storage for Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, and UNIX® environments while incorporating advanced EMC® features that provide functionality well beyond simple file servers, including support for both Internet SCSI (iSCSI) and Fibre Channel. The Data Access in Real Time (DART) OS supports concurrent use of the Common Internet File System (CIFS) and Network File System (NFS) protocols, enabling seamless file sharing without compromising data integrity and without requiring performance-reducing emulation.The Dell NX4 is designed to provide high availability without compromise—enabling organizations to continue operating at the same performance and service levels even in the event of a failure. EMC Celerra® SnapSure™ software enables administrators to create logical point-in-time snapshots to help meet recovery point objectives (RPOs), while optional Celerra Replicator™ software provides a powerful, simplified tool for asynchronous replication and can integrate with SnapSure and VMware® Site Recovery Manager (SRM) to help simplify the testing and execution of disaster recovery processes. Support for multiple backup and restore options helps maximize flexibility.In addition, file-level deduplication and compression can help organizations effectively handle the proliferation of unstructured data, while file-level retention features help them comply with enterprise, industry, or government requirements. The optional Celerra Anti-Virus Agent (CAVA) helps identify and eliminate known viruses before they infect files on the storage system. The open Celerra FileMover application programming interface (API), meanwhile, supports tiered storage access to help reduce costs, increase storage utilization, and enhance service levels. The advanced features of the Dell NX4, combined with flexible file management and support for both iSCSI and Fibre Channel, make this system well suited to help meet enterprise-class requirements while also helping to simplify data management and reduce costs. By Scott Sinclair Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090199-Matthews.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090305-CommVault.pdf Redundancy is a major contributor to sustained data growth in enterprise data centers. Regular replication, backup, and archiving using traditional tools, for example, often requires organizations to deploy significantly more storage than they actually need simply to maintain unnecessary copies of the same data across many different storage systems. The systems necessary to store this redundant data represent not only an up-front investment in hardware, deployment, and configuration, but also ongoing operational costs for power, cooling, and management.Deduplication technology, which is designed to eliminate duplicate copies of data, offers an important method of combating uncontrolled data growth. Dell and CommVault have worked together to create a backup and archive deduplication solution that combines high-performance Dell™ hardware with innovative CommVault® Simpana® 8.0 software: the Dell PowerVault™ DL2000 – Powered by CommVault. In contrast to traditional backup and archive architectures, CommVault Simpana 8.0 can write compressed, deduplicated, and even encrypted blocks to disk targets, enabling organizations to maximize use of existing storage hardware and helping reduce the amount of data sent over the network.CommVault Simpana 8.0 also introduces the Virtual Infrastructure Agent for VMware® and Microsoft® Hyper-V™ virtualization platforms, helping provide seamless backups in virtualized environments. Remote office servers, meanwhile, can benefit from a global deduplication strategy that reduces backup footprints before they are sent to a centralized location, helping further simplify backup and recovery processes.As administrators struggle with increasingly restricted IT budgets, they need tools that can deliver cost-effective, simplified data management. The deduplication capabilities in the Dell PowerVault DL2000 – Powered by CommVault can help overcome these challenges, offering an efficient way to consolidate data, streamline storage requirements, and control costs. By Jeff Echols Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090305-CommVault.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090296-Seagate.pdf Keeping up with space constraints and the rising costs of energy are two of the greatest challenges facing IT departments today. By controlling power consumption and related heat output at the system level, however, organizations can deploy their hardware resources for optimum power and cooling efficiency to help control ongoing costs.The modular, rack-dense Dell™ PowerVault™ MD1120 direct attach storage (DAS) array is designed for efficiency and scalability—holding up to 24 low-power, 2.5-inch hard drives in a compact 2U enclosure for up to 12 TB of total storage capacity. A single dual-port Dell PowerEdge™ Expandable RAID Controller (PERC) 6/E can connect to up to six PowerVault MD1120 enclosures, enabling use of up to 144 total drives and helping simplify management. And now, the PowerVault MD1120 can also support energy-efficient Seagate® Constellation™ Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) hard drives.These industry-first 2.5-inch, 7,200 rpm, 500 GB drives are designed from the ground up specifically for enterprise-class nearline storage, providing the capacity, performance, and reliability to support high-density tiered storage applications. In Storage Performance Council (SPC) SPC-1C benchmark tests performed by Seagate engineers in January and February 2009, a 2U PowerVault MD1120 enclosure with 2.5-inch Constellation drives provided 93 percent higher performance than a 3U PowerVault MD1000 with 3.5-inch drives, or 2.9 times the performance per unit of rack space, while also consuming 40 percent less power. By deploying the Dell PowerVault MD1120 DAS array with Seagate Constellation hard drives, organizations can combine enterprise-class reliability, nearline performance, and scalability in a rack-dense, energy-efficient storage system. By Barbara Craig and Tom McCaffrey Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090296-Seagate.pdf Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090235-Ansley.pdf The Dell™ PowerEdge™ M1000e modular blade enclosure offers a number of advantages over typical rack-mounted servers, including increased density, rapid deployment, reduced power and cooling requirements, reduced cabling, simplified management, and an advanced integrated I/O module architecture. Dell EqualLogic™ PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays, meanwhile, can also offer compelling benefits that make them well suited to support blade server deployments.Administrators can take any of several approaches to integrating PowerEdge M1000e enclosures with an EqualLogic SAN using the available Ethernet I/O modules—the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch (CBS) 3130G, Cisco CBS 3030X, and Dell PowerConnect™ M6220 switch—in the PowerEdge M1000e. One possible design consists of a multitiered Ethernet switch infrastructure, in which the EqualLogic SAN and a set of external switches are on one tier and the PowerEdge M1000e enclosures are on a separate tier. A second design uses the PowerEdge M1000e pass-through I/O modules with a set of external stackable switches such as the Cisco Catalyst 3750-E or Dell PowerConnect 6248. A third design relies only on the PowerEdge M1000e Ethernet switch I/O modules for the SAN.Each of these three strategies has its own trade-offs in cost, performance, complexity, and scalability. Ultimately, successful integration of a PowerEdge M1000e with an EqualLogic SAN hinges on a few criteria: the solution should provide full redundancy; enough inter-switch bandwidth to support hosting SAN traffic, inter-array management, and load balancing; and enough I/O and minimal latency between the blades and arrays to meet the requirements of the attached host applications. The PowerEdge M1000e enclosure along with external Ethernet switches can provide the flexibility and scalability necessary to build a high-performance virtualized storage architecture that can meet almost any storage need. By Tony Ansley Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090235-Ansley.pdf Business Continuity High Availability http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090233-Egenera.pdf Once reserved for only the most mission-critical services, high availability and disaster recovery have become essential requirements across the spectrum of enterprise applications. PAN Manager® software by Egenera® for Dell—part of the Dell™ PAN System for Blades by Egenera—helps deliver mainframe-class high availability and verifiable disaster recovery to applications running on Dell PowerEdge™ blade servers.The Dell PAN System for Blades by Egenera is based on a Dell PowerEdge M1000e modular blade enclosure containing up to 16 PowerEdge M600 or PowerEdge M610 blade servers; two PowerEdge 2950 III servers that act as redundant, load-balanced processing area network (PAN) controllers; and a secure, three-way redundant fabric using Dell PowerConnect™ M6220 Ethernet switches. The PAN controllers perform the internal and external I/O operations on behalf of the blade servers, and are designed to provide high-performance, secure, and reliable communication switching among software applications running within the blade system.PAN Server Portability™ software by Egenera for Dell, a component of PAN Manager, is designed to provide high availability for applications without incurring the cost, overhead, and IT complexity of many alternative approaches—helping support application recovery in response to a variety of administrator-defined conditions. PAN Portability™ software by Egenera for Dell, meanwhile, enables verifiable disaster recovery protection for production data centers, and is designed to ensure that disaster recovery operations replicate the production environment identically, every time, even in data centers where there are frequent modifications to system configurations. These components enable PAN Manager to enhance the hardware reliability and serviceability of blade systems and support business continuity for all applications—helping to automatically recover lost production environments accurately and reliably and to restore productivity rapidly even in the event of a total site outage. By Christine Crandell Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090233-Egenera.pdf Power and Cooling Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090307-PrinTech.pdf When evaluating a server, performance and power consumption are two key factors that organizations should take into account. Perhaps most important, however, is the efficiency with which the server can translate energy into useful work performed in the data center—a factor captured by the key metric of performance per watt. Maximizing performance per watt can lead to significant improvements in IT productivity without increasing power consumption.In January 2009, Principled Technologies performed Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC) SPECjbb2005 tests commissioned by Dell to compare the performance and power consumption of three AMD Opteron™ processor–based blade servers running the Sun Solaris 10 OS: the Dell™ PowerEdge™ M905 blade server, HP ProLiant BL685c G5 blade server, and IBM® BladeCenter LS42 blade server. In these tests, the Dell server produced the highest peak performance of the three tested systems, providing 4.3 percent higher performance than the HP server and 5.5 percent higher performance than the IBM server. And because the Dell server also used the least amount of power of the three tested systems, it also delivered significantly higher performance per watt—37.6 percent higher than the HP server and 46.7 percent higher than the IBM server.Optimizing energy use can be critical to controlling operational costs in enterprise data centers. As these Principled Technologies tests demonstrate, Dell PowerEdge blade servers are designed to offer high performance while minimizing power consumption—providing the foundation of an effective and comprehensive strategy for data center efficiency. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:00:00 CST http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps2q09-20090307-PrinTech.pdf Database Management Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09_20090180_Rajbhandari.pdf Dell™ EqualLogic™ PS Series Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area network (SAN) arrays are designed to provide the advantages of consolidated networked storage in a cost-effective way. Using an EqualLogic PS Series SAN as the foundation of an enterprise-class Oracle® Database 11g solution can help simplify operations, increase performance and utilization, and enable cost-effective scalability as an organization’s needs grow over time. This article provides an architectural overview of a Dell EqualLogic PS Series storage solution for Oracle Database 11g along with best practices that organizations can use as the basis for deployments in their own environments. In addition to the EqualLogic PS Series arrays, this architecture comprises Dell OptiPlex™ desktops, Dell PowerEdge™ servers running Oracle Database 11g with Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) 11g, and redundant Dell PowerConnect™ Gigabit Ethernet switches.Dell EqualLogic PS Series arrays also include built-in snapshot capabilities at no additional cost, enabling administrators to quickly back up and restore large Oracle databases online with minimal performance impact. In tests performed by Dell engineers in late 2008 and early 2009 using the Transaction Processing Performance Council TPC-C workload in the Quest Benchmark Factory package, the response times returned to the baseline within a minute of taking a snapshot, indicating that subsequent disk activity does not experience the response time latency typically associated with snapshots. Response time stayed well within an acceptable range throughout the tests.The Dell EqualLogic PS Series storage solution for Oracle Database 11g is designed to provide a highly flexible enterprise database environment that administrators can rapidly deploy and easily manage. As enterprise needs grow, the EqualLogic PS Series iSCSI SAN can provide the dynamic scalability to meet those needs while helping to simplify operations and increase performance and availability. By Wendy Chen, Roger Lopez, and Ujjwal Rajbhandari http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09_20090180_Rajbhandari.pdf Simplify IT Storage Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09_20090224_Singh.pdf In challenging economic times, the confluence of rapid data growth and the need to protect it for long periods has created significant challenges for IT leaders, who must find resources to store and manage this data while keeping costs under control. To effectively overcome these challenges, organizations must reconsider how they manage and use their data throughout its life cycle. Current data management solutions that can meet these needs, however, are typically costly and complex. This problem is especially acute for small and medium businesses (SMBs), which are generally restricted to a limited and poorly integrated set of options.Dell is working to simplify IT with products, services, and partnerships that enable SMBs to easily and cost-effectively manage their data from creation to end of life using a strategy called Intelligent Data Management (IDM). IDM is designed to encompass growth planning and analysis, data protection, archiving, discovery and compliance, and optimization of server and storage resources in the data center. This strategy includes a line of integrated TierDisk systems—including Dell™ PowerVault™ DL2000 disk-based deduplication and backup solutions based on CommVault® Simpana® and Symantec™ Backup Exec™ software—along with tiered Dell EqualLogic™, Dell PowerVault, and Dell/EMC storage and Dell consulting services to help assess existing environments and develop new implementation plans. In the future, Dell anticipates developing a range of additional IDM-based solutions—focused on storage resource management, data replication, continuous data protection, server virtualization, fixed-content retention and governance, and more—designed to provide further cost-effective, simplified solutions that can help meet IDM goals. By Sanjeet Singh http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09_20090224_Singh.pdf Server Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090363-Jervis.pdf When defining the next generation of servers, Dell starts by creating a set of consistent behaviors and specifications across all servers in that generation, and then differentiates specific models to help meet different usage models and applications. The features that define the 11th-generation Dell™ PowerEdge™ server family include both obvious elements such as the Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series, Double Data Rate 3 (DDR3) memory, disk drives, power supply units (PSUs), and industrial design as well as less obvious technical implementations.The high-value, high-performance PowerEdge R410 and PowerEdge T410 server models are designed to meet stringent 11th-generation PowerEdge standards while incorporating cost-effective configuration options to help meet the specific requirements of small and medium businesses (SMBs) as well as high-performance computing (HPC) cluster environments. The base configurations of these servers, for example, include cabled PSUs, cabled hard drives, BMC management, and LED indicators, with redundant PSUs, hot-pluggable hard drives, Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC 6) management features, and LCDs available as optional upgrades.PowerEdge R410 and PowerEdge T410 servers are comprehensively tested under a variety of environmental conditions to help ensure compliance with 11th-generation PowerEdge electrical, mechanical, thermal, and acoustic design criteria. Dell selects electrical components to help maintain quality, performance, robustness, reliability, and compatibility, while mechanical validation helps ensure high levels of reliability, tolerance for shock and vibration, and ease of insertion and removal for components, boards, and commodities. The servers are designed for ease of use and simplified servicing, and thermal simulations, fan-speed analysis, and acoustic testing help ensure conformance with Dell specifications. By focusing on features, components, and other criteria designed for optimal value—while still offering optional upgrades for organizations that need them—PowerEdge R410 and PowerEdge T410 servers can help meet a variety of needs in SMB environments. By Nick Jervis and Hariharan Ramalingam http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090363-Jervis.pdf Cloud Computing http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090420-Cloud.pdf Economic conditions have indelibly altered the bottom line at many enterprises, which for CIOs translates into a continual need to maximize IT efficiency and flexibility. Cloud computing is primed to offer exactly these benefits—and IT leaders are paying attention.A true cloud has three key characteristics: flexible costs on a pay-per-use basis, the ability to elastically scale capacity up or down, and geographic and hardware independence. Cloud services fall into the usage categories of software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS), and can be implemented as either a private cloud (an instance dedicated to a specific enterprise) or a public cloud (which leverages a third-party instance in a multi-tenant environment). Hybrid cloud services, meanwhile, span both realms to help maximize the advantages of each, and can provide an ideal solution for scenarios such as e-mail storage.As organizations move toward cloud computing, they typically evolve through three phases. Implementing virtualization provides the first step, followed by accelerating and expanding its use. The final phase is to interconnect the data centers to create a single resource pool and private cloud, and could include utilizing compatible public clouds when appropriate. The resulting hybrid infrastructure provides true on-demand computing in an environment designed for maximum flexibility.Beyond the breakthrough scalability of this approach, cloud services help create significant cost and business model advantages—helping to reduce capital and operational expenses, enhancing business agility while minimizing risk, and enabling resources to shift from simply keeping the data center running to pursuing strategic business goals. By starting on your journey now, you can begin to move toward the ultimate goal of a truly responsive IT infrastructure. Also covered: How Dell™ cloud computing services can help you plan, implement, and manage cloud computing infrastructures. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090420-Cloud.pdf Visualization http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090424-CXOChat.pdf In the early days of the Internet, content was truly king. There’s no denying that content is still a critical component of your company’s online success. But today, with the rise of social media, the technologies responsible for delivering that content play a bigger role than ever. Live video is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. By going beyond standard streaming video technologies to allow rich, real-time interactivity between the broadcaster and the audience, as well as conversations among members of the audience, live video is transforming the way companies interact with the marketplace—and the way executives interact with employees. In this interview, Dell Power Solutions speaks with John Ham, cofounder and CEO of live video service provider Ustream, about the coming video revolution—including the right time to adopt live video technologies and how live traffic can help control the timing of traffic to your Web site; how broadcasters and audience members can interact using live video; how live video, interactivity, and metadata are transforming the way companies interact with their customers; the risks of not adopting a video component in your corporate communication strategy; how live video analytics can improve in the future through real-time feedback; and more. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090424-CXOChat.pdf Security http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090426-Social.pdf Ready or not, here it comes: social media has reached a tipping point, both for personal and professional use. But how can you protect against confidentiality breaches and prevent improper use? Instead of attempting to control social media technologies from the top down, your company should focus on developing participation guidelines to help harness the power of social media with a minimum of risk:1. Internet versus intranet: Your usage guidelines should address acceptable practices for social media both inside your intranet and on the Web at large. For example, within the bounds of an intranet, rules surrounding discussion of proprietary information can likely be more relaxed.2. Accountability: User identity and authorization are the keys to governing the use of social media within an intranet. Consider single sign-on for simplicity, which enables you to make application changes without having to upgrade security across the board every time. In addition, your internal communications team can monitor and participate in external social media to help guide discussions about the company on the Web.3. Data governance: Because social media is participatory, it can generate an enormous volume of content. The relevance of this content may decline quickly as the content ages, however. Your security policies should include guidelines for automated archiving of content as it progresses through its useful life cycle. Information life cycle management (ILM) technologies can be instrumental in helping to optimize access speed and minimize storage costs—while also maintaining a record of the content for potential legal discovery or compliance verification.4. Regular reviews: The policies you create today may not be relevant next year—so review your guidelines regularly to update and expand them as necessary. Executives from every area of the business should be involved in each review. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090426-Social.pdf Telecom http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090427-SpotTelecom.pdf As a growing number of organizations realize the benefits of switching from traditional telephone service to enterprise voice over IP (VoIP), the telecom industry is continuing to push the envelope on IP-based communication capabilities. The hottest new buzzwords, unified communications (UC) and communications-enabled business processes (CEBP), are already proving more than hype, and showing bottom-line potential in harnessing the power of IP networks to true competitive advantage.While definitions vary by vendor, generally speaking UC refers to the integration of multiple modes of communication, including voice, data, video, instant messaging (IM), and conferencing. CEBP takes UC one step further, by embedding communications capabilities directly into applications to enable communication between applications and people, and even between applications. Deploying a successful UC or CEBP solution requires several key considerations. Be sure you understand the business drivers and end-users needs, particularly when it comes to features, usability, and training; features that are difficult to use will likely not be widely adopted. Find a non-IT champion within the organization to help push the project through. Fully assess the underlying IT infrastructure and network architecture required: an ideal IP telephony architecture would typically include high availability, exceptional performance, management simplicity, easy scalability, and open standards support for integration with third-party applications. And ask telecom vendors to set up a system you can test, and let a variety of users try it out. Organizations that are able to effectively harness UC or CEBP capabilities in daily operations can capitalize on innovative services that respond quickly to time-sensitive transactions and critical events, and deliver outstanding customer experiences for a true competitive edge. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps3q09-20090427-SpotTelecom.pdf Dell PowerEdge servers Microsoft Direct Access Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Microsoft Windows 7 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20090443-Grigsby.pdf Today’s enterprise workforce is more mobile than ever, requiring access to intranet resources from a wide range of locations outside the office, not only at home, but also at hotels, airports, coffee shops, and other hotspots all over the world. Although traditional solutions such as virtual private networks (VPNs) and application gateways can offer remote access to intranets and applications, these approaches also come with several disadvantages—and for IT administrators, supporting this type of remote access in a secure, seamless, and manageable way can be difficult. To help overcome these challenges, the Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems introduce DirectAccess, a new feature designed to maintain a seamless, secure bidirectional connection between Windows 7–based client systems and enterprise intranets without requiring a VPN connection. The feature uses IP Security (IPsec), IP version 6 (IPv6), and computer certificates to establish and maintain connections without requiring end users to provide login credentials. Administrators can use the DirectAccess Monitoring snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console as well as Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 with Service Pack (SP1) to monitor DirectAccess and help quickly identify and troubleshoot problems. In addition, with the latest release of the Dell OpenManage suite, the DellManagement Console Powered by Altiris from Symantec can help administrators monitor and manage the DirectAccess infrastructure. In this way, DirectAccess is designed not only to provide seamless, secure connections for increasingly mobile end users, but also helps significantly simplify ongoing management for enterprise administrators. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20090443-Grigsby.pdf Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Networking Windows Server 2008 R2 BranchCache Microsoft Windows 7 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20100125-Rojas.pdf Traditionally, IT administrators could choose to support wide area network (WAN) remote access in a number of ways: purchasing and installing direct high-bandwidth network connections or hardware caching devices, synchronizing files down to a local server before the workday begins, or simply having users wait for files to open over the WAN. These approaches may solve the problem, but can also be expensive, difficult to manage, or inconvenient for end users.With the introduction of the Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems, administrators can take advantage of a new tool designed to solve this problem simply and transparently for both end users and administrators: the BranchCache™ feature. BranchCache is designed to automatically retrieve content from centralized servers and cache that data either on a local server (in Hosted Cache mode) or on local client systems (in Distributed Cache mode)—helping to reduce WAN traffic, boost network application responsiveness, and increase efficiency for end users accessing this content. This feature works with the HTTP and HTTP over Secure Sockets Layer (HTTPS) protocols commonly used on enterprise intranets and with the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol commonly used on file servers, and supports IP version 4 (IPv4), IPv6, and encryption methods such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and IP Security (IPsec).BranchCache is designed to optimize WAN connectivity from end to end while maintaining protocol integrity over secure channels and helping ensure that the files themselves are current. The results, which can include savings on management and dedicated hardware as well as an increase in end-user satisfaction, can make BranchCache well worth the implementation effort in organizations reliant on WAN connections. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20100125-Rojas.pdf Dell Power Solutions December Early Release Systems Management Microsoft Windows 7 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20100118-SymantecNX.pdf Designed for rapid deployment, the NetX Appliance—based on Dell™ hardware, the Dell Management Console, and optional Altiris™ Client Management Suite™ software from Symantec—provides a simple, cost-effective way for administrators to centrally discover, monitor, manage, and update Dell servers and clients throughout their organizations. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20100118-SymantecNX.pdf Microsoft Windows 7 Windows Server 2008 R2 December Early Release Microsoft Windows 7 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20090456-Chaganti.pdf Dell and Microsoft have worked together closely on virtual desktop infrastructure solutions based on Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 R2 Hyper-V™ virtualization, Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2, and Dell™ servers and storage. The result offers a robust, efficient, high-performance platform for enterprise desktop virtualization. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q09-20090456-Chaganti.pdf Online-Only content Dell Power Solutions Microsoft Simplify IT Workstation Technology http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/Deploying_OS_Images_Using_MSCCM.pdf IT departments typically manage a heterogeneous mix of decentralized client hardware and various software applications. Administration of large-scale enterprises requires the use of centralized systems management processes that use consistent methods for managing such diverse network clients. Some typical IT administrator activities involve deploying standardized corporate operating system images to client hardware and using a consistent mechanism to gather application software, hardware, and operating system (OS) information across the network from a central management console.The Dell™ Client System Deployment CAB (cabinet file) provides the mechanism for an IT administrator to rapidly develop and deploy a customized corporate image on Dell client systems. This white paper provides an overview of using the operating system deployment capabilities of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 to deploy a customized OS image on Dell client systems in a heterogeneous environment.The intended audience for this paper includes IT and network administrators or managers who need to understand the intricacies of creating and deploying their own customized images on Dell client systems.SCCM provides centralized systems management capabilities for OS deployment, security patch management, application deployment, and asset management using Microsoft Windows® Management Services Integration (MSI). This paper will discuss how to use the SCCM operating system deployment function to deploy your corporate image on Dell hardware. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/Deploying_OS_Images_Using_MSCCM.pdf Microsoft Windows 7 Windows Server 2008 R2 December Early Release Microsoft Windows 7 http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/Automating_Image_Deployements_with_MDT.pdf IT departments typically manage a mix of decentralized client hardware and software applications. IT administrator activities include deploying standardized corporate operating system images to client hardware, which requires using a consistent mechanism to gather application software, hardware, and operating system (OS) information, and then deploying appropriate software over the network from a central management console.The Microsoft® Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2008 provides unified processes and tools for desktop and server OS deployment using a common deployment console and a collection of best practices. The toolkit provides a single mechanism for image creation and an automated installation process to reduce deployment time.MDT can be used in two different operational environments:1. Lite Touch Installation (LTI): Used primarily when software distribution tools like Microsoft Systems Center Configuration Manager (SCCM, also called ConfigMgr) 2007 are not available.2. Zero Touch Installation (ZTI): Used as an extension of the OS deployment capabilities available with ConfigMgr 2007.This technical paper focuses primarily on using the LTI installation mechanism along with Deployment Workbench for OS deployment on Dell client systems using the Dell driver packs. The Dell Client System Deployment CAB helps simplify the deployment of customized images on Dell hardware. Although the installation how-to steps detailed in this white paper are LTI specific, the installation process resembles the ZTI installation method that uses the underlying ConfigMgr capabilities to discover and deploy operating systems.The intended audience for this paper includes IT and network administrators or managers who need to understand the technical aspects of creating and deploying their own customized images on Dell client systems. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/Automating_Image_Deployements_with_MDT.pdf