Dell number one in iSCSI SANs worldwide

Dell is the worldwide leader for iSCSI storage area networks (SANs), with more than double the share of its nearest competitor in the first quarter 2008, according to industry analyst firm Gartner.

In addition, Dell EqualLogic storage solutions received a "Strong Positive" - the highest possible rating - in Gartner's "MarketScope for iSCSI SAN Integrated Solutions.

Burgeoning new Internet-based businesses including application service providers and hosted services, proliferating social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, handheld mobile devices such as the BlackBerry, and new online communication tools like Twitter are generating an unprecedented amount of digital content.

* IDC reported in March 2008 that the digital universe is expected to grow to nearly 1 800 exabytes by 2011, a tenfold increase over the next three years.
* According to McKinsey & Company, demand for storage capacity has grown by more than 50% annually during the last five years.

This explosion of digital information is not only creating a monumental data storage challenge for IT managers as people continue to consume, create and store more information, but also it demands new storage solutions that move beyond the limitations of traditional solutions. The storage needs to be accessible, flexible, automated, easy-to-manage, and have the ability to scale on demand without disrupting ongoing operations.

iSCSI is a simple communications protocol that employs the Internet Protocol (IP) to connect servers with external storage devices. iSCSI's advantages are that it runs over ubiquitous Ethernet networks and switches, can communicate over wide area as well as local area networks, and, because it runs on top of IP, it is an extremely flexible routed protocol that facilitates virtualisation.

Dell has invested in a broad range of iSCSI solutions ranging from entry-level PowerVault products to powerful Dell Equallogic solutions to massively scalable Dell/EMC products.

According to Forrester, there are both hard economic benefits as well as soft benefits in adopting iSCSI storage. "Given the hardware acquisition cost benefits as well as synergies in network staff and infrastructure, significant benefits can be gained from the use of iSCSI-based SAN architectures."

Among the soft benefits is "more virtualisation within the protocol. iSCSI is inherently more virtualised than Fibre Channel... allowing for more granular addressing, especially important for virtual server environments".

But iSCSI alone is not the answer - in the case of Dell EqualLogic, iSCSI is the enabling technology for the patented virtualisation architecture at the heart of the Dell EqualLogic product line.

"We are seeing a tremendous opportunity for our storage systems across the board including our Dell/EMC, PowerVault and Dell/EqualLogic lines - especially with customers building virtual infrastructures and Internet-based businesses," said Gerald Painter, Manager, Enterprise Solutions Group, Dell Southern Africa. "These applications require not only the inherent ease of use and accessibility of the iSCSI protocol, but the intelligent automation and dynamic virtualisation such as those in the Dell EqualLogic architecture."

Dell owns the premier enterprise-class iSCSI-based storage platform for virtual infrastructures following the acquisition of EqualLogic earlier this year. Dell EqualLogic PS Series SANs are ideal for the new age of Internet-based applications, which demand unpredictable increases in storage capacity while continuously serving up uninterrupted access to data. PS Series SANs offers a dynamic response to the unique demands of each application, learning and adapting to its behaviour and adapting to shifting workloads to ensure responsiveness and consistent uptime.

WhitePages.com is the most trusted and comprehensive source for consumers to quickly and easily find relevant, accurate contact information in North America. WhitePages has deployed 105 terabytes of storage on 32 Dell EqualLogic PS Series storage arrays to index over 190 million people. "That's more than MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn combined," said Jack Valko, senior director of IT/Operations at WhitePages.com. "The number of searchable people in our database more than doubled last year. We can't continue be successful unless we have adaptable, reliable storage that works well with Linux and scales easily. With Dell EqualLogic storage we get all of that as well as great performance to meet current and future demand."

AirClic provides mobile information services to more than 500 customers worldwide. The company focuses on developing mobile handset solutions that provide a simple, cost-effective means for a mobile workforce to capture and exchange information using wireless devices. AirClic's Oracle-based application runs in a VMware virtual infrastructure on top of a tiered Dell EqualLogic SAN.

"The impact of the Dell EqualLogic SAN on AirClic's operations has been dramatic," said Andy Monroe, vice-president of technology at AirClic. "We know we can scale easily without disruption. Storage is not something we have to think about any more; so we can focus more on our customers and less on infrastructure."

In the first quarter of this year, Dell's external controller-based storage revenue increased 21% year-over-year. Dell increased customer acquisition internationally, received positive industry validation [1], delivered new storage features and products, and became number one in open systems storage worldwide.

"We have been investing in every aspect of our storage business, from innovation in our direct attached product line to the acquisition of EqualLogic, to highly sophisticated Fibre Channel Solutions, in order to keep up with the unprecedented demand for storage," said Painter. "As a result, Dell Southern Africa has demonstrated strong momentum across the board with 70% year-on-year growth in storage sales."