Dell is introducing a new Cloud Partner Program that works with ISVs looking
to offer customers “easy-to-buy and -deploy cloud solutions and blueprints
optimized for Dell platforms.”
Dell discussed the program in an announcement about a new specialized cloud
computing infrastructure, including a handful of new servers.
The Cloud Partner Program's inaugural ISV
partners include Aster Data, Greenplum and Canonical, offering cloud blueprints
for data analytics, self-service data warehousing and an infrastructure-as-a-service
(IaaS) cloud capability, Dell said. These partners join longstanding partners
Microsoft and VMware, Dell said.
The goal of Dell’s Private Cloud initiative is to take Dell’s experience
working with hyperscale data centers such as Microsoft’s Windows Azure platform
and bring the benefits to enterprise-scale settings.
Dell’s Forrest Norrod, vice president and general manager of server platforms,
said IT managers had looked to the public cloud but were troubled by security
concerns and data compliance issues. The private cloud seemed like a good
alternative, but came with a much higher price tag, he said, introducing
the new initiative at an event in San Francisco.
Now, Norrod said, IT organizations are looking to get the right price and the
benefits of the public cloud within their own infrastructure.
Dell said its new integrated infrastructure solutions comprise pretested, preassembled
and fully supported hardware, software and services. The designs were created
to help private cloud builders quickly and easily deploy the technology.
Solutions will include Dell PowerEdge C-series servers for high-density compute
performance with an eye to energy efficiency and low operational costs. Other
services will include consulting, deployment and support, according to Dell.
"By listening to our customers in the hyperscale segment, we have learned
what matters most to them in operating businesses at the extreme edge of
efficiency," said Roy Guillen, general manager of Dell's Data Center
Solutions division, in a statement.
Dell said it will deliver the Dell Cloud solution for Web applications first,
providing a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution designed for
unpredictable traffic, the fear of underprovisioning and migration from
development to production. Dell said the solution will combine Dell
cloud-optimized servers and services with fully integrated Web application
cloud software from Joyent.
Dell will extend its PowerEdge server family with the new C-Series, designed
for the cloud for high-performance computing. New servers include the
following:
- PowerEdge C1100: high-memory,
power-efficient, cluster-optimized compute node server
- PowerEdge C2100: high-performance
data analytics, cloud compute platform and cloud storage server
- PowerEdge C6100: four-node
cloud and cluster optimized shared infrastructure server
Dell also announced integrated solution services
designed to help customers assess, deploy, design and manage dedicated
solutions.
Dell said the servers are available now. Cloud Infrastructure Solutions will
begin rolling out within 30 days. And the Web Applications Cloud Infrastructure
Solution will go to beta with select customers in April.
Cloud Computing 
