Dell, EMC, Esat BT, Nortel provide business continuity proof of concept facility for standards-based storage platforms

Dell, EMC, Esat BT and Nortel Networks have joined together to provide a facility for business continuity proof-of-concept testing, to enable their customers to test the performance of their data across a working network and to allow them to better choose the appropriate solution for their business-critical applications.

The dual-centre site also provides disaster recovery demonstrations for a realistic picture of data back-up and recovery. Operating over a 100km distance between Dell`s Application Solution Centre in Limerick and EMC`s Solutions Operations Centre in Cork, the resource can show how data can be backed up and applications restored at the sister site within minutes of a disaster.

"The move to 24x7 operations and the increasing need for security has created a requirement for data centre mirroring. Ensuring corporate data is recoverable has always been important. It is significant that Dell and its partners are able to build their solution on industry standard components," said Martin Hingley, vice-president of IDC`s European systems group.

Built on a Dell|EMC CX600 storage system and Nortel Networks` OPTera Metro 5000 dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) equipment, the sites are connected through Esat BT, Ireland`s wholly-owned division of BT, via a high-speed optical network.

The equipment used for the business continuity demonstration is available for testing and proof-of-concept work to customers in Europe through Dell, EMC, Esat BT and Nortel Networks. The server and SAN solution supports a variety of applications, including Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle 9iDatabase across a variety of operating systems.

"Information is the lifeblood of any organisation and having access to data - anywhere, anytime and under any circumstances - is crucial to survival in today`s business environment," said Tony Bogatie, Director - Enterprise Systems Group Dell South Africa. "Our collaboration with EMC, Esat BT and Nortel Networks will allow customers to test a real-world disaster recovery solution to help them in their business continuity planning."

"More and more customers are demanding the real-time backup and availability of their information, and business continuity software is a true example of technology providing peace of mind for customers. EMC is a leader in developing replication technology and by working closely with our partners, we`re able to provide customers with a complete end-to-end solution that provides the highest levels of data protection," commented Alex Robertson, Technical Solutions Group Manager for EMC in South Africa.

Peter Williams, general manager, applications hosting at Esat BT, added: "Esat BT is uniquely positioned to bring maximum value to this partnership. Through our global networking strengths and experience in hosting and applications, we drive value to customers worldwide. Furthermore, the shift in bandwidth costs means that customers can now avail of true disaster recovery and business continuity solutions at affordable costs. In less than three years, bandwidth, which is traditionally the most expensive component, has reduced in cost by some 80%. It is something customers have always needed but could not be considered due to cost - now they can. Esat BT are confident that this solution will bring value and reliability to both suppliers and customers alike."

"When combined with the operational expertise provided by Esat BT, the Nortel Networks OPTera Metro 5000 Multiservice Platform enables enterprise customers high-speed data services with a reduced total cost of ownership through simplified network management and ease of operation," said Peter Newcombe, president of optical networks, Nortel Networks, EMEA.